If you want a warm and cozy dinner that tastes fantastic, this recipe for Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi is the perfect weeknight dinner! Pop it in the slow cooker a few hours before dinner and have a comforting and delicious meal ready to go after work!
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It’s been a while since I have broken out my slow cooker (the last recipe I made with it was this Seswaa from Botswana), but the weather is just begging me to make some fall recipes and I’m craving a cozy meal! Enter this recipe for Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi.
I had seen a video online for a similar dish, but wanted to try putting my own twist on it. And Oh My Goodness, are we so glad I did! My husband has informed me that this is his new favorite recipe on The Foreign Fork. For almost 6 years of recipes, that’s really saying something 😉
The homemade chicken meatballs in this recipe are soft and delicate, while the pillowy gnocchi adds a perfect chewy texture.
The dreamy sauce made with heavy cream and sun dried tomatoes is simple but so effective for coating this perfect dish.
If you can’t tell, we’re obsessed. Let me show you how to make it!
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Ground Chicken: You can also use ground turkey if desired or use beef to make a smaller version of my grandma’s Soft Meatballs Recipe.
- Breadcrumbs: I used plain breadcrumbs and added Italian seasoning to the mixture. If you have Italian breadcrumbs, you can omit about 1 tsp of the Italian seasoning in the chicken mixture. You can also use panko breadcrumbs if desired.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: Necessary for thickening up the sauce! Try to get the high-quality stuff if it’s accessible to you.
- Garlic Cloves: I highly recommend mincing fresh garlic if you can! It adds so much more flavor than the jarred product. If you need to use jarred garlic, I typically measure 1 clove to be about 1 tsp of the pre-minced stuff.
- Egg: To hold together the meatballs.
- Seasonings: Italian Seasoning, Onion Powder, Salt, and Pepper.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes: And save the oil! You can use the oil to sear your meatballs and then add the tomatoes into the sauce! You can also use regular olive oil to sear the meatballs if necessary.
- Yellow Onion: You can add this right into the slow cooker without cooking it. It will cook alongside the meatballs!
- White Wine: Fresh from the bottle or cooking wine. Either will work.
- Chicken Broth
- Heavy Cream: Do not put this into the slow cooker until the recipe calls for it. If you add it at the same time as the meatballs, the lengthy cooking time will cause it to curdle and separate. About 20 minutes before serving does the trick!
- Shelf Stable Gnocchi: You can also use frozen or fresh gnocchi if desired. For another delicious gnocchi recipe, try this Brown Butter Gnocchi with Sage and Walnuts.
- Spinach: Optional but great for color and a bit of vitamins!
Adaptations
I’m pretty certain that this recipe is perfect 😉 But should you need to, you can certainly adapt the recipe! Here are some options:
- Add Other Flavors: Things like lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, or oregano would also be delicious in this recipe.
- Make it Spicy: You could add calabrian chili or red pepper flakes for a spicy rendition.
- Make it Dairy Free: Use coconut milk for a dairy free (or leaner) option! The same swap exists in my Butter Chicken with Naan Recipe from India!
- Add-Ins: This would be delicious with a mediterranean twist. Try adding olives, artichoke hearts, or roasted red peppers into the sauce!
- Add More Veggies: Kale or butternut squash would be great additions!
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Add all of the meatball ingredients into a medium bowl and mix together until evenly combined.
Step 2: Form the meatballs into 1 Tbsp balls.
Step 3: Heat the sun dried tomato oil and sear the meatballs until browned on the outside but still uncooked inside.
Step 4: Add the seared meatballs into your Magnifique Clay Pot Oven (or other slow cooker) alongside the onion, garlic, wine, broth, and seasonings. Cook on HIGH for 20 minutes if using the Magnifique (or for 3 hours in a Standard Slow Cooker).
Step 5: Add the gnocchi, cream, and sundried tomatoes into the Magnifique Clay Pot Oven (or other slow cooker) and select the Pasta setting to cook for another 10-20 minutes. If your Slow Cooker does not have a pasta setting, select the slow cook setting for the same amount of time.
Step 6: Once cooked, add the fresh spinach and grated parmesan. Stir until the spinach wilts. Allow the Tuscan Chicken Meatballs and Gnocchi to rest for 10-15 minutes for the sauce to thicken. Serve with an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Do not overmix your meatballs, as doing so can make the meatballs tough! Stir until the ingredients are just combined.
- To hold onto some extra flavor, feel free to add the wine into the pan that you just seared the meatballs in to deglaze the pan. Then you can dump that liquid into the slow cooker!
- Make sure not to add the gnocchi until the recipe calls for it. Adding them at the same time as the meatballs will lead to mushy gnocchi.
Why Use a Magnifique Clay Pot Oven?
I have been spending some time experimenting with my new Magnifique Clay Pot Oven and I am obsessed with it! This is the world’s FIRST Clay Pot Oven, made with Kaolin Clay for the pot, lid, and glaze. This means that it is safe & toxin-free, as well as high-heat, chip, & scratch resistant.
In addition to that, it’s a great kitchen tool because:
- Multiple Cook Options: It has multiple different cook options, meaning that I can make so many different dishes in one pot! This recipe uses both the Slow Cook option as well as the Pasta option. The different cook features means that the recipe turns out perfectly!
- 4x Faster: It cooks 4x faster than an average slow cooker. Have you ever forgotten to put dinner in the crockpot in the morning and then your evening plans are ruined?! Same. Not fun. The Magnifique Clay Pot Oven cuts the average cook time in a quarter, meaning that you can throw dinner in the crock pot just a few hours before eating and it will be ready with a nice warm dinner for you!
