Description
Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender chicken meatballs simmered in a creamy tomato sauce with sundried tomatoes, spinach, and gnocchi. Perfect for an easy weeknight meal or a cozy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp sundried tomato oil
Sauce + Gnocchi Ingredients
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup white wine (cooking wine or fresh)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 12 oz gnocchi, shelf stable
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
- 2 cups spinach
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, combine all meatball ingredients except the sundried tomato oil. Mix with your hand or a spoon until just combined to avoid tough meatballs.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into small meatballs, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each, making approximately 35-40 meatballs.
- Sear Meatballs: Heat 2 tablespoons of sundried tomato oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Sear meatballs until browned on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Work in batches if needed. Meatballs do not need to be fully cooked through at this stage.
- Combine in Slow Cooker: Add seared meatballs, diced onion, minced garlic, white wine, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chicken broth into your slow cooker or Magnifique Clay Pot Oven.
- Cook Meatballs: Cover and cook on HIGH setting for about 20 minutes if using Magnifique Clay Pot Oven, or 3 hours on standard slow cooker. Ensure meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Add Gnocchi and Cream: Once meatballs are cooked, add gnocchi, heavy cream, and sundried tomatoes to the slow cooker. If using Magnifique Clay Pot Oven, select Pasta setting and cook 10-20 minutes until gnocchi is cooked through. For other slow cookers, cook on Slow Cook setting for 20 minutes.
- Add Spinach and Cheese: Stir in fresh spinach and grated Parmesan cheese until spinach wilts.
- Rest and Serve: Let the dish rest for 10-15 minutes to thicken the sauce. Serve in bowls topped with additional Parmesan cheese to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- Ground chicken can be substituted with ground turkey or beef for a different flavor.
- Use plain or Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs; if using Italian breadcrumbs, reduce Italian seasoning in the meatballs by 1 tsp.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is important for thickening the sauce and best quality flavor.
- Fresh minced garlic adds superior flavor; if using jarred garlic, 1 clove equals about 1 tsp of prepared garlic.
- Save sundried tomato oil for searing meatballs; olive oil can be used if unavailable.
- You can add the onion raw to the slow cooker; it will cook perfectly with the meatballs.
- White wine can be regular drinking wine or cooking wine; both work well.
- Add heavy cream late in the cooking process to prevent curdling.
- Shelf stable gnocchi works well, but frozen or fresh gnocchi can also be used.
- Spinach is optional but adds color and nutrition.
- Avoid overmixing meatball mixture to keep meatballs tender.
- Deglaze the searing pan with wine and add the liquid to the slow cooker for extra flavor.
- Add gnocchi only when instructed to avoid mushy texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
