Lemon Chicken Baked Gnocchi

This lemon chicken baked gnocchi has brussels sprouts, broccoli and feta cheese for the ultimate sheet pan dinner! Works great for meal prep or an easy weeknight dinner.

Yes, you read that right! Just like my favorite One Pan Gnocchi recipe, this sheet pan gnocchi does not require pre-cooking and gets the best texture while roasting up in the oven.

Sheet pan dinners are such a hero on busy weeknights: easy prep and even easier clean-up!

The other great thing about sheet pan dinners like this lemon chicken baked gnocchi is that they often work great for meal prep. This recipe is no exception: assemble ahead and refrigerate, or cook ahead and re-heat!

Recipe video

Still confused about how this all comes together? Watch the 1-minute video below for a step by step guide. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!

Let's roast some gnocchi!

Let me repeat: 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!

First, let's talk ingredients:

• gnocchi- grab the shelf-stable kind in the pasta section of the grocery store. I've tested with butternut squash gnocchi and YUM! I have not tested with cauliflower gnocchi but hope we get some in Canada soon.
• 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 or so extra minutes). 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- which adds a salty/briny flavor. Do not skip!
• 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

Yes, you can really cook gnocchi on a sheet pan

How do we cook this recipe?

1. Toss gnocchi and veggies in olive oil and oregano.
2. Arrange on sheet pan.
3. Add the chicken breasts (toss with oil or brush it on)
4. Roast for 25 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with feta and flaky sea salt
6. TADA! Dinner is served!

Prep it ahead and eat later

This recipe works great for meal prep:

• 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.
• Cook ahead- 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 are good for up to 4 days.

Can I use cauliflower gnocchi?

Unfortunately I don't have access to cauliflower gnocchi here in Canada (though I'm dying to try it!). It may work with cauliflower gnocchi, but I really can't say without testing. If you try it, would you leave me a comment to let me know how it goes?

Does the gnocchi get crispy in the oven? 

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.

Can I add some sauce to this recipe?

My family loved this chicken and gnocchi bake as served but some people may want to add a sauce. Some sauce ideas:

• • add a little pesto before serving- we love this Sneaky Kale Pesto
  • drizzle with some of the lemon dill sauce from this post
  • this Super Speedy Tzatziki would go well with the lemon/feta flavors in this dish

More sheet pan recipes

• Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
• Lemon Pepper Salmon Sheet Pan
• Sheet Pan Honey Lemon Salmon
• Jamaican Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
• 19 Meal Prep Sheet Pan Recipes

This post was originally published in 2017. It has been tweaked, re-written, and republished with fresh photos and a new video. Same great flavors but even easier to prep.

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

4.27 from 26 votes

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 25 mins

Total Time: 35 mins

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This lemon chicken baked gnocchi has brussels sprouts, broccoli and feta cheese for the ultimate sheet pan dinner! Works great for meal prep or an easy weeknight dinner.

4

Ingredients

• ▢ 500 g gnocchi (shelf stable; see note *)
• ▢ 1 red onion (cut into 1 inch chunks)
• ▢ 2 cup broccoli florets (cut into 1-2 inch pieces; see note **)
• ▢ 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 oz each)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt
• ▢ 4 tablespoons feta cheese crumbled

Instructions 

• Heat oven to 425°F.
• Toss the gnocchi, onion, broccoli, brussels sprouts, lemon, oregano and olive oil together. 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 165°F. See note ***
• Sprinkle evenly with the sea salt and feta cheese.
• Enjoy!

To assemble ahead

• To assemble ahead, combine onion, broccoli, brussels sprouts, lemon, oregano and olive oil, toss up, and store in a large container or bag.
• Store in the fridge for up to 3 days (make sure this is in line with the chicken's expiry date), or the freezer for 3 months. If you are freezing, be sure to blanche your broccoli/brussels sprouts or use frozen veggies.
• Thaw completely before tossing with gnocchi (and extra oil if needed) and baking up as directed above.

To cook ahead

• Cook as directed above, cool, and portion out into meal prep containers.
• Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Reheat in the microwave until steaming hot or (the better method to preserve gnocchi texture) in a frying pan until warmed through.

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 blanche your broccoli & brussels sprouts or go for frozen veggies instead

***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.

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/4 of batch, Calories: 471kcal, Carbohydrates: 87g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 641mg, Fiber: 11g, Sugar: 5g

Author: Denise Bustard

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Greek, Italian

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.