Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi
Nothing compares to Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi. You can also make them in a skillet, they are the epitome of comfort.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- 6qt slow cooker
- deep sided skillet
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken *see notes
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 ts p soy sauce or tamari
- 1½ tsp dried Italian seasoning blend
- 1½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp sun dried tomato oil for cooking the meatballs
Tuscan Sauce & Gnocchi
- ¼ cup yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup white wine *optional for flavor, skip if needed!
- 2 cups chicken broth, low sodium
- 1 lb dried gnocchi *17.5 oz "shelf stable"
- ⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, chopped *more for topping if desired
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ½ tsp salt & pepper more salt to taste if needed
- 3 cup baby spinach, ripped
- ¼ cup parmesan more as needed
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix up the meatballs well using a spoon or hands. Form 1 inch meatballs with hands and place them on a plate.
- Add sun-dried tomato oil to a skillet, on medium heat. Add the meatballs to the skillet and brown them on both sides for about 3-4 minutes on each side until they have a nice golden color.
- Add the browned meatballs into the slow cooker. Add in chopped onions, garlic, wine, broth Set the slow cooker on high and cook for about 2.5 hours. Next, add in the gnocchi, sun-dried tomatoes, cream and spinach. Cook for another 20 minutes. Mix in parmesan cheese and serve. Garnish with extra parmesan if desired!
- If making in the skillet: Once meatballs are browned, add onions to the pan, continue to cook with meatballs for another 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and wine. Let it simmer for 2 minutes on medium heat. Pour the broth in, add the gnocchi and simmer for another 10-15 minutes to let the meatballs finish cooking, be sure to turn them often.
- If making in the skillet continued: Add spinach in, pour in the cream and sun dried tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and add in the parmesan. Serve while warm and garnish with extra parmesan if desired.
Notes
- This dish can be cooked in the slow cooker or on the stovetop. Both instructions are given in the recipe card. Both are great but I lean into the skillet most often as it cooks up quick.
- Make your own ground chicken. It’s much more affordable to place 1 lb of boneless skinless chicken breasts into a food processor and grind it up that way. If you do it this way, you can add all the meatball Ingredients into the food processor once it’s ground and mix it in.
- Don't overcook the meatballs! They will continue to cook in the broth and sauce, that being said I always recommend using a digital thermometer to be sure they are cooked through.
- Make it a little healthier. Use 2% milk to cut some fat if needed. It won't be as luxurious but will still have great flavor.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5 cup | Calories: 572kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 1252mg | Potassium: 1130mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2719IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 186mg | Iron: 7mg