Lemon chicken baked gnocchi made with brussels sprouts, broccoli, and feta cheese for an easy sheet pan dinner! Great for a quick weeknight dinner, it's meal prep and freezer friendly.
Just like our favorite one pan gnocchi recipe and caprese chicken gnocchi skillet, this sheet pan gnocchi is a one-pan meal that is ready in just 35 minutes.
The ultimate comfort food and easy sheet pan meal, this lemon chicken baked gnocchi is so delicious. The gnocchi gets the best chewy texture while baking in the oven (no pre-cooking required).
Best of all, it's easy to assemble ahead for meal prep; either cook ahead and re-heat or assemble as a freezer meal!
reasons you'll love this recipe
- chewy gnocchi with roasted veggies and briny feta cheese = the ultimate comfort food and delicious flavors
- you can prep it ahead as a freezer meal, or cook extra and store for easy reheat lunches and dinners
- one sheet pan makes for quick and easy clean up!
recipe video
Watch the video below to see how to cook this lemon chicken baked gnocchi! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
ingredient notes
- gnocchi - grab the shelf-stable kind in the pasta section of the grocery store. We've tested with butternut squash gnocchi and it was also very tasty! We have not tested with cauliflower gnocchi yet, but it may work out!
- veggies - broccoli, brussels sprouts and red onion. If you plan to assemble ahead and freeze, go for frozen brussels & broccoli, which have already gone through the necessary blanching step before being frozen.
- chicken breast - leave them whole and slice after roasting. You could use boneless skinless chicken thighs as well (you may need to cook 5). If you have small chicken breasts (5 oz or so), check the chicken earlier as they may need to come out of the oven 5-10 minutes early.
- feta cheese - adds a salty/briny flavor. We do not recommend skipping this ingredient!
- lemon - one whole lemon, sliced! You can save some to squeeze over top before serving.
- spices- oregano to season the veggies/gnocchi and flaky sea salt to sprinkle on before serving
Step by step directions
Note - you do not need to pre-cook your gnocchi for this recipe! That's one less pan to wash, and by roasting the gnocchi, it gets the best texture in the oven!
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Combine
Heat oven to 425ยฐF. Toss the gnocchi, onion, broccoli, brussels sprouts, lemon, oregano and olive oil together.
bake
Spread out on a large baking sheet (or 2 small baking sheets). Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until veggies are roasted through and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ยฐF.
Tip - If you want to try for a crispier gnocchi texture, you can broil them after roasting through for 2-5 minutes. We recommend removing the chicken & veggies so they don't overcook. If you plan on broiling, separate the gnocchi on the pan from the other ingredients or arrange it on a different pan.
serve
Sprinkle evenly with the sea salt and feta cheese. Enjoy!
Note - the lemon wedges are intended to add flavor (not to be eaten). You can take them out and squeeze any remaining juice over the chicken for extra zesty flavor!
FAQ
This recipe may work with cauliflower gnocchi, but we really can't say without testing. If you try it, would you leave a comment to let us know how it goes?
I wouldn't say crispy the way it gets in the skillet, but it does get a nice chewier texture (not soft like boiled gnocchi). You can also broil the gnocchi for a few minutes before serving which does give it a little crispiness (make sure to remove the chicken & veggies so they don't end up overcooked). If you plan to broil your gnocchi, keep it separate from the chicken, brussels sprouts, and broccoli so you can easily remove those ingredients before broiling.
Absolutely! Some readers have reported back that they used bone-in/skin-on thighs and put them in the oven for 20 min *before* adding the gnocchi and other ingredients (otherwise following the recipe). Apparently, this worked out really well!
The lemon wedges can be removed, squeezing any remaining juice over everything for extra lemony flavor!
Variations
My family loved this lemon chicken baked gnocchi as served, but some of you may wish to add a sauce. Some sauce ideas that would pair well:
- pesto - add this sneaky kale pesto before serving
- lemon dill sauce - drizzle with some of this lemon dill sauce
- tzatziki - this super speedy tzatziki would go well with the lemon/feta flavors in this dish
Storage + Meal Prep
This recipe works great for meal prep! Either assemble ahead and freeze or store leftovers and portion out for easy lunches:
Assemble Ahead
- place all ingredients EXCEPT FOR THE GNOCCHI in a freezer-friendly container (I like the 3 quart Ikea containers as pictured above), or bag. **
- freeze for up to 3 months.
- thaw completely, toss with gnocchi and a little extra oil, and roast up in the oven for 25 minutes.
