Chicken thighs instead of breasts?

I would suggest boneless, skinless chicken thighs. These cook more slowly than other chicken