One Pan Gnocchi Chicken Sausage Skillet
This Gnocchi Chicken Sausage Skillet is cheesy, creamy, and made entirely in one pan in 20 minutes. As a dietitian, what I really love about it is what’s hiding in there: a full can of white beans and four whole cups of kale. Plus, gnocchi cooks straight in the broth — no boiling it separately, or dirtying a second pot.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken sausage: Italian or andouille flavors both work beautifully here. Because it’s precooked, you’re really just browning the outside for flavor, which is part of why this comes together so fast.
Shelf-stable potato gnocchi: The star ingredient. It simmers directly in the broth (no need to boil it first), releasing starch as it cooks that naturally thickens the sauce into a super creamy texture without a drop of cream.
White beans: I use canned great northern beans for convenience. They add fiber, plant-based protein, and a creamy texture.
Kale: Four cups sounds like a lot, but it wilts down significantly — don’t skip it. It’s one of the easiest ways to sneak extra fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin K into a comfort-food dinner. Make sure you rip it into small enough pieces before you drop it in.
Chicken broth: Forms the base of the sauce and helps the gnocchi cook.
Parmesan and mozzarella: Parmesan melts into the sauce and the mozzarella goes on top for that stretchy, cheesy finish.
Lemon juice: Just a splash at the end brightens the whole dish and keeps it from tasting heavy.
How To Make This Gnocchi Skillet Dinner
Brown the sausage. Add 1 pound sliced chicken sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 4-5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Sauté the onion. In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 medium diced yellow onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.
Add garlic and spices. Stir in 3 cloves minced garlic and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Deglaze. Pour in 1½ cups chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan — that’s where a lot of the flavor lives.
Add beans and gnocchi. Stir in the drained and rinsed white beans, then add the 16-ounce package of gnocchi straight from the box. Bring to a simmer. **note you don’t need to pre-cook the gnocchi
Simmer. Cover and cook until the gnocchi is tender, 5-7 minutes, stirring once halfway through so nothing sticks to the bottom.
Wilt the kale. Stir in 4 cups chopped kale and cook, uncovered, until wilted, 2-3 minutes.
Return the sausage. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine, warming through for about 1 minute.
Finish it off. Remove from heat. Stir in ½ cup grated Parmesan and 1½ teaspoons lemon juice. Sprinkle ¼ cup shredded mozzarella on top, cover, and let sit for 1-1½ minutes until melty.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper before serving.
Expert Tips from Test Kitchen
Don’t skip the deglazing step. Those browned bits at the bottom of the pan after searing the sausage and sauteeing the onion are packed with flavor — scraping them up with broth adds a lot of flavor.
Add the cheese off the heat. Stirring Parmesan in after removing the pan from heat keeps the sauce silky instead of grainy or oily.
Taste before you salt. Chicken sausage and Parmesan are both salty on their own — season at the very end so you don’t overdo it.
Substitutions or Variations
- Other proteins to try: chicken breast, ground turkey sausage, Italian sausage, or even ground beef would all work well here.
- Bone broth in place of chicken broth adds an extra protein boost without changing the flavor much.
- Veggie add-ins: mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, or peas would all be great additions if you want to bulk this up even more.
- This recipe is already gluten free, but you could make it dairy free by omitting the Parmesan and mozzarella — the sauce will be slightly less creamy but still delicious thanks to the starchy gnocchi and broth.
Storage And Reheating Leftovers
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze this recipe in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- Reheat on the stovetop: For the most delicious leftovers, rewarm gently in a saucepan over low heat. The gnocchi can thicken in the fridge over time, so add a splash of water or broth as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Reheat in the microwave: Heat for about 1 minute, taste, and microwave in additional 30-second increments as needed. You might need to add a splash of water or broth to loosen it up as well.
FAQs
Should I cook the gnocchi first? Nope! Add it straight from the package into the simmering broth. It cooks in just 5-7 minutes and helps thicken the sauce as it goes.
Can I use frozen kale instead of fresh? Yes, though I recommend thawing and draining it first to avoid excess water diluting the sauce. Fresh spinach is also a great swap if that’s what you have on hand.
More 30 Minutes Balanced Meals
One Pan Gnocchi Chicken Sausage Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken sausage sliced into round coins – italian or andouille work well in this dish
- 16 oz package shelf-stable potato gnocchi
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 15 oz can white beans drained and rinsed
- 4 cups chopped kale
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 –2 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Add sliced chicken sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté the onion. In the same skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add diced yellow onion and cook until translucent.
- Stir in minced garlic and Italian seasoning; cook until fragrant.
- Pour in 1½ cups chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add beans and gnocchi. Stir in the drained and rinsed white beans, then add the gnocchi straight from the box. Bring to a simmer.
- Cook until the gnocchi is fork tender, 5-7 minutes, stirring once halfway through so nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Stir in chopped kale and cook, uncovered, until wilted down.
- Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine, warming through.
- Remove from heat. Stir in parmesan and lemon juice.
- Sprinkle mozzarella on top, cover, and let sit until melty.
