Sheet Pan Chicken and Gnocchi with Broccoli Rabe
One pan, no fuss! This sheet pan chicken and gnocchi recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner. Ready in just 30 minutes!
Sheet Pan Chicken and Gnocchi with Broccoli Rabe: A Weeknight Game-Changer
I can barely contain my excitement – I’m absolutely giddy over this recipe!
The other day, a few friends and I were talking about what we thought this year’s recipe trends would be. (It’s the kind of weird conversation that food bloggers have.)
I said I thought people would be looking for easy, hands-off recipes.
I don’t know about you, but I haven’t felt like spending a ton of time in the kitchen lately. Judging by the number of people I know who are suddenly all about their pressure cookers and air fryers, I have a feeling I’m not the only one.
When it comes to easy dinner, it doesn’t get much simpler than this sheet pan chicken and gnocchi. Everything cooks together on one pan – no sautéing, no browning, no boiling, no special equipment. No stress. Very little mess.
In just 30 minutes, you’re rewarded with a meal of plump gnocchi, juicy chicken, and slightly charred broccoli rabe.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
- Easy Clean up – Everything cooks together on one sheet pan, so cleanup is a breeze!
- Hands Off – Let the oven do the work while you take a few minutes to relax
- Full of flavor – There’s tons of flavor in each bite, thanks to a bright and tangy lemon sauce
Did you know you can bake gnocchi?
This recipe was inspired by one that I saw in last month’s issue of Eating Well (one of my absolute favorite magazines!)
I had never heard of cooking gnocchi in the oven before, and I had a hard time believing that they didn’t need to be boiled first. I was still skeptical even as I pulled the pan out of the oven.
Then I tasted one, and my mind was completely blown.
The gnocchi were plump and tender, with crispy edges where they touched the pan and a mild lemon flavor. It’s a weeknight game-changer.
Ingredients for sheet pan chicken and gnocchi
- Chicken thighs. Thighs have so much flavor and, since they’re smaller, they’re perfectly portioned. You’ll need boneless, skinless thighs for this recipe. Sometimes I have a hard time finding thighs without the skin. If you run into that issue, you can either roast them with the skin on (yum) or pull it off for a lower calorie option. If you can afford them, splurge on organic thighs for this recipe – they’re not as greasy as conventional chicken thighs and have a cleaner chicken flavor.
- Shelf stable gnocchi. You’re looking for the dried gnocchi in a vacuum pack for this recipe. Look for it in the pasta aisle! I like using traditional potato gnocchi, but I’ve also had success with gluten-free versions. I do not recommend whole wheat gnocchi for baking.
- Lemons. You’ll juice one to make the sauce and slice the second up to toss with the other ingredients on the sheet pan. Yay for lots of lemon-y flavor!
- Garlic powder and red pepper flakes. I kept the seasoning for this recipe simple. Feel free to play around with your favorites!
- Broccoli rabe. Did you know that broccoli rabe (also kown as rapini) is just the leafy green part of a broccoli plant? It tastes like a slightly more bitter, nutty broccoli and it’s so good! f you don’t like it, or if you cant fine it, feel free to substitute broccoli florets instead. You can also leave it out and toss the chicken and gnocchi with baby spinach before serving; it will only take a few minutes for spinach to wilt so don’t put it in the oven.
- Parmesan shreds. For that little extra something-something when you serve it.
What kind of gnocchi should I use?
For this recipe, you’ll want to use dried gnocchi. It’s shelf stable and sold in a vacuum sealed packet, usually in the same aisle as pasta.
Do I need to boil the gnocchi first?
No! That’s the beauty of this recipe. Use it straight from the packet. It will plump up and soften in the oven.
WOW! Do you have any other recipes like this one?
I sure do! Check out my Lemon Parmesan Gnocchi with Asparagus. It’s one of my most popular recipes – everyone who makes it loves it!
Can I make this recipe with chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yes. If you prefer to use chicken breasts, go for boneless, skinless cutlets. If yours are very thick, they might need an extra 5 minutes in the oven, so keep an eye on them.
