Crack Chicken Gnocchi - delicious tender pillows of gnocchi in a creamy delicious ranch style sauce with juicy chicken breast, melted cheddar and golden bacon. The only regret you will have is not making this dish.
Gnocchi with Creamy Sauce
My family are on a bit of a gnocchi kick right now, the kids absolutely love it and it's so quick to cook that it makes an easy meal any night of the week. They love it just simply tossed in some pesto or of course my delicious Bolognese Gnocchi Bake which has been well received by you all and is a really popular recipe on Slimming Eats.
Tonight however the kids wanted a creamy sauce and one of there all time favourite creamy recipes is my Slow Cooker Crack Chicken and you can guess where I am going here? I had the amazing idea to combine the two together for a delicious Crack Chicken Gnocchi. The kids were close to licking there bowls this was so darn good.
What is Crack Chicken?
You may be wondering, what on earth is Crack Chicken? It's a bit of a strange name right? I can only assume it got it's name because it's so good it's addictive.
Traditional recipes you might find use Ranch seasoning, cream cheese, chicken, cheddar and bacon, some add mayonnaise and usually the final dish is served in a bun like a burger. When I cook however I usually serve with rice or mashed potatoes - heavenly!!
But I have to say this Crack Chicken Gnocci beats any other combination. It's so so good and pure comfort in a bowl.
Best Cream Cheese for Crack Chicken
For my slow cooker Crack Chicken recipe I use a light cream cheese (like Philadelphia), however with this recipe to keep the cals lower, I opt for laughing cow. Primula soft cheese may work also, but it's not available here in Canada so I haven't tested it.
If however you are not following Slimming Eats and would prefer to use cream cheese then feel free to make the swap, you will want to use the exact same amount.
Warning!! Do not try to substitute with quark, you will completely ruin the dish, quark will not yield a creamy sauce, it's taste is actually sour and it also has a tendency to split when heated.
Ranch Seasoning
Other recipes for Crack Chicken use packets of ranch seasoning mix, but I prefer to use a mixture of my own seasonings and dried herbs along with fresh ingredients like shallots and garlic cloves, it just adds a much fresher delicious flavour.
Traditionally ranch has buttermilk powder, but that can sometimes be quite hard to source, especially in the UK, instead I use some milk with a little lemon juice to add that similar flavour and it works perfectly.
Poaching the Chicken Breast
You may be wondering - why do you poach the chicken breast? is it not easier to just brown it in the pan? I prefer to poach the chicken in a little stock for this recipe, because it just keeps the chicken so much more juicy and tender.
However, if you have some leftover cooked chicken from Sunday dinner for example, feel free to swap and use that instead.
Can I cook the gnocchi separately?
I have only cooked this recipe as per my method in the recipe box, any variation from that would need to be an experiment on your part, cooking the gnocchi in the sauce helps it thicken with the starch, so your sauce may not be as creamy or thick if you try to cook it separately.
It cooks super quick too and it's just so much easier to throw it in the same pan.
Note: I use the dry potato gnocchi that comes in a vacuum pack for this recipe, fresh may cook in less time and not yield the same result. If you want to use fresh gnocchi, I recommend letting the sauce cooking until it starts to thicken and just add the fresh gnocchi in for a couple of minutes it won't take as long to cook and will disintegrate if you cook for too long.
Best Bacon for Creamy Sauces
You definitely want to use smoked bacon for this Crack Chicken Gnocchi as it will add so much more flavour. I use Lous Back Bacon with visible fat removed, it doesn't ever have much fat on it. Smoked Bacon Medallions are a good choice for lean bacon also.
The cooking of the bacon is the point you don't want to rush. Try and cook it too fast and it will cook unevenly and burn, but don't cook enough and it will look anaemic and the sauce won't take on that lovely smokey flavour, As we use the flavour left in the pan from cooking the bacon when frying the shallot and garlic.
I fry the bacon in a good quality non stick pan with some spray oil and really take the time to ensure every morsel is really lovely and golden
Sides for Crack Chicken Gnocchi
You could serve this with some steamed or roasted greens of choice, like broccoli, asparagus or green beans.
I paired it with a simple mixed salad of baby spinach/kale with grated carrots, tomatoes and cucumber.
More Creamy Recipes
Love Creamy recipes like these? Check out some others on Slimming Eats:
- Creamy Pork Casserole
- One Pot Creamy Ham Mushroom Orzo
- Creamy Garlic Chicken with Spinach Penne Pasta
- Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken
- Creamy Garlic Pork with Cabbage
- One Pot Creamy Garlic Pasta
- Creamy Coconut Potato Curry
- Creamy Mushroom Stroganoff
- Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce
or if you would like more recipe ideas - head on over to the FULL RECIPE INDEX where you will find over 900 delicious recipes and can search by ingredients, course, diet and more.
All with estimated calories and Slimming Eats and Weight Watcher Smart Points values.
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Recipe Card
Crack Chicken Gnocchi
Crack Chicken Gnocchi - delicious tender pillows of gnocchi in a creamy delicious ranch style sauce with juicy chicken breast, melted cheddar and golden bacon. The only regret you will have is not making this dish.
Ingredients
- 2 small uncooked chicken breasts, approx 360g (12.7oz)
- 3.5 cups (840ml) of chicken stock (low sodium)
- 75g (2.5oz) of uncooked lean smoked back bacon (fat removed), diced small
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ cup (120ml) of 2% milk
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 175g of laughing cow light (or can use light cream cheese)
- ½ tablespoon of cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon of dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon of dried chives
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- ½ teaspoon of dried dill
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
- 500g (17.5oz) of potato gnocchi (dry in a vacuum pack)
- 60g (2.2oz) of cheddar, grated (do not use pre-grated) - or Red Leicester
- olive oil spray
- salt and black pepper
- fresh chopped parsley (or can use chopped spring onions or chives)
Instructions
- Add chicken to a saucepan fully submerged in 2 cups (480ml) of the stock, bring to a boil and then simmer for approx 10-12 minutes until cooked. Drain, remove from pan, allow chicken to cool slightly and then slice up into pieces and set aside. (If you prefer you can use the stock you poached the chicken in towards sauce for Gnocchi (but the stock must equal 360ml for the sauce).
- While the chicken is poaching, Spray a non stick frying pan over a medium high heat with olive oil spray.
- Add the bacon and fry until evenly golden and crisp. Set aside.
- In the same frying pan, spray a little more olive oil spray and add the shallot and fry until lightly golden and softened.
- Add in the minced garlic cloves and fry for 30 seconds just infuse the flavour.
- Add the remaining stock (1.5 cups/360ml), milk, lemon juice, dried herbs, dried seasoning and laughing cow and whisk until it is all melted into the stock and no visible lumps appear. Mix the cornstarch with a couple of tablespoons of water and add this into the sauce stirring as you do.
- Add the poached chicken and uncooked gnocchi, and bring to a boil and then let it bubble on a medium heat for 5 minutes until the gnocchi is cooked and sauce is creamy and thick. (if sauce is not thickening your heat is too low). Once gnocchi is cooked and sauce is thickened, taste and adjust seasoning with some salt and black pepper if needed.
- Transfer to an ovenproof dish and top with the grated cheddar, place until the grill (broil) for a couple of minutes until the cheddar is melted and very lightly golden.
- Sprinkle with the cooked golden crispy bacon and some chopped fresh parsley (or spring onions or chives).
- Serve and Enjoy!!
Notes
Please see below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:
- Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
- WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs - due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1 SERVINGAmount Per Serving Calories 530Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 146mgSodium 905mgCarbohydrates 58gFiber 2gSugar 6gProtein 44g
Nutritional information, values, points etc are an estimate and is to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary greatly from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information. It is always advised that you calculate by the ingredients you use.
Lisa Ofarrell says
Delicious as usual
Very filling, will definitely try this with pasta too.
Thanks Siobhan.
Li.Re says
Hi my favourite chef... question for you... I am looking forward later this week to making the crack chicken gnochi....why should I use "ungrated cheese" interested in your reply before I put my food order into the supermarket for delivery this week. Is it because of the fat content? Look forward to hearing from you. Linda
Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says
Hi linda, pregrated cheese is coated with a starch to stop it sticking together it doesn't melt as well as cheese from a block which you grate yourself and tends to just sit on top in its grated form when baked, rather than melt into a delicious melted cheese.
