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Creamy Tomato Chicken, Broccoli & Gnocchi

Chicken, broccoli, and potato gnocchi cook in stages in one skillet, with a lightly creamy tomato sauce tying the meal together.

Tender chicken, potato gnocchi, and bright broccoli sit in a lightly creamy tomato sauce with Parmesan and basil.

This skillet builds its sauce around the browned bits left by seared chicken, then uses a covered simmer to soften gnocchi without boiling another pot. Broccoli joins later so it stays green and keeps a little bite.

Brown chicken in an uncrowded layer

A wide skillet gives bite-size chicken room to sear instead of steam. Cook it to 165 F, then move it to a clean plate so the tomato sauce can pick up the browned flavor left behind.

Build a tomato sauce with body

Softened onion and briefly cooked garlic make a savory base, while tomato paste deepens the canned tomatoes before broth and cream go in. Keeping the simmer gentle helps the cream stay smooth as the gnocchi cook.

Potato gnocchi simmer in tomato cream sauce as small broccoli florets are added to the skillet. — Gnocchi begin to soften in the gently bubbling tomato cream sauce before broccoli joins the skillet.

Stage the vegetables for their texture

Potato gnocchi need a head start in the sauce, so cover them first and stir once to keep their surfaces from sticking. Add small broccoli florets after that initial simmer; the short covered finish cooks the stems while preserving color.

Finish gently and serve hot

Return the chicken only after the gnocchi and broccoli are tender, then let it warm in the sauce. Parmesan melts more smoothly off the heat, and a splash of water can restore a loose, spoonable consistency if the gnocchi absorbed extra liquid.

Glossy tomato cream sauce coats chicken and soft gnocchi beside tender green broccoli florets. — A close view shows tender gnocchi, bright broccoli, and chicken coated in Parmesan-finished tomato cream sauce.

Creamy Tomato Chicken, Broccoli & Gnocchi

4 servings

40 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 lb potato gnocchi, shelf-stable or refrigerated
• 3 cups small broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Method

Prepare the ingredients
Cut the chicken into even bite-size pieces, dice the onion, mince the garlic, and separate the broccoli into small florets so everything cooks at a similar pace.
Look for: Chicken pieces are similar in size and broccoli florets are small enough to become tender quickly.
Brown the chicken
Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with half the kosher salt and the black pepper, then sear in a single layer, turning once, until browned and 165 F at the thickest pieces; transfer to a clean plate.
Look for: The chicken has browned patches and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 F in the largest piece.
Soften the aromatics
Reduce the skillet to medium heat and add the onion. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant without letting it brown.
Look for: The onion is glossy and translucent at the edges, and the garlic smells fragrant rather than toasted.
Build the tomato cream sauce
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, heavy cream, red pepper flakes, and remaining kosher salt; scrape up browned bits and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
Look for: The sauce is evenly coral-red with no concentrated tomato paste streaks and small bubbles at the edges.
Simmer the gnocchi
Stir the potato gnocchi into the simmering sauce, cover the skillet, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring once halfway through so the dumplings soften evenly without sticking.
Look for: The gnocchi are beginning to puff and the sauce simmers gently under the lid.
Add the broccoli
Scatter the broccoli florets over the gnocchi, cover again, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and just tender and the gnocchi are soft through the center.
Look for: A knife tip slides into a broccoli stem with slight resistance, while the florets stay bright green.
Warm the chicken through
Return the browned chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Fold gently through the sauce and simmer uncovered for 2 minutes, until the chicken is hot and the sauce clings to the gnocchi.
Look for: Chicken is steaming hot throughout and the sauce coats the gnocchi instead of pooling thinly.
Melt in the Parmesan
Turn off the heat and fold in the finely grated Parmesan until melted. Taste the sauce and add a little water if it has thickened more than you like while the gnocchi rested.
Look for: The Parmesan disappears into a glossy sauce that still moves easily when stirred.
Finish and serve
Scatter the chopped fresh basil over the skillet and serve immediately, spooning sauce and broccoli over each portion so the gnocchi stay coated.
Look for: Fresh basil aroma rises from the warm sauce and each serving has chicken, broccoli, and gnocchi.