You guys, this is a restaurant-quality meal. It’s chicken and gnocchi coated in a slightly different but equally delicious version of my popular truffle cream sauce.
I throw in some spinach and mushrooms as well to feel a bit less guilty about the indulgence, but mainly for some extra flavor and texture.
This is what I'd call comfort luxury food, if that's even a thing, perfect for when you want to impress guests or even for a date night in!
Oh and don't worry, I’m not about to send you out store-hopping for some crazy expensive truffles. All you need is some truffle oil and you can find it pretty easily in Italian stores or online.
In case you're wondering how else you can make good use of that purchase, I’ve got at least 7 other recipes on my blog you can use truffle oil in.
Ingredient Notes
Having made this dish several times, I just want to make sure the ingredient-related mental notes I’ve picked up over the years are jotted down here so you get the best results. So here goes:
- All kinds of gnocchi will do – potato, ricotta, spinach, whole wheat, semolina. Just make sure to cook it according to the package instructions.
- I prefer chicken thighs over breasts, they stay nice and juicy.
- Don’t get the coconut milk in cartons that say coconut blend or coconut beverage. You want the canned milk that’s for cooking. Always check the ingredients as some products have artificial flavors and additives. The fewer ingredients, the better.
- Obvious but easy to forget: if you want the cream cheese to melt faster in the sauce, cut it into small cubes before you start cooking and let it sit out to soften.
- Canned mushrooms are not a good choice for this recipe. You won’t get the same texture and flavor that comes from fresh ones.
- You can swap parmesan with grana padano or pecorino romano, both work great in my experience. But you will need to adjust how much cheese you use. Start with less and add more if you need to.
- White truffle oil, black truffle oil, any kind works. That said, not all oils have the same potency and you don't want it to overpower all other flavors. If it’s your first time using a bottle, start with less than the recipe says, taste the sauce then adjust if you need more.
- Don’t swap truffle oil for truffle salt, flavor won’t be the same and it’ll mess with the salt balance.
Instructions
If you prefer visuals when cooking, I’ve added photos here to guide you through all the different steps. You’ll find the ingredient measurements and detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.
In a bowl, combine all the spices and seasonings.
Cook the gnocchi according to the package instructions. The skillet gnocchi I use is cooked by pan-frying. Once cooked, set it aside.
In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant and the onion has softened slightly.
Add the chicken to the skillet.
Also, add the seasoning mix that you prepared earlier.
Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the chicken has changed color to white.
Then add the chicken broth.
Add the canned coconut milk.
Also add the cubed pieces of cream cheese. Stir until the cheese completely dissolves and the sauce thickens a little.
Add spinach and sliced mushrooms.
And add grated parmesan cheese. Give everything a good mix and cook for 2-4 minutes or until the spinach wilts slightly.
Throw in the cooked gnocchi and let it cook for a couple more minutes.
Turn off the heat and stir in the truffle oil and lemon juice.
Garnish with cilantro and serve.
Top Tips
- Use high-quality, full-fat canned coconut milk for the best flavor and consistency.
- If you're not used to the flavor of the truffle, start by using half the amount of truffle oil. You can always add more if you want to, best to test out your preference first.
- To prevent the gnocchi from becoming mushy, do not let the dish simmer for too long after adding the gnocchi to the sauce.
- If the sauce gets too thick for your liking, add a bit more broth to adjust the consistency.
- When you’re making a bigger batch, don’t use the full adjusted amount of truffle oil listed. Start small, add more gradually and taste the sauce as you go.
Chicken and Gnocchi With Creamy Truffle Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454 g) gnocchi - any variety of your choice (Note A)
- 1 pound (454 g) chicken - boneless, skinless, cut into bite-size pieces, preferably thighs
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- ¼ cup (40 g) onion - thinly sliced
- 4 cloves (2 teaspoon) garlic - minced
- 1 cup (237 ml) coconut milk - canned (Note B)
- 2 ounces (57 g) cream cheese - cubed
- ½ cup (118 ml) chicken broth - unsalted or low-sodium
- 3 heaping cups (90 g) baby spinach - roughly chopped, or use regular spinach
- 6 ounces (170 g) mushrooms - sliced white (button) or brown (cremini) mushrooms
- ½ cup (40 g) parmesan - grated (Note C)
- 1 teaspoon truffle oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice - or lime juice, fresh
- 2 tablespoons cilantro - aka coriander, fresh
Spices and Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning -
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes - add more if you like some heat
- ¼ teaspoon salt - adjust to taste
Instructions
- To make the seasoning mix, combine the Italian seasoning, ground white pepper, ground black pepper, ground cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Cook the gnocchi according to package instructions. Once cooked, set it aside.
- In a skillet, heat the cooking oil over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant and the onion is softened.
- Add the chicken and the prepared seasoning mix to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the coconut milk, chicken broth, and cream cheese to the skillet. Allow the cream cheese to melt, stir frequently to prevent the sauce from sticking to the pan.
- When the sauce is smooth and creamy, add the chopped spinach, sliced mushrooms, and parmesan. Cook for 2-4 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted.
- Add the cooked gnocchi to the skillet and cook a couple minutes more.
- Turn off the heat, stir in the truffle oil and lemon juice. Garnish with chopped cilantro/coriander and enjoy!
Ramee says
This turned out well. I made some adjustments due to preference and what I had on hand. After cooking the chicken, I deglazed the pan with a couple of tablespoons of vermouth. I used a can of cream of mushroom soup and 1 cup pasta water instead of the coconut milk, cream cheese, and broth. I did not have any spinach or fresh mushrooms, but I substituted with some dried mushrooms I had which I presoaked. I added 1/4 cup of parmesan. At the end, I added two teaspoons of the truffle oil and some kosher salt and rosemary. Served alongside some roasted carrots, also in rosemary. A very savory meal. Thank you!
Nelo says
Your substitutions sound delicious, Ramee. And thank you for leaving this review. Hope you'll try more of my recipes 😊