Chicken thighs, potato gnocchi, crushed canned tomatoes, and goat cheese baked together on one sheet pan, 35 minutes, no cream, and no skillet. I came up with this after a week of traveling, when my kitchen was down to a package of refrigerated gnocchi, a can of good tomatoes, a block of goat cheese, and a handful of basil from the garden. I love that the pantry does most of the work and the oven does the rest.

A close-up of a baked dish with browned chicken thighs, gnocchi, roasted cherry tomatoes, crumbled white cheese, and fresh basil leaves on a baking tray.

This dinner recipe riffs on my sheet pan gnocchi with sausage, another one-pan creation that my grown kids have been cooking for their friends — simple enough for a weeknight, impressive enough to serve to company. If chicken is what you’re after, there’s plenty more in my chicken dinner recipes archive.

The ingredients that make this work

A top-down view of raw chicken thighs in a white dish, a bag of gnocchi, canned tomatoes, basil, sliced onions, garlic, goat cheese, and containers of dried herbs and red pepper flakes arranged on a light surface.
  • Boneless chicken thighs: The chicken roasts directly on top of the gnocchi, and that’s the point — the fat rendering off the thighs is what caramelizes the edges of the gnocchi. I use boneless thighs, not breasts. Breasts don’t have enough fat to do that job.
  • Canned tomatoes: Crushed canned tomatoes (NOT diced) are my pantry tomato because they’re packed in a thick puree, rather than water. Whole canned tomatoes briefly crushed with your hands or a potato masher will also do the trick. I used (and highly recommend) these canned cherry tomatoes. They’re high-quality, ripe Italian tomatoes with a great balance of sweet and tangy. Sun-dried tomatoes stirred in with the canned tomatoes is a good way to amplify their flavor.
  • Cheese: I tested this recipe using soft, mild goat cheese because some members of my family don’t do cow’s milk. However, whole milk ricotta is also a wonderful option, as it softens into creamy pockets on the hot chicken and gnocchi. It makes me think of a freeform chicken lasagna.

The sheet pan method, step by step

  • Raw chicken thighs in a white dish, topped with sliced onions, garlic, and spices. Surrounding the dish are a can of cherry tomatoes, a bowl of fresh basil, crumbled goat cheese, and a bag of gnocchi.
    Toss the chicken with olive oil, garlic, and herbs. Let them marinate if you have time, so the flavors have time to penetrate before baking.
  • Raw seasoned chicken thighs, sliced onions, and uncooked gnocchi are spread out on a large stainless steel baking tray, ready to be cooked.
    Layer the gnocchi on a sheet pan, and arrange the seasoned chicken on top — that way the gnocchi soak up the juices that render off the thighs.
  • A metal baking pan filled with raw chicken thighs, gnocchi, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced onions, tomato sauce, and Italian seasonings, ready to be baked. Fresh basil leaves and cheese are in bowls nearby.
    Pour the tomatoes around the chicken, not over it — you want the skin exposed to the oven heat, not buried in sauce
  • A sheet pan filled with seasoned chicken thighs, roasted cherry tomatoes, gnocchi, and crumbled goat cheese, with metal tongs resting on the edge of the dish.
    Flip the chicken at 20 minutes, then crumble the cheese over the top. Five minutes is all it needs to become melty.
  • A baking dish filled with baked chicken thighs, cherry tomatoes, gnocchi, fresh basil, and crumbled cheese, with a serving spoon, a bowl of grated cheese, and a kitchen towel nearby.
    Sprinkle basil over the pan when comes out of the oven and serve.
A baking dish filled with roasted chicken thighs, golden gnocchi, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and crumbled goat cheese, all baked together and served on a light-colored surface.
5 from 1 rating

Baked Chicken and Gnocchi with Tomatoes and Basil

Karen Tedesco
Chicken thighs and potato gnocchi bake together on one sheet pan, the gnocchi soaking up garlicky tomato juices while goat cheese melts over the top. Scatter fresh basil over it and serve straight from the pan.
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Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1¾-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced (1 cup)
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 14-16 ounces refrigerated potato gnocchi
  • 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes, or canned cherry tomatoes
  • 6 ounces soft goat cheese, or ricotta cheese
  • ¾ cup fresh basil leaves

Equipment

Instructions
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Put the chicken in a large bowl. Add the sliced onion, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, sliced garlic, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and black pepper to taste. Toss the chicken around until it's evenly coated. * At this point, you can cover the seasoned chicken and refrigerate up to 1 day ahead of baking.
  3. On a 12x15x1-inch rimmed baking sheet, spread out the gnocchi. Nestle the chicken in and around the gnocchi – make sure to scrape out and include all the olive oil and seasonings. Pour the tomatoes around the chicken and gnocchi.
  4. Bake 20 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over, using a pair of tongs or a spatula. Crumble the cheese evenly over the top. If you're using ricotta, spoon it over in random blobs. Return the pan to the oven and bake 5-7 more minutes, until the pan juices are bubbling and the cheese is very soft.
  5. Roughly tear the basil leaves and scatter over the chicken. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • If you can find Mutti brand cherry tomatoes, grab them for this recipe. They are excellent!
  • Make sure to use the correct size pan. Anything larger than 13×5 will mean the pan juices will evaporate, and you don’t want to lose that sauce. Typical “jelly roll” pans are a perfect size. If you’re doubling the recipe, use a half-sheet pan (18×13″).

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 577kcal Carbohydrates: 47g Protein: 36g Fat: 28g Sodium: 485mg Fiber: 5g Sugar: 6g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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