Li.Re says
Well what another lovely meal. Recipe was perfect. As always I follow recipe exactly as you state for first attempt, next time I might add some cooked brocolli or some mushrooms, great meal. Still haven't got round to the peach chicken tray bake....hopefully by the end of the week the peaches will have ripened.
li.Re says
Meant to add another thanks for your suggestion of poached chicken , something I have never done before (usually put in oven) will certainly do it again so lovely and moist and cooking in stock gave it nice flavour. Linda
Lorraine says
When it says to add the remaining stock to the dish, what happens to the stock that the chicken was poached in - does it go in with the rest of the stock or is it discarded?
Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says
as per step 1 of instructions, this is drained from the chicken, so it doesn't go back in with the rest of the stock. However if you prefer you can use this stock towards the sauce, you just need to ensure the stock for the sauce is not greater or less than 360ml.
Lorraine says
Oh my word. Stunning - absolutely stunning. I think this is probably the best meal I have had in a very long time. I hope it will be in the book! Thank you for such a superb recipe.
Pat says
Made this tonight absolutely delicious Will be making it again
Jacqui Graham says
Can you please let me know how many people this recipe serves.
Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says
Hi Jacqui, servings are given in the recipe box under yield. This recipe serves 4
Laura Jones says
Hello, is this suitable to be frozen?
Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says
Gnocchi can have a not very pleasant texture if frozen once it's been cooked, so I don't recommend freezing. It is best enjoy once cooked.
Jocelyne says
Can I make this recipe a day ahead? Or it will not taste as good...
Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says
I wouldn't, gnocchi is best served as soon as it's cooked.
Katie says
My wife just made this as our cheat meal! Oh my gosh it tasted absolutely amazing! Cannot wait to have leftovers in a few days time!
Love your website and your new cookbook!
Georgie says
Deeeeelicious!! - Can not recommend this recipe enough! I make lots of recipes from the slimming eats website but this one deserved a comment and a round of applause
Emma says
Wow!!
This was so easy and totally gorgeous!
Thank you ❤️
Kate says
Hi!! I came across this recipe and so excited to try it- but I was trying to find the serving size based on the nutrition card. Is it 1c per serving? I’m making this weekend for part of my meals and can’t wait to try it!
Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says
If you look on the recipe card. It gives yield (servings) on all my recipes.This recipe serves 4 so just split into 4 and one of those is a serving. If you want to be really accurate you can weigh the whole dish and divide by 4 for a serving. Hope that helps.
Deborah Carey says
Delicious! Clean plates all round. Didn’t have Red Leicester or coloured cheddar so lacked a bit of the final colour of yours but nonetheless very tasty!! Another great recipe!
Helen says
I thought I’d go through my recipes I have saved as we were having chicken thighs tonight and stumbled across the crack chicken gnocchi recipe. Wow, clean plates all round, I managed to use up bits from the fridge and freezer that needed using. Great recipe Siobhan another new favourite in my house.
Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says
So glad you enjoyed it Helen, thanks so much for commenting 🙂
Jen says
Hi! I'm making this tonight for dinner, but my question is about the bacon. I have figured out you are either in Canada or the UK (you mentioned you lived in both in the pre-recipe stories) so I had to look up what back bacon was. I know, Americans. Was really happy to find out it's just what we call Canadian Bacon! The problem is you called for it raw. Let me tell you, I have been to every grocery in the entire county and beyond, but no one carries it raw! I would have to go to a butcher and request it to be specially ordered. Honestly, I just don't have time for all that. Is that something that is commonly found outside the U.S.? Because I'm finding that is not the case here! Ours is all precooked and cured like ham. Would this still work? What adjustments would I have to make?
Thanks for a great recipe!
Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says
Back bacon is raw. Canadian bacon as you’ve discovered in the US is more like ham. I’m not quite sure why it’s called Canadian bacon as it’s not really like our bacon here. You can use regular bacon, choose one low in the calorie range. I know there are some that are not too bad and you can use that. Enjoy!!
Jen says
Thank you! I try to use an alternative to strip bacon when I can because as much as I love it, our options locally aren't great. The pieces are over 3/4ths fat and very little meat, all while costing wayyy too much. I wish we had back bacon here, it is exactly what I've been looking for. Tonight I just used Hormel bacon pieces, it was faster and cheaper. I sautéed them for a few seconds to bring out some flavor towards the rest of the dish and then laid them on some paper towels. It worked pretty good. Thanks for the insight, and a great meal!