Description
Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi is a hearty and flavorful one-pot meal featuring tender chicken meatballs simmered in a savory tomato cream sauce with Italian herbs, sundried tomatoes, fresh spinach, and pillowy gnocchi. This comforting Tuscan-inspired dish is easy to prepare and perfect for a family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 Tbsp sundried tomato oil
Sauce + Gnocchi Ingredients
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup white wine (cooking wine or fresh)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 12 oz gnocchi (shelf stable, fresh, or frozen)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sundried tomatoes
- 2 cups spinach
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare meatball mixture: In a medium mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, egg, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands or a spoon until just combined to avoid tough meatballs.
- Form meatballs: Shape the mixture into small meatballs about 1½ tablespoons each (or use a #60 cookie scoop). This should yield about 35-40 meatballs.
- Sear meatballs: Heat 2 tablespoons sundried tomato oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side, working in batches if necessary. The meatballs do not need to be fully cooked through at this stage.
- Combine ingredients in slow cooker: Add seared meatballs, diced yellow onion, minced garlic, white wine, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chicken broth to the slow cooker or Magnifique Clay Pot Oven.
- Slow cook meatballs: Cover and cook on high slow cook setting for 20 minutes if using Magnifique Clay Pot Oven or 3 hours on a standard slow cooker until meatballs reach 160°F internal temperature.
- Add gnocchi and cream: Once meatballs are cooked, add gnocchi, heavy cream, and sundried tomatoes to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on the Pasta setting for 10-20 minutes (Magnifique Clay Pot Oven) or on Slow Cook for 20 minutes (standard slow cooker) until gnocchi is cooked through.
- Add spinach and Parmesan: Stir in fresh spinach and grated Parmesan cheese. Cook for a few minutes until spinach wilts.
- Rest and serve: Let the dish rest for 10-15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Serve in individual bowls topped with extra Parmesan cheese to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey or beef for ground chicken if desired.
- If using Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, reduce Italian seasoning in the meatball mixture by 1 teaspoon.
- Fresh minced garlic is recommended for best flavor over pre-minced jarred garlic.
- Use sundried tomato oil to sear meatballs for added flavor or olive oil as an alternative.
- White wine can be fresh or cooking wine depending on availability.
- Add heavy cream only after slow cooking meatballs to prevent curdling.
- Gnocchi can be fresh, frozen, or shelf stable. Do not add it too early to avoid mushy texture.
- Spinach adds color and nutrients but is optional.
- Do not overmix the meatball mixture to avoid tough meatballs.
- Deglaze the searing pan with white wine and add liquid to the slow cooker for extra flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
