Are you ready for this? I think you are.

An easy weeknight meal with BIG TIME flavour.

I don’t serve gnocchi that often but I do know it’s something I would love to learn to make from scratch and by gosh, I’m gonna do it. Especially after watching my daughter-in-law host a gnocchi party last week. These girls were up to their elbows in flour and potatoes and holy moly, it looked like a good time to me!

These soft, pillowy little potato morsels can literally be served as an appetizer, main dish, side or thrown into something like this. A combination of chicken, spinach, a lemony dreamy sauce and the heavenly gnocchi. But the question is……are gnocchi a pasta or a starchy potato dish?

As a carb-loving pasta fiend, the answer to that is, who cares? They are the epitome of yumminess no matter how you look at your gnocchi.

Oh, and did you know that gnocchi is the plural of gnocco? In Italian, gnocco translates to dumpling and gnocchi are DUMPLINGS. So now you have to pronounce it correctly. The G is silent, so don’t try going around saying GAH NOCKI okay? Repeat after me….

NYAWK-KEE. NYAWK-KEE. NYAWK-KEE.

I’m still working on Worcestershire.

You got this.

The best way of knowing your gnocchi are cooked is watching them hit rock bottom of the pot of boiling water and then slowly rise to the top. You don’t want to overcook them or you’ll end up with soggy, mushy gnocchi. Ugh, there’s nothing worse than a soggy dumpling.

My favourite way of eating gnocchi is pan frying them in butter with a little sage. SO YUM. But today, we are taking this recipe to the next level and incorporating these babies into a casserole filled with so many delicious ingredients.

After baking up a storm over the past week, it was a nice change to have a savoury, comforting dish to break up the sweetamania happening in the kitchen.

Seriously, can you please just look at this? I know exactly what you’re having for dinner tonight. A pan full of goodness.

• 8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on

• 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

• 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

• 17.6 oz (500g) packaged gnocchi

• Chopped fresh parsley leaves
  

  Creamy Lemon Garlic Parmesan Sauce

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup organic chicken broth, (or homemade broth)

• 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs

• ½ cup (125ml) half and half, light cream or heavy cream

• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• Juice from ½ lemon

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and oil an oven-proof baking dish.

2. Season chicken thighs with Italian herb, salt and pepper.

3. Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Drain in a colander and set aside.

4. While the gnocchi is cooking, melt one tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear chicken on both sides, starting with the skin-side down, until browned and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per side; drain and set aside. You do not have to cook the chicken through. It will finish cooking in the oven.

5. Melt remaining one tablespoon of butter in the same skillet. Stir in chopped spinach and cook until it begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Set spinach aside.

6. Now you're going to make your cream sauce by melting two tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and Italian seasoning. Cook, whisking constantly, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in cream, parmesan cheese and lemon juice. Cook until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Arrange chicken thighs into the prepared baking dish. Top with cooked gnocchi, spinach and cream sauce. Roast in the oven until completely cooked through, about 30- 40 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley.