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This one-pan Gnocchi Carbonara with juicy chicken breast and a creamy Parmesan sauce (made without cream!) is a quick, simple, and satisfying chicken dinner recipe that’s ready in 20 minutes.
Carbonara pasta is known for its creamy sauce, made from egg, cheese, and starchy pasta water emulsion. The silky sauce needs no cream, as the combination of these three ingredients creates a magically smooth, velvety sauce. The key to a successful sauce is having enough starch from the pasta water to help bind together the fats and liquids.
I liked using Gnocchi for the pasta base here because, when simmered in liquid, it releases much more starch than dried pasta. It also cooks super fast, which makes this meal a go-to for busy evenings.
If you like gnocchi, you may also want to try my Chicken Gnocchi Soup or One-Pan Creamy Pumpkin Gnocchi.
Recipe Overview
Ingredients Needed
Below are the ingredients you’ll need to make Gnocchi Carbonara. The full quantities can be found in the recipe card further down the post.
- Olive oil: Used for browning the chicken and helps to create a creamy sauce. Avocado oil also works.
- Chicken breast: Use boneless, skinless breast for easier preparation. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, Kosher salt and pepper
- Chicken broth or stock: Has a rich, savory flavor that rounds out the sauce. Use a high-quality broth or stock (homemade is even better) for the best flavor.
- Gnocchi: You can use either frozen gnocchi or shelf-stable gnocchi here. If needed, look for gluten-free gnocchi to make the recipe suitable for celiacs.
- Eggs help emulsify the sauce, thickening it to achieve the creamy carbonara texture.
- Parmesan cheese: Used to season the sauce and add a rich, cheesy flavor. Use freshly grated Parmesan as it melts better than pre-grated.
How to Make Gnocchi Carbonara
Step 1: Heat the oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook until cooked through and golden.
Step 2: Add the broth/stock and deglaze the pan, stirring through the bottom. Add in the gnocchi and cook for 3-4 minutes until the gnocchi is mostly done, stirring frequently.
Step 3: Reduce the heat to very low while cooking. The gnocchi will double in size and absorb most of the liquid. If it seems too dry (like starting to catch the bottom of the pan), you can add an extra 1/4 to 1/3 cup of broth.
Step 4: In a small bowl, quickly whisk the eggs, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Slowly pour over the gnocchi and, while continuously stirring, cook over very low heat until a creamy sauce is formed.
Step 5: Immediately remove from heat. Sprinkle it with more Parmesan cheese and serve right away.
Quick Note
Recipe Tip
Once you add the eggs, make sure you stir often and cook over very low heat. If the heat is too high, the eggs may curdle the sauce.
There’s no need to pre-cook the gnocchi before adding it to the pan. Cooking the gnocchi directly in the chicken stock releases some starch, which helps the sauce to emulsify nicely.
Recipe Variations
- For a smoky flavor, you can saute diced turkey bacon in a little olive oil in the pan until crisp (do this before cooking the chicken breast). Remove from the pan and reserve for sprinkling over the cooked gnocchi.
- Add more Veggies: for some added veggies, shred 1 or 2 zucchini and add to the pan along with the browned chicken breast.
- Vegetarian Option: Replace the chicken breast with 1 lb of sliced cremini mushrooms, cooked in the olive oil until they’ve browned. Use vegetable stock/broth in place of the chicken broth.
- For a different flavor, you can use Pecorino or Grana Padano cheese instead of the Parmesan.
Common Questions
Allow to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Add the gnocchi to a skillet with a splash of water, then stir over medium-low heat until piping hot throughout.
Freezing is not recommended as this will make the gnocchi mushy.
The most important thing is to use a very low heat once the eggs have been added to the pan. It’s also important to keep stirring so the sauce emulsifies into a smooth, creamy consistency.
No! The gnocchi are cooked directly in the pan with the chicken broth. It’s best to do it this way as the gnocchi will release starch into the broth, helping the sauce to thicken nicely.
To make the recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free gnocchi and make sure the chicken broth you use is certified gluten-free.
More Creamy Pasta Recipes
- Cottage Cheese Alfredo
- Gigi Hadid Pasta
- Chicken Spinach Pasta
- Marry Me Shrimp Pasta
- Baked Feta Pasta
- Creamy Salmon Pasta
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Gnocchi Carbonara
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ cup chicken broth/stock, have some extra stock on hand, about ¼ to ⅓ cup
- 16 ounces fresh gnocchi, from the fridge section
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the 1 pound chicken breast (diced) in a single layer and season with Kosher salt and pepper and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Cook until cooked through and golden.
- Add the 1 ½ cup chicken broth/stock and deglaze the pan, stirring through the bottom. Add in the 16 ounces fresh gnocchi and cook for 3-4 minutes until the gnocchi is mostly done, stirring frequently.
- Reduce the heat to very low while cooking. The gnocchi will double the size, and absorb most of the liquid. If it seems too dry (like starting to catch the bottom of the pan), you can add an extra 1/4 to 1/3 cup broth.
- In a small bowl, quickly whisk the 2 large eggs room temperature, ¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, Kosher salt and pepper. Slowly pour over the gnocchi and, while continuously stirring, cook over very low heat until a creamy sauce is formed.
- Immediately remove from heat. Sprinkle it with more Parmesan cheese and serve right away.
Notes
Storage & Reheating
- Storage: Allow to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended as this will make the gnocchi mushy.
- Reheating: Add the gnocchi to a skillet with a splash of water and stir over a medium-low heat until piping hot throughout.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
