Description
This Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Bake is a comforting, creamy baked pasta dish featuring tender potato gnocchi, cooked chicken, and a rich Alfredo sauce made from cream cheese, heavy cream, and Parmesan. Topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan, it’s baked until bubbly and golden for a hearty family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 block Philadelphia), softened
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
Main
- 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the cream cheese and preheat oven: Take the cream cheese out of the fridge at least an hour prior or microwave it for 20-30 seconds until very soft. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and move the oven rack to the top third position.
- Sauté garlic: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to brown it.
- Make Alfredo sauce: Stir in the softened cream cheese (cut into smaller pieces), heavy cream, and chicken broth into the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring almost constantly, until the cream cheese has fully melted and the sauce is smooth but not too thick, as it will bake further.
- Add gnocchi and chicken: Add the uncooked potato gnocchi and the cooked chicken to the skillet. Continue cooking and stirring often for 3 minutes to allow the gnocchi to begin softening.
- Add Parmesan and remove from heat: Stir in half of the grated Parmesan cheese. Remove the skillet from the heat to prevent overcooking the sauce.
- Transfer to baking dish: Pour the gnocchi and sauce mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish, spreading it evenly.
- Add cheese toppings: Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese evenly over the top, then add the shredded mozzarella.
- Bake and rest: Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened to ensure it melts into a smooth sauce.
- Using cooked leftover chicken is convenient; rotisserie chicken works great.
- You can substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth for a different flavor.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce before baking, reduce the cooking liquid slightly but avoid making it too thick as baking further thickens it.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
