Oven baked gnocchi with chicken in vegetable sauce

For the last few weeks I’ve been planning a trip to Italy. A country I have visited many times, traveled for my swimming competitions there, been there with friends and family, even went shopping there. But probably the most important reason why I come back every time is food. I admit there were a few times when I picked the wrong restaurant and had a bad experience, but there were many more occasions when I enjoyed every single bite while getting to know Italian cuisine. I have a big appreciation for Italian cooking and the dishes which are intertwined with history, passion and ultimate skill. If you have never visited Italy I really recommend visiting and exploring different parts of Italy, from the coast to the snowy mountains.

I love cooking with gnocchi and making them. I’ve posted the gnocchi recipe already in my earlier recipes, and this one is all about the sauce. While it’s important to get the right flavour of gnocchi, it’s also important to cook the sauce which will compliment the gnocchi and bring the dish to a new level. Check out the recipe and any feedback is welcomed!

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Preparation: 35 min

Cook time: 45 min

Servings: 6

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Ingredients

• 0,5 dl extra virgin olive oil
• 0,5 kg chicken breast
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1 carrot, chopped finely
• 1 parsnip, chopped finely
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 200 g mixed mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 100 ml tomato sauce
• 1 kg gnocchi
• 200 ml heavy cream
• 100 g Parmesan cheese, grated
• 3 tsp curry powder to season
• 2 tsp chili pepper to season
• 1 tsp oregano to season
• 3 leaves fresh basil, chopped
• salt & pepper to taste

How to

1. Slice the chicken breast and season with salt, pepper and curry powder. In a medium pan heat 0,25 dl of olive oil and add chicken, grill it on all sides until well done. Remove from pan.
2. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and place chopped onion, carrots and parsnip. Let it simmer for a few minutes until adding zucchini and mushrooms. After a few minutes add pressed garlic, salt & pepper, oregano, basil, tomato sauce and chopped tomatoes. Let it simmer for another 10 min.
3. While the vegetables simmer, heat slightly salted water in a large pot to a boil. Cook gnocchi until soft.
4. Preheat the oven to 200° C. Butter a square bake tray. Place grilled chicken in a buttered bake tray. Add cooked gnocchi over the chicken and cover them in vegetable sauce. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and bake in a preheated oven for about 30 min. Enjoy!