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Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs With Gnocchi Recipe

Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs With Gnocchi Recipe
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★★★★★

5.2 from 27 reviews

This Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi recipe combines juicy, flavorful chicken meatballs with a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce and tender gnocchi. Slow-cooked to perfection, this hearty dish is infused with fresh basil, Parmesan, and spinach, making it a comforting and delicious meal perfect for any day of the week.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Meatballs

  • ½ cup (66g) sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 medium onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • Handful fresh basil leaves
  • 1 lb (500g) ground chicken or turkey
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp Italian herbs or Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp ground pepper
  • 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup (75g) Panko breadcrumbs

For Cooking and Sauce

  • 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) dry white wine
  • 2 cups (480 ml) chicken broth
  • ½ cup (66g) sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
  • 17.5 oz (500g) gnocchi
  • 7 oz (200g) baby spinach leaves

Instructions

  1. Make the Meatballs: Place the onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves into a mini chopper or food processor and blitz to a coarse paste. Alternatively, finely chop them with a knife. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, paste, salt, garlic powder, Italian herbs, ground pepper, egg, Parmesan, and Panko breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon or your hands until well combined. Use slightly oiled hands and a small cookie scoop to form small meatballs.
  2. Brown the Meatballs: Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in the slow cooker insert or a skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook for about 5 minutes, turning once, until they are nicely colored on all sides. They do not need to be cooked through at this stage.
  3. Slow Cook the Meatballs: Add a splash of dry white wine to the slow cooker or skillet and simmer for about one minute to deglaze. If using a skillet, transfer the contents to the slow cooker now. Pour in the chicken broth, cover, and cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours until meatballs are fully cooked and tender.
  4. Add Sauce and Gnocchi: Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, heavy cream, and gnocchi into the slow cooker. Cover and continue cooking on HIGH for another 20 minutes until the gnocchi is tender and the sauce has thickened. If the sauce appears too thin, mix a cornstarch slurry with cream before adding to thicken.
  5. Finish with Spinach: Add the baby spinach leaves to the slow cooker and gently stir into the hot sauce just until the spinach wilts. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
  6. Serve: Spoon the creamy Tuscan chicken meatballs and gnocchi into bowls, sprinkle with extra grated Parmesan, and serve immediately for a rich and comforting meal.

Notes

  • You can substitute ground turkey for ground chicken if preferred.
  • Panko breadcrumbs help keep meatballs light and tender; regular breadcrumbs can be used as an alternative.
  • If you do not have a mini chopper, finely chopping the onion, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes works well.
  • Use fresh basil for best flavor, but dried basil can be substituted in a pinch.
  • To make this gluten-free, replace Panko breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs and use gluten-free gnocchi.
  • Make sure not to overcook the gnocchi in the slow cooker to avoid a mushy texture.
  • Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stove or microwave.

Nutrition

Keywords: Slow Cooker, Tuscan Chicken Meatballs, Gnocchi, Comfort Food, Easy Dinner, Creamy Sauce, Italian Recipe

Find it online: https://dinewithlily.com/slow-cooker-tuscan-chicken-meatballs-with-gnocchi-recipe/