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!
Reasons you’ll ♡ this baked gnocchi
- you can prep it ahead and store until you’re ready to bake it up
- the gnocchi gets a deliciously chewy texture
- one sheet pan makes for easy clean up!
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?
- Toss gnocchi and veggies in olive oil and oregano.
- Arrange on sheet pan.
- Add the chicken breasts (toss with oil or brush it on)
- Roast for 25 minutes.
- Sprinkle with feta and flaky sea salt
- 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).
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- 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
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.
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.
Make Ahead Lemon Chicken Sheet Pan Gnocchi
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)
- 1/4 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.
Susan Dubose
I absolutely love this recipe! I tweak it just a little. I add sliced mushrooms and a 1/4 cup of chicken stock concentrate. I also always double it because everyone loves it so much!
Denise
Woohoo! So happy you enjoyed, Susan! I bet mushrooms were delicious…I have a weakness for roasted mushrooms!
Roger
I did, its so much better!
DeAnne
This was very good but my gnocchi did not brown or get crispy at all. I roasted the brussel sprouts separate because I wanted them extra brown. I probably should have added the gnocchi to it. Next time I will try that and I will boil the gnocchi first as another person suggested because I thought mine were a bit dry too. My only question is, are you supposed to eat the lemon wedges or take them out once it’s served? I took them out and squeezed fresh lemon over it since it was a bit dry. Gave it more flavor too.
Denise
Hi DeAnne, sorry for any confusion but the gnocchi does not get crispy in this recipe. Here’s from the FAQ in the post:
“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.”
As for the lemon wedges, you can remove them and squeeze over everything to get more lemony flavor. Thanks for your feedback!
Shelley Courtney
Hey Denise! What if you wanted more chicken? Could you just add a couple more breasts or should you double the whole recipe?
Denise
Hi Shelley! I would just add extra chicken breasts. Hope you enjoy!
Ashley B
Delicious! Definitely added more/my own seasoning, but overall it was delicious! I also boiled my gnocchi in salt water beforehand because it was rather dense and dry. Will definitely make again!
Denise
Hi Ashley! So happy to hear you enjoyed it. Good call on boiling the gnocchi if it seemed dense/dry. Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review!
Thanigaivelan
Wow love it!
Joanne Smith
Hi, If using this as meal prep for work lunches, is it meant to be eaten hot or cold? ie can it be reheated and how long will it last in the fridge once cooked?
Thanks
Denise
Hi Joanne! It’s up to you but I personally would probably heat it. The gnocchi should keep for a few days…I’d say 2-3 days?
Amanda
Delicious and easy… my kind of recipe!!
Nicole Murphy
Looking forward to making this but my husband bought frozen gnocchi. Can I still use?
Denise
Hi Nicole! I’m not actually sure…I haven’t tried. You could do one test gnocchi and see if it starts to get crispy, and if it ends up not working out you could always cook in the water?
Karen
This is the first sheet pan recipe I’ve ever made, and it came together perfectly. The flavour is so tasty, and the fact that you can prepare it mostly ahead is a huge plus. Lots of veggies too, which I always look for in a good recipe.
Denise
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Sally
We love gnocchi! but our comes in a vacuum seal package so do I need to boil mine first and then put on the baking sheet?
Denise
Hi Sally! Those sound like the same ones I buy and you don’t need to pre-boil them. It sounds strange but they toast and cook through in the oven 🙂
Lauren
This recipe is incredible! Thank you so much for sharing. Made it once, and already excited to make it again. It was so easy to make, though I will admit I made it even easier by using frozen veggies and skipping the chopping step. Definitely a recipe to add to the weekly list!
Denise
So happy you liked it, Lauren!
Madeline
I made this as my lunch for the week and I must say, it’s INCREDIBLE. It is the easiest lunch I’ve ever prepped. I can’t imagine people getting bored of this recipe every day, I would actually look forward to eating it again. I just finished my 4th portion and am genuinely bummed that I have to have something else for lunch tomorrow 🙁 thanks for this!!
Denise
I’m so happy you liked it Madeline! Hurray for easy prep, right?
melissa
This was really good – love all the veges in this! I count my macros so I was a bit concerned adding the gnocchi and feta – but it was well worth it! I like my chicken seasoned a bit more – so would just make that variation next time. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Denise
I’m so happy you liked it Melissa! I was pretty generous with the sea salt. Maybe I’ll reword the recipe 😉
Sascha Rutledge
Looking forward to trying this recipe! Thanks for the suggestion of panko crumbs, I do love them on tempura and fish so not sure why I never considered to use them in place of breadcrumbs.
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
Aren’t make-ahead dinners the best? I need to prep those more often, I think it would make my life A LOT easier! I’m also obsessed with this gorgeous gnocchi dish. Love the lemon flavors here!
Annie
Beautiful. Colorful. Delicious. Simple. I couldn’t love it more!
Denise
Thanks Annie! <3
Deb
This looks delicious and easy. Thanks for the recipe. I can’t wait to try it.