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Chicken and Gnocchi Dumpling Stew

A Dutch-oven chicken stew gets its dumpling-like softness from potato gnocchi, simmered briefly in a light, thyme-scented creamy broth.

Chicken, vegetables, and pillowy potato gnocchi sit in a light creamy broth with parsley on top.

This one-pot supper borrows the comfort of chicken and dumplings and gives the dumpling role to pillowy potato gnocchi. Browning the chicken and softening the vegetables first build a savory base, while a restrained amount of flour and cream keeps the broth easy to spoon rather than thick like pot-pie filling.

Brown for a savory base

Give the chicken room in the Dutch oven so it browns instead of steaming. The browned bits left behind dissolve into the broth when the vegetables and liquid go in, adding depth without making the stew heavy.

Keep the broth light

A small amount of flour gives the chicken broth enough body to carry cream and thyme, but it should still move freely in the pot. Add the liquid gradually and judge the finish by how lightly it coats a spoon.

Browned chicken and vegetables simmer in a loose thyme-scented broth inside a Dutch oven. — Chicken and vegetables simmer together before the potato gnocchi are added.

Use a short gnocchi finish

Gnocchi need only a brief simmer in the hot stew, and their package can vary, so start checking after a few minutes. They are ready when tender and just beginning to float; prolonged cooking can make them swell or lose their shape.

Check chicken by temperature

The chicken simmers in small pieces after browning, but color alone is not a dependable doneness cue. Check the thickest piece with an instant-read thermometer and let the carrots' tenderness guide the end of the same simmer.

A spoon lifts intact potato gnocchi, chicken, and carrot from the thin creamy stew. — A spoonful shows tender gnocchi, chicken, and vegetables in a freely flowing creamy broth.

Serve while the gnocchi are tender

Stir cream and peas in gently, then bring the bowls to the table while the gnocchi are still pillowy. If the stew stands and thickens, loosen it with a splash of broth while warming over low heat, stirring carefully around the gnocchi.

Chicken and Gnocchi Dumpling Stew

6 servings

55 minutes total

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 medium carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 16 oz shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

Prepare the vegetables
Dice the yellow onion, slice the carrots and celery, and mince the garlic; keep the garlic separate so it can go in after the vegetables soften.
Look for: The carrot rounds are thin and even, and the minced garlic is ready but not mixed into the vegetables.
Brown the chicken
Warm the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with the kosher salt and black pepper, then brown in a single layer in batches, turning once; transfer the pieces to a plate before they cook through.
Look for: The chicken has golden patches on two sides and browned bits remain on the pot bottom; the centers may still be raw.
Soften the vegetables
Reduce the heat to medium and melt the unsalted butter in the Dutch oven. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, then cook while stirring until the onion turns translucent and the carrots begin to soften.
Look for: The onion is translucent and glossy, and a spoon can dent a carrot slice without it going limp.
Build the light broth
Stir in the garlic and fresh thyme for about 30 seconds, then sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth gradually while scraping up browned bits, add the bay leaf, and bring the broth to a gentle simmer.
Look for: The flour disappears into the broth with no dry pockets, and small bubbles form around the pot edge without a hard boil.
Simmer chicken until done
Return the browned chicken and any plate juices to the Dutch oven. Cover partly and simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once, until the carrots are nearly tender and the thickest chicken piece reaches at least 165 F on an instant-read thermometer.
Look for: The broth bubbles lazily, the carrots are nearly tender, and a thermometer in the largest chicken piece reads at least 165 F.
Cook the gnocchi briefly
Stir in the potato gnocchi and keep the stew at a gentle simmer for 2 to 4 minutes, beginning to check at 3 minutes. Stir once carefully so the gnocchi separate without breaking, and stop when they are tender and just beginning to float.
Look for: The gnocchi feel tender when pressed with a spoon and hold their shape; most have risen toward the surface.
Finish the creamy stew
Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream and frozen peas. Warm for about 2 minutes without boiling, then remove and discard the bay leaf; the broth should coat a spoon lightly and still flow freely around the chicken and gnocchi.
Look for: The peas are bright green, the cream is blended into the broth, and a spoon leaves only a thin coating rather than a thick trail.
Season and serve
Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning if needed, then fold in the fresh parsley. Ladle into warm bowls, distributing chicken and gnocchi evenly while the broth is still loose and hot.
Look for: Each bowl contains chicken, vegetables, and gnocchi in a spoonable broth, with parsley visible on top.