About
Ah the simple pleasure of Gnocchi Casserole! The gnocchi are pillowy, tender, adorable little bites of goodness when coated in a rich marinara sauce with notes of sharp parmesan and spicy red pepper. But then there's also bits of juicy ground chicken and a topping of multiple melty, creamy cheeses to make Gnocchi Casserole pure comfort food! Mmmm, make sure to save us some, too!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces gnocchi
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground chicken
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups jarred marinara sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 (8-ounce) ball burrata
- fresh basil, optional, to taste, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2 -In a large pot of salted, boiling water, add the gnocchi and cook until they are tender, according to the package directions.
Step 3 -Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water and drain the remainder.
Step 4 -In a large, nonstick, cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil.
Step 5 -Add the onions and the garlic to the hot oil and cook, while stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Step 6 -Add the ground chicken to the onion mixture and cook, while crumbling the meat, until the chicken is golden-brown and cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.
Step 7 -Season the chicken mixture with the salt and the black pepper.
Step 8 -Turn off the stovetop heat.
Step 9 -Add the gnocchi, the reserved pasta water, the marinara sauce, the red pepper flakes, and the parmesan to the chicken mixture and stir to combine.
Step 10 -Sprinkle the mozzarella on top of the chicken mixture.
Step 11 -Bake the chicken mixture in the skillet on the top rack of the oven until it is hot and bubbling, about 15 minutes.
Step 12 -Transfer the skillet to a wire rack.
Step 13 -Break the burrata into pieces and scatter them on top of the bake.
Step 14 -Allow the burrata pieces to soften and melt as the bake cools slightly.
Step 15 -Season the top of the bake with the salt and the pepper.
Step 16 -Serve garnished with the basil.
