Description
Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender chicken meatballs seared in sun-dried tomato oil, slow-cooked in a savory Italian-seasoned broth with chicken broth, wine, and garlic. Finished with creamy gnocchi, fresh spinach, and Parmesan cheese, this recipe is perfect for a satisfying dinner that’s easy to prepare and packed with delicious Tuscan flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 Tbsp sun-dried tomato oil
Sauce + Gnocchi Ingredients
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup white wine (cooking wine or fresh)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 12 oz shelf stable gnocchi
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 cups spinach
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare meatball mixture: In a medium mixing bowl, combine all meatball ingredients except the sun-dried tomato oil. Mix gently with a clean hand or spoon until just combined to avoid tough meatballs.
- Form meatballs: Shape the mixture into small meatballs about 1½ tablespoons each, yielding approximately 35-40 meatballs.
- Sear meatballs: Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Sear the meatballs until browned on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Work in batches if necessary. The meatballs do not need to be fully cooked at this stage.
- Add ingredients to slow cooker: Transfer the seared meatballs to your slow cooker or Magnifique Clay Pot Oven. Add diced onion, minced garlic, white wine, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chicken broth.
- Slow cook meatballs: Cover and cook on high setting for about 20 minutes if using Magnifique Clay Pot Oven, or 3 hours on standard slow cooker. Ensure meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Add gnocchi, cream, and sun-dried tomatoes: Once meatballs are cooked, add gnocchi, heavy cream, and sun-dried tomatoes to the slow cooker. Cook on ‘Pasta’ setting for 10-20 minutes in Magnifique Clay Pot Oven or on slow cook setting for 20 minutes in a regular slow cooker, until gnocchi is tender.
- Add spinach and Parmesan: Stir in fresh spinach and grated Parmesan cheese until the spinach wilts.
- Rest and serve: Let the dish rest for 10-15 minutes to thicken the sauce. Serve in bowls topped with extra Parmesan cheese as desired. Enjoy your Tuscan chicken meatballs with creamy gnocchi!
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey or beef for the ground chicken.
- If using Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, reduce Italian seasoning by 1 tsp in the meatball mix.
- Use high-quality grated Parmesan cheese for best flavor and sauce texture.
- Fresh minced garlic is recommended for superior flavor over jarred garlic.
- Save sun-dried tomato oil for searing meatballs; olive oil can be used as a substitute.
- Yellow onion can be added directly to slow cooker without pre-cooking.
- Both cooking wine and fresh white wine work well for the sauce.
- Add heavy cream only near the end of cooking to prevent curdling.
- Frozen or fresh gnocchi can be substituted for shelf stable gnocchi.
- Spinach adds color and vitamins but is optional.
- Avoid overmixing meatball ingredients to keep meatballs tender.
- Deglaze the searing pan with wine for extra flavor before adding to slow cooker.
- Do not add gnocchi too early to avoid mushy texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
