Buffalo Chicken Gnocchi

If it was up to me, I’d have chicken wings on a daily basis. I love them so much. Give me a big platter of wings with loooooots of ranch and I’d be the happiest person on the planet. Of course, eating buffalo wings every day wouldn’t be feasible and so I’m always looking for ways to recreate that flavor in other dishes. Whether it’s potato salad, sandwiches, mozzarella sticks or egg rolls, there’s something for everyone. This time around, I’ve teamed up with my friends over at GO BOLD WITH BUTTER to bring you this Buffalo Chicken Gnocchi. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s the most perfect weeknight (or lazy weekend) meal. It comes together fast, without much effort…did I mention how delicious it is? It’s insane! (P.S. Insane in a good way). 

Fill a large pot with cold water and bring to a boil. Season liberally with salt and add in the gnocchi. Cook it about a minute shy of what the package states and then drain.

Set a large skillet, with high sides, over moderate heat with 2 tablespoons butter. Once melted, add in the drained gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until golden brown and crispy, about 5 to 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the gnocchi onto a plate.

**Note: This step might seem like an extra step BUT it really makes all the difference. I love a crispy gnocchi! They sell gnocchi that is meant to be crisped and not boiled, if you can find that, use it instead and skip the boiling step!**

Add the chicken to the hot skillet and cook until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer chicken to the plate with the gnocchi.

**Note: I used chicken breast for this recipe but thighs would be great as well. They’d actually add some more flavor. I chose breast because I wanted to cut down on the fat…just a bit.**

Add another 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Once melted, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery and garlic.

Stir and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Stir in the hot sauce and heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Return the gnocchi and chicken to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes longer.

**Note: So you can add as much or as little of the hot sauce that I listed as you’d like. It all depends on your desired heat level. But with that being said, the amount I listed which is 1/2 cup is actually not that spicy. The cream really cuts through the spice. But again, if you want less go for it!**

Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to create a smooth and silky sauce. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly, adding more salt or pepper as needed.

**Tip: I know that the extra butter seems like too much, but honestly chicken wings are doused in butter and sauce and so these pats of butter really rounds the sauce out. They’re necessary, trust me!**

Remove from the heat and garnish with celery leaves (they’re packed with flavor so save them when all possible), scallions and blue cheese before serving. Again, we’re trying to recreate a chicken wing experience. 

Serve this weeknight meal with a simple salad on the side, maybe some crusty bread and call it a day. It’s meant to be simple and easy dinner recipe. I don’t want you to spend too much time worrying cooking, but rather whip it up fast and enjoy it!

I keep harpering on this being a weeknight back-to-school recipe but really it’s just meant to be a simple, quick and easy dinner that you can make when you’re just way too tired to cook. You want dinner on the table as fast as possible, without much work. Your two options are cooking a meal fast or ordering in…believe me, when you make this and try it, you’ll be happy you didn’t order in. Give it a try and let me know if you have any questions or comments below. Stay safe out there my friends.

**Thank you for your continued support of the occasional sponsored post on this site. They help keep the blog going, allowing me to continue to share my recipes with you on a weekly basis. I never want my sponsorships to feel forced, which is why I only partner with companies I feel very passionate about and actually use on a regular basis.**

5 from 1 vote

Buffalo Chicken Gnocchi

This Buffalo Chicken Gnocchi is one of the easiest weeknight recipes to make. It's the perfect back to school dinner without all the work!

Servings 4 servings

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 16-ounce package gnocchi
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs diced
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 small carrot diced
• 1 celery stalk diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
• ½ cup buffalo wing sauce more or else depending on your spice level
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup celery leaves
• 2 tablespoons sliced scallions
• 3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

Instructions

• Fill a large pot with cold water and bring to a boil. Season liberally with salt and add in the gnocchi. Cook it about a minute shy of what the package states and then drain.
• Set a large skillet, with high sides, over moderate heat with 2 tablespoons butter. Once melted, add in the drained gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until golden brown and crispy, about 5 to 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the gnocchi onto a plate.
• Add the chicken to the hot skillet and cook until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer chicken to the plate with the gnocchi.
• Add another 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Once melted, add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Stir and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the hot sauce and heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Return the gnocchi and chicken to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes longer. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to create a smooth and silky sauce. Remove from the heat and garnish with celery leaves, scallions and blue cheese before serving.

Author: The Candid Appetite