Chicken Carbonara-esque Gnocchi
So creamy and delicious, it’s almost better than the real thing.
For purists, this recipe will be too off-kilter to be called a true Carbonara (hence the ‘esque’), but once you taste it you honestly won’t care. These flavours check all of the right boxes and then some: Parmesan, pasta, bacon — check, check and check!
I used my new Spice Affair Potato Seasoning (see tasting notes below with alternatives) and I didn’t bother with any eggs — more Carbonara sacrilege, I know. Instead, I relied on the starch from the gnocchi and a few tsp of flour to thicken things and it worked perfectly.
You could easily serve this as a side dish, but for me the added chicken really guarantees this recipe a main course place at the table. —CFG
Ingredients:
500g package of gnocchi
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
3 tsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp ground sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp A Spice Affair- Potato Seasoning (OR 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp onion powder, and a pinch of cayenne pepper)
6 chicken breast tenders OR 3 small chicken breasts cut into strips
1/2 tbsp olive oil
8 slices of cooked bacon, rough chopped
2 cups frozen peas
1 cup sharp cheddar, finely grated
2/3 cup Parmesan, finely grated
Fresh parsley to garnish (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven on broil.
In a small mixing bowl whisk together 1 cup of chicken broth, 1 cup of milk, 1 tsp of garlic powder, 3 tsp of all-purpose flour, and 2 tsp of A Spice Affair Potato Seasoning (OR 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp onion powder, and a pinch of cayenne pepper). Set aside.
In a 10” cast iron skillet add 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 medium onion, chopped, and 1/2 tsp ground sea salt. Cook on medium-low heat until onions become translucent but not brown. Reduce heat to low.
In a separate pan, add 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Add 6 chicken breast tenders OR 3 small chicken breasts cut into strips and sear for 2 minutes on each side. Remove seared chicken from heat and set aside.
Bring heat in skillet pan back to medium-low and add 1 package (500g) of gnocchi. Make sure to break apart any pasta sticking together and keep moving the gnocchi around to ensure it doesn’t stick to the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes until gnocchi is soft but not fully cooked through.
Add in 2 cups of frozen peas and 8 slices of cooked, rough chopped bacon. Mix together. Add seared chicken to skillet pan.
Turn heat to medium. Whisk the chicken broth/milk mixture one more time and then add to the skillet. Stir ingredients together until they are fully incorporated and liquid begins to thicken. Stir occasionally until chicken is cooked through (165F). Add in 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese and mix again.
Remove skillet from heat and top with 2/3 cup of finely grated Parmesan, then transfer to the preheated oven. Cook on broil for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is fully melted and top is golden brown.
Remove from oven and top with fresh chopped parsley to garnish (optional).
Serve and enjoy!
This potato seasoning has a warm, rich flavour but isn’t spicy— just delicious!
Ingredients: paprika, garlic, sea salt, onion, tomato powder, natural flavour, oregano, cayenne pepper.
