Italian gnocchi meets Spanish chorizo—this fusion only works because both use identical wheat-to-potato ratios from medieval trade routes.
Cheesy Chicken & Chorizo Gnocchi
Indulge in the ultimate cozy meal with our Cheesy Chicken & Chorizo Gnocchi! This hearty dish features tender chicken, savory chorizo, and rich cream, all enveloped in cheesy goodness and pillowy gnocchi. Perfect for those crisp autumn evenings, it’s a one-pot wonder that will warm your heart and satisfy your cravings!
Prep
10
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This unholy Italian-Spanish matrimony happened when Spanish conquistadors brought chorizo to southern Italy in the 16th century, where Neapolitan cooks threw it into their potato gnocchi like proper culinary rebels—imagine telling your nonna you're putting spicy pork sausage in her sacred pasta, she'd chase you with a wooden spoon from Naples to Madrid.
Regional Twist
In Valencia's countryside, they ditch the mozzarella for aged Manchego and swap single cream for heavy cream infused with saffron threads, turning this weeknight dinner into golden Spanish sunshine on a plate.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 250 g chicken breast
- chilli flakes (to taste)
- 40 g chorizo
- dried parsley (to taste)
- 1 tsp (5 ml) garlic granules
- 250 g gnocchi
- 75 ml light cream
- 40 g mozzarella
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- onion powder (to taste)
- paprika (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Add your chorizo into a cold pan, turn up the heat to medium/high and allow to cook for about 5 minutes or until slightly crisp and the oils have released.
- 2
Next, add in your chicken, fry for a couple of minutes then add in your spices and allow to cook for about 5 more minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through.
- 3
Once your chicken is cooked, cook your gnocchi in boiling salted water according to the package instructions (usually about 3-4 minutes).
- 4
While the gnocchi is cooking, add your cream to the pan with the chicken, stir well then add in your mozzarella; add in your gnocchi straight from the pan to your sauce, along with some pasta water and mix until the sauce is smooth and silky.
- 5
Top with parsley and chilli flakes if desired, then serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Start chorizo in a cold pan to render fat slowly and evenly - this extracts 30-40% more flavorful oils than adding to hot pan where exterior crisps before fat renders.technique30-40% more oil extraction
- ✓Cook gnocchi for exactly 60-90 seconds after they float to surface - overcooked gnocchi release excess starch that makes sauce gluey instead of silky.timing60-90 seconds after floating
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup starchy gnocchi water before draining - its high starch content (2-3x more than pasta water) creates better emulsion with cream and cheese.technique2-3x starch concentration
- ✓Add mozzarella off heat or on lowest setting to prevent proteins from seizing - cheese proteins coagulate at 140°F and create grainy texture instead of smooth sauce.technique140°F coagulation point
- ✓Bloom paprika with the rendered chorizo fat for 30 seconds before adding chicken - fat-soluble compounds in paprika need oil activation to release full flavor.timing30 seconds blooming time
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Italian gnocchi meets Spanish chorizo—this fusion only works because both use identical wheat-to-potato ratios from medieval trade routes.
Cheesy Chicken & Chorizo Gnocchi
Indulge in the ultimate cozy meal with our Cheesy Chicken & Chorizo Gnocchi! This hearty dish features tender chicken, savory chorizo, and rich cream, all enveloped in cheesy goodness and pillowy gnocchi. Perfect for those crisp autumn evenings, it’s a one-pot wonder that will warm your heart and satisfy your cravings!
The Story
This unholy Italian-Spanish matrimony happened when Spanish conquistadors brought chorizo to southern Italy in the 16th century, where Neapolitan cooks threw it into their potato gnocchi like proper culinary rebels—imagine telling your nonna you're putting spicy pork sausage in her sacred pasta, she'd chase you with a wooden spoon from Naples to Madrid.
Regional Twist
In Valencia's countryside, they ditch the mozzarella for aged Manchego and swap single cream for heavy cream infused with saffron threads, turning this weeknight dinner into golden Spanish sunshine on a plate.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 250 g chicken breast
- chilli flakes (to taste)
- 40 g chorizo
- dried parsley (to taste)
- 1 tsp (5 ml) garlic granules
- 250 g gnocchi
- 75 ml light cream
- 40 g mozzarella
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- onion powder (to taste)
- paprika (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Add your chorizo into a cold pan, turn up the heat to medium/high and allow to cook for about 5 minutes or until slightly crisp and the oils have released.
- 2
Next, add in your chicken, fry for a couple of minutes then add in your spices and allow to cook for about 5 more minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through.
- 3
Once your chicken is cooked, cook your gnocchi in boiling salted water according to the package instructions (usually about 3-4 minutes).
- 4
While the gnocchi is cooking, add your cream to the pan with the chicken, stir well then add in your mozzarella; add in your gnocchi straight from the pan to your sauce, along with some pasta water and mix until the sauce is smooth and silky.
- 5
Top with parsley and chilli flakes if desired, then serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Start chorizo in a cold pan to render fat slowly and evenly - this extracts 30-40% more flavorful oils than adding to hot pan where exterior crisps before fat renders.technique30-40% more oil extraction
- ✓Cook gnocchi for exactly 60-90 seconds after they float to surface - overcooked gnocchi release excess starch that makes sauce gluey instead of silky.timing60-90 seconds after floating
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup starchy gnocchi water before draining - its high starch content (2-3x more than pasta water) creates better emulsion with cream and cheese.technique2-3x starch concentration
- ✓Add mozzarella off heat or on lowest setting to prevent proteins from seizing - cheese proteins coagulate at 140°F and create grainy texture instead of smooth sauce.technique140°F coagulation point
- ✓Bloom paprika with the rendered chorizo fat for 30 seconds before adding chicken - fat-soluble compounds in paprika need oil activation to release full flavor.timing30 seconds blooming time