My gnocchi stuck to the pan.
Ugh, that stinks. Lining your pan with parchment paper (not foil) definitely helps. Also, make sure the gnocchi is evenly coated with the lemon and oil mixture before spreading it on the pan. This will help it crisp up and keep it from sticking. Giving the gnocchi and good stir halfway through the cooking process will also help keep it from sticking.
Can I use fresh gnocchi?
I haven’t personally made this recipe with fresh gnocchi, but several commenters have and say they love it!
More healthy sheet pan recipes you’ll love
- 20 Easy Sheet Pan Dinners
- Sheet Pan Mediterranean Chicken Thighs
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Baked Chicken Thighs with Root Vegetables
- Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken
- Sheet Pan Spanish Style Potatoes with Chorizo
You’ll also love my Healthy Eating One Pot Cookbook!
Sheet Pan Chicken and Gnocchi with Broccoli Rabe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs preferably organic
- 16 ounces gnocchi shelf stable
- 1 small lemon thinly sliced
- salt and pepper
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe or broccolini
- Parmesan shreds for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 450ºF. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Add the chicken, gnocchi, and lemon sliced and mix well to coat.
- Spread the chicken and gnocchi mixture onto your prepared sheet pan in an even layer.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Stir well, then add the broccoli rabe to the pan. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Top with parmesan, if desired.
Can I use frozen gnocchi
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would be fine. If you make it let me know
Made this tonight for me and my toddler girl we both absolutely loved it and I have sent it to a bunch of busy mums! Thank you! Used a little less lemon and added some fresh herbs and chicken spice too. Really delicious will be Making again!
I’m so glad you liked it!
I had everything except the broccolini, but I did have Brussels sprouts, so I cut them in half and used them instead! The recipe still turned out quite tasty!
Great recipe! I reduced the lemon to about 1 tsp, used fresh minced garlic and an Italian seasons blend, salt/pepper and kept the crushed peppers. Used broccoli and baby carrots. Roasted all at the same time for 25 minutes, sprinkled Parmesan over everything then under the broiler for 2 minutes. AMAZING
Wonderful recipe, but my gnocchi completely burned on the pan. Probably a stupid question, but was I supposed to use parchment paper as it showed in the photos? Thank you.
Hm. I’ve made it a bunch of times and they’ve never stuck or burned! Did you stir them well when you added the broccoli? That’s the only thing I can think of – if they start to stick, doing that loosens them back up. (I actually don’t line my pan with parchment when I bake them – I just did that for the photos because that pan has a beautiful textured pattern on it, but it’s a pain to wash and the parchment helps it not get too gunked up.)
Dumb question- do you cook the gnocchi beforehand?? The box says to boil it 3-4 minutes but the recipe doesn’t. I just don’t want to mess it up!
Nope! Just use it straight from the box. 🙂
I wonder if I could replace the gnocchi with tortellinis? Only because I do not have any gnocchi on hand for tonight.
Thanks!
yumm!
i only had one piece of chicken, so i onl used one lemon, but kept everything else the same. It seems like I want some kind of sauce with it…thoughts on what might go well?
I tried this again tonight and loved it! Who knew putting gnocchi in the oven would result in something so delicious?! You’re brilliant! The recipe is great as-is. This time, I added some fresh sage, used fresh minced garlic instead of the powdered, and used the juice of 1/2 lemon instead of an entire one, and was really happy with the results. I think next time, I’ll add some toasted slivered almonds to add some complexity to the texture. Thanks for this recipe!
Made this super easy dinner and it was delish for anyone who needs new dinner ideas! Only modifications were using broccoli instead of broccolini, defatting the organic chicken thighs, adding dried oregano, and leaving in the lemon slices but leaving out the lemon juice.
I am a newly married 39-year old who never learned how to cook in so many years as a single lady, but I am trying! I came across this recipe and tried it last night — so very easy, and tasted awesome! Already had most of the ingredients, just needed to buy chicken, gnocchi, lemons, and broccolini. Could not have been easier to put together, and had a glass of wine during the 30-minute cooking time. Thank you!!