Description
This Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi is a comforting, flavorful dish featuring tender chicken meatballs simmered in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with fresh spinach and pillowy gnocchi. It’s an easy, hands-off recipe perfect for busy days, delivering authentic Tuscan flavors with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Meatballs
- 1/2 cup (66g) sun-dried tomatoes, drained (reserve the oil)
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- Handful fresh basil leaves
- 1 lb. (500g) ground chicken or turkey (chicken mince)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp Italian herbs or Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan
- 1/2 cup (75g) Panko breadcrumbs, more if needed
To Cook
- 2 tbsp of the sun-dried tomato oil or olive oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) dry white wine
- 2 cups (480 ml) chicken broth or stock made using 2 chicken stock cubes
- 1/2 cup (66g) sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) cream, heavy/double
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan plus extra to serve
- 17.5 oz (500g) gnocchi (fresh gnocchi)
- 7 oz (200g) baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Make the Meatballs: Place the onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves into a mini chopper or food processor and blitz to a coarse paste. You can also finely chop the ingredients by hand. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, this paste, salt, garlic powder, Italian herbs, egg, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly using a wooden spoon or your hands until fully combined. Form small meatballs using a small cookie scoop and slightly oiled hands to keep them from sticking.
- Brown the Meatballs: Heat the reserved sun-dried tomato oil or olive oil in the slow cooker if it has a sauté function, or in a pan on the stovetop. Add the meatballs and cook for about 5 minutes, turning once to brown them evenly. The meatballs do not need to be cooked through at this stage.
- Slow Cook: Pour a splash of dry white wine into the slow cooker or pan and simmer for about a minute to deglaze. If you started on the stovetop, transfer browned meatballs and juices to the slow cooker now. Add chicken broth, cover, and cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours until meatballs are cooked through.
- Add Cream Sauce and Gnocchi: Stir in the grated Parmesan, heavy cream, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh gnocchi into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for an additional 20 minutes, allowing the gnocchi to cook and the sauce to thicken. If the sauce is too thin, mix a small amount of cornstarch with cold water and stir it in together with the cream to thicken.
- Add Spinach and Finish: Add the roughly chopped baby spinach leaves to the creamy meatball mixture. Stir gently until the spinach wilts. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve the dish hot, sprinkled with extra grated Parmesan for an indulgent finish.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey for chicken if preferred.
- If you do not have a mini chopper or food processor, finely chop the onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil by hand.
- Use fresh gnocchi for best texture; frozen gnocchi can be used but cooking time may vary.
- For a thicker sauce, incorporate cornstarch slurry gradually to reach desired consistency.
- This recipe works best with a slow cooker that has a sauté function, but browning can be done in a pan and then transferred to the slow cooker.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe (approx. 350g)
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