**it's essential that you use frozen brussels sprouts and broccoli when assembling ahead as they have gone through the necessary blanching step. Raw broccoli and raw brussels sprouts do not freeze/thaw well without blanching.
Cook Ahead
- cook as directed.
- portion leftovers out into 2 cup meal prep containers.
- reheat in the microwave until steaming hot, or in a frying pan (which does a better job at preserving the texture of the gnocchi)
- leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Make Ahead Lemon Chicken Sheet Pan Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 lb shelf- stable gnocchi 450 g; see note 1
- 1 red onion cut into 1 inch chunks
- 2 cups broccoli florets cut into 1-2 inch pieces; see note 2
- 3 cups brussels sprouts halved if large
- 1 lemon sliced
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts roughly 1 lb; 7-8 oz each
- ยผ teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 4 tablespoons feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Combine - Heat oven to 425ยฐF. Toss the gnocchi, onion, broccoli, brussels sprouts, lemon, oregano and olive oil together.
- Bake - Spread out on a large baking sheet (or 2 small baking sheets). Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until veggies are roasted through and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ยฐF. See note 3
- Serve - Sprinkle evenly with the sea salt and feta cheese. Enjoy!
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Tips:
- This recipe has not been tested with cauliflower gnocchi or fresh gnocchi; use at your own risk
- If you plan on freezing the meal, be sure to blanch your broccoli & brussels sprouts or go for frozen veggies instead
- 3. If you want to try for a crispier gnocchi texture, you can broil them after roasting through for 2-5 minutes. I would recommend removing the chicken & veggies so they don't overcook. If you plan on broiling, separate the gnocchi on the pan from the other ingredients or arrange it on a different pan.
- place all ingredients EXCEPT FOR THE GNOCCHI in a freezer-friendly container (I like the 3 quart Ikea containers as pictured above) or bag.
- freeze for up to 3 months.
- thaw completely, toss with gnocchi and a little extra oil, and roast up in the oven for 25 minutes.
- cook as directed.
- portion leftovers out into 2 cup meal prep containers.
- reheat in the microwave until steaming hot, or in a frying pan (which does a better job at preserving the texture of the gnocchi)
- leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Video
Nutrition Information
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Aundraya says
I replaced the feta with goat cheese and some balsamic glaze-SO GOOD!!
SJ says
I loved the gnocchi part of this recipe, which absorbed the lemon and chicken juices. The rest was kind of plain and dry. I might try adding a little chicken broth to the pan next time and seasoning the chicken separately. It also wasnโt clear whether the chicken should be cut up or not (it was in strips in the video).
Ben | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi SJ, Thanks for taking the time to comment.
For the chicken, either way works but it will be juicier if you leave them whole and slice them after roasting. For whole breasts, put them in the oven for 20 min before the veg and gnocchi. and don't forget to sprinkle with the sea salt and feta cheese before serving.
Tara Casey says
Crazy easy to make and SO delicious! Thank you for another winner
Ben says
So happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing ๐
Linda says
I love this dish! I was hesitant to try it because I never liked gnocchi...well that changed in a hurry since I tasted the results of this recipe! Delicious and a new go to in my repertoire - doesn't hurt that it's a super easy sheet pan meal either!
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Linda, so glad you were able to add a new favorite into your rotation with this recipe! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a rating and review. ๐
Paige says
I love this recipe!! Its the first sheet pan dinner I've ever tried and now I want all my dinners to be this quick and easy. I change it up with adding different veggies and I'll sometimes use tofu instead of chicken for something different. Just bake it the same way and it comes out great each time. Yumm!!!
John says
Delicious recipe. I've cooked this twice now but without the sprouts due to seasonality and just added loads of cherry tomato halves. Drizzled a small bit of honey over the chicken for a tiny bit of indulgence! Really good and better on day two.
Denise Bustard says
Hi John! So happy to hear you enjoyed it. I bet the cherry tomatoes were delicious! Thanks so much for reporting back with your modifications, that's very helpful ๐
Elizabeth says
Great recipe. thank you! I used bone-in/skin-on thighs so I put them in the oven for 20 min *before* I added the gnocchi but otherwise followed the recipe to the letter and it was wonderful. So easy, so delicious!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for reporting back with your modifications!
James says
An easy weeknight dinner.
Denise Bustard says
So happy to hear you enjoyed! Thanks for reporting back, James ๐
Thyda says
This is delicious! I used mini gnocchi and that added a chewy and crunchy texture. Super quick and easy.
Denise Bustard says
Ohhh now I want to try with mini gnocchi! I used to see them around but haven't lately. Thanks so much for reporting back, Thyda!