Description
Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi is a comforting and flavorful Italian-inspired dish featuring tender chicken meatballs simmered in a savory tomato and spinach sauce with creamy gnocchi. This slow cooker recipe is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner, combining aromatic garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and fresh spinach for a rich, delicious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 Tbsp sundried 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 gnocchi, shelf stable
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sundried tomatoes
- 2 cups spinach
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, egg, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Use a clean hand or spoon to mix until well combined without overmixing to avoid tough meatballs.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the chicken mixture into small meatballs using about 1½ tablespoons per meatball or a #60 cookie scoop. This recipe makes about 35-40 meatballs.
- Sear Meatballs: Heat 2 tablespoons of sundried tomato oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Sear the meatballs in batches until browned on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. They do not need to be cooked through at this stage.
- Prepare Slow Cooker Base: Add the seared meatballs, diced onion, minced garlic, white wine, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chicken broth to the slow cooker (Magnifique Clay Pot Oven or other brand).
- Slow Cook Meatballs: Cover and cook on high slow cook setting for 20 minutes with a Magnifique Clay Pot Oven or 3 hours with a standard slow cooker until meatballs reach 160°F internal temperature.
- Add Gnocchi and Cream: Once meatballs are cooked, stir in gnocchi, heavy cream, and sundried tomatoes. Cover and cook on the pasta setting for 10-20 minutes (Magnifique Clay Pot Oven) or on slow cook setting for 20 minutes (other slow cookers) until the gnocchi is tender and heated through.
- Finish with Spinach and Parmesan: Stir in fresh spinach and grated Parmesan. Mix until the spinach wilts into the sauce.
- Rest and Serve: Let the dish rest for 10-15 minutes to thicken the sauce. Serve in bowls topped with additional Parmesan cheese to taste. Enjoy your meal!
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey or beef for chicken in the meatballs.
- If using Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, reduce the added Italian seasoning in the meatball mixture by 1 teaspoon.
- Fresh minced garlic adds more flavor than jarred; one clove equals about 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic.
- Save and use the sundried tomato oil to sear the meatballs for enhanced flavor, or substitute olive oil if unavailable.
- The yellow onion cooks perfectly inside the slow cooker with the meatballs, no pre-cooking needed.
- White cooking wine or fresh white wine works equally well for deglazing and flavor.
- Add heavy cream only near the end to prevent curdling during long cooking.
- Use shelf-stable, frozen, or fresh gnocchi based on availability; cook time may vary slightly.
- Spinach is optional but adds color and nutrients.
- Avoid overmixing the meatball mixture to keep them tender.
- Deglaze the pan used for searing meatballs with white wine and add the liquid to the slow cooker for extra flavor.
- Do not add gnocchi at the start to prevent them from becoming mushy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