- Removable Liner: The liner is also a serving dish, and can be removed from the pot and set on the table for easy serving! Perfect for a saucy meal like this.
I also made Slow Cooker Mongolian Pork and Slow Coker Carne Asada in my Magnifique Clay Pot oven, which I highly recommend!
Recipe FAQs
You can keep leftovers of your Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, either place the leftovers in the Magnifique Clay Pot Oven on the Keep Warm function or use the microwave. If you microwave the leftovers, the cream may separate.
I would not recommend freezing these leftovers as the cream does not keep well when frozen.
Yes, you definitely can! In that case, adjust the cooking time in the slow cooker based on the package instructions and just make sure they are heated all the way through!
If your Tuscan Cream Sauce is too thin, let the sauce sit uncovered for about 15-20 minutes. It should thicken up! You can also add more parmesan cheese. As a last resort, stir in a cornstarch slurry made of 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 Tablespoon of water. Heat it until thickened.
Did you enjoy this recipe for Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes we picked out just for you:
- Italian Ravioli Recipe
- Authentic Italian Sausage and Peppers
- Homemade Margherita Pizza
- Walnut Cookies
If you tried this Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi
Equipment
- Magnifique Clay Pot Oven (or other slow cooker)
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Medium Pan
- Tongs
- #60 Cookie Scoop optional
Ingredients
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, I used cooking wine
- 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
- In a medium mixing bowl combine all of the meatball ingredients except for the sun dried tomato oil. Mix with a clean hand or a spoon until combined.
- Form the chicken mixture into small meatballs of about 1½ tablespoons (you can also use a #60 cookie scoop). It should make about 35-40 meatballs in total.
- Pour 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil into a medium-sized pan and allow it to warm up. Then sear the meatballs until they are browned on both sides, about 3-4 minutes each side. You may have to work in batches. The meatballs do not have to be all the way cooked through at this stage.
- Add the seared meatballs, ½ diced yellow onion, 3 minced cloves of garlic, ¼ cup wine, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, and 2 cups chicken broth into your Magnifique Clay Pot Oven (or other slow cooker brand).
- Cover and cook on the HIGH Slow Cook Setting for about 20 minutes (if using the Magnifique Clay Pot Oven) or 3 hours if using a standard Slow Cooker. Cook until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once the meatballs are done cooking, add 12 oz gnocchi*, ½ cup cream, and ½ cup sundried tomatoes into the Magnifique Clay Pot Oven (or other slow cooker) and add the lid. If using your Magnifique Clay Pot Oven, select the Pasta setting and cook for about 10-20 minutes, until the gnocchi is warmed up and cooked through. If using another brand of slow cooker, simply cook the gnocchi on the Slow Cook setting for another 20 minutes.
- Once the 20 minutes is up, add the 2 cups fresh spinach and ½ cup grated parmesan into the slow cooker and stir until the spinach wilts.
- Allow the dish to rest for about 10-15 minutes so the sauce can thicken up.
- Serve in individual bowls topped with more parmesan to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- Ground Chicken: You can also use ground turkey if desired or use beef to make a smaller version of my grandma’s Soft Meatballs Recipe.
- Breadcrumbs: I used plain breadcrumbs and added Italian seasoning to the mixture. If you have Italian breadcrumbs, you can omit about 1 tsp of the Italian seasoning in the chicken mixture. You can also use panko breadcrumbs if desired.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: Necessary for thickening up the sauce! Try to get the high-quality stuff if it’s accessible to you.
- Garlic Cloves: I highly recommend mincing fresh garlic if you can! It adds so much more flavor than the jarred product. If you need to use jarred garlic, I typically measure 1 clove to be about 1 tsp of the pre-minced stuff.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes: And save the oil! You can use the oil to sear your meatballs and then add the tomatoes into the sauce! You can also use regular olive oil to sear the meatballs if necessary.
- Yellow Onion: You can add this right into the slow cooker without cooking it. It will cook alongside the meatballs!
- White Wine: Fresh from the bottle or cooking wine. Either will work.
- Heavy Cream: Do not put this into the slow cooker until the recipe calls for it. If you add it at the same time as the meatballs, the lengthy cooking time will cause it to curdle and separate. About 20 minutes before serving does the trick!
- Shelf Stable Gnocchi: You can also use frozen or fresh gnocchi if desired. For another delicious gnocchi recipe, try this Brown Butter Gnocchi with Sage and Walnuts.
- Spinach: Optional but great for color and a bit of vitamins!
- Do not overmix your meatballs, as doing so can make the meatballs tough! Stir until the ingredients are just combined.
- To hold onto some extra flavor, feel free to add the wine into the pan that you just seared the meatballs in to deglaze the pan. Then you can dump that liquid into the slow cooker!
- Make sure not to add the gnocchi until the recipe calls for it. Adding them at the same time as the meatballs will lead to mushy gnocchi.
Brenda says
I only have frozen spinach. Will that work?
Alexandria Drzazgowski says
Hi Brenda, Yes frozen spinach will work just fine!
Jaime McCracken says
This looks amazing! Could I use Italian sausage instead of the ground chicken? I look forward to giving this a try!!
Alexandria Drzazgowski says
I have not made them using italian sausage but I believe it would still turn out great! if you try it, let me know what you think 🙂
Laura Leyrer says
This will be dinner tonight! So glad the recipe calls for spinach and not kale. All I have to do is whisper “kale” or “brussel sprouts” and I’ve lost my husband for good. I’ll letcha know how it goes! how I do!
Alexandria Drzazgowski says
Haha!! Glad that the spinach was intriguing to you 🙂 Let me know what you think!