Best Mini Chicken Sausage Meatballs With Gnocchi And Tomato Sauce Recipes

One-Pan Chicken and Gnocchi in Tomato-Basil Sauce image

Provided by Bev Weidner

Time 35m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
Coarse salt
1 medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound), cut into rounds, and again into half moons
One 24-ounce jar tomato-basil sauce, such as Classico® Organic Tomato & Basil Sauce
1 pound dried gnocchi
Freshly grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Steps:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the dried Italian seasoning and a good pinch of salt. Arrange the chicken in the pan, cover and sear for 5 minutes. Flip, cover and sear the chicken another 5 minutes. (It won't be cooked all the way through, but that's okay! We'll finish in a bit.) Remove the chicken from the pan.
Add a splash of water to the pan to deglaze, if needed, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits. Add the zucchini to the pan in a single layer. Season with a pinch of salt and sear for 2 minutes. Flip and sear until nicely charred on both sides, another minute or two. Add the chicken (and its juices) back to the pan, and bring the heat down to medium-low. Add the tomato sauce, along with about 1/3 cup water swirled in the jar, along with the gnocchi. Using tongs, nestle the gnocchi down in the sauce, so that it's all covered. Cover with a lid and bring the heat up to medium. Simmer until the gnocchi is tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
Divide the dish among dinner bowls, and use forks to shred the chicken a little, if you want. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.
Serve immediately!

Mini Chicken Sausage Meatballs with Gnocchi and Tomato Sauce image

Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network

Categories main-dish

Time 25m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Salt
1 pound gnocchi ( potato dumplings) from refrigerated or frozen foods section of market
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
1 tablespoon grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1/3 palm full
1/4 cup tender sun dried tomatoes (available in pouches or tubs in produce section)
20 leaves fresh basil, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some to drizzle
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano, to pass at table

Steps:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Bring a pot of water to boil for gnocchi. Season the water with salt, add gnocchi and cook according to package directions.
Place chicken in a medium bowl with grill seasoning and add the fennel seeds. Pile sun-dried tomatoes on top of each other in small stacks then slice into thin strips. Coarsely chop the thin strips and add to bowl. Stack 10 basil leaves together then roll them up into a log. Shred the basil by thinly slicing the log. Add basil to the bowl. Drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil over the chicken, mix meat together and roll into mini balls, 1 1/2 inches across, and arrange on a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degree F for 10 to 12 minutes or until firm and lightly golden.
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, the onions and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the tomatoes and sauce and season with salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat. Stir in the remaining 10 leaves of basil, whole or torn.
Drain gnocchi and remove balls from oven. Toss gnocchi and meat balls with sauce and serve with grated cheese to pass at table.