Description
Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi is a comforting, flavorful one-pot meal featuring juicy chicken meatballs simmered in a creamy sundried tomato sauce with tender gnocchi and fresh spinach. This easy slow cooker recipe combines Italian seasonings, Parmesan cheese, and a touch of white wine for a rich and delicious dinner perfect for busy weeknights or cozy weekends.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp sundried tomato oil
Sauce + Gnocchi Ingredients
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup white wine (cooking wine or fresh)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 12 oz gnocchi (shelf stable, fresh, or frozen)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
- 2 cups spinach
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a medium mixing bowl, combine all meatball ingredients except sundried tomato oil. Mix with a clean hand or spoon until just combined, being careful not to overmix to keep meatballs tender.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into small meatballs about 1 1/2 tablespoons each, or use a #60 cookie scoop. This should make approximately 35 to 40 meatballs.
- Sear Meatballs: Heat 2 tablespoons of sundried tomato oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Brown meatballs on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, working in batches if needed. Meatballs do not need to be fully cooked at this stage.
- Add Ingredients to Slow Cooker: Transfer seared meatballs to slow cooker. Add diced yellow onion, minced garlic, white wine, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chicken broth.
- Cook Meatballs: Cover and cook on high slow cook setting for 20 minutes if using a Magnifique Clay Pot Oven, or 3 hours on a standard slow cooker. Ensure meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Add Gnocchi and Cream: Once meatballs are cooked, stir in gnocchi, heavy cream, and sundried tomatoes. Cover and cook on pasta setting for 10 to 20 minutes with the Magnifique Clay Pot Oven, or an additional 20 minutes on the slow cook setting using a standard slow cooker, until gnocchi is cooked through.
- Add Spinach and Parmesan: Stir in fresh spinach and grated Parmesan cheese until the spinach wilts completely.
- Rest and Serve: Let the dish rest for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Serve in bowls topped with extra Parmesan cheese to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey or beef for ground chicken if preferred.
- If using Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, reduce the Italian seasoning in the meatball mixture by 1 teaspoon.
- Use fresh minced garlic for best flavor; if using pre-minced garlic, 1 clove equals about 1 teaspoon.
- Save the sundried tomato oil to sear the meatballs for enhanced flavor. If unavailable, olive oil works fine.
- The yellow onion can be added raw to the slow cooker as it will cook with the meatballs.
- White wine can be fresh or cooking wine according to availability.
- Add heavy cream only after the meatballs have cooked to prevent curdling.
- Use shelf stable, fresh, or frozen gnocchi as preferred; add only when the recipe instructs to avoid mushiness.
- Spinach is optional but adds color and nutrients.
- Avoid overmixing meatball mixture to keep them tender.
- Deglaze the searing pan with white wine before adding ingredients to the slow cooker to capture extra flavor.
- Allow the dish to rest after cooking for sauce thickening.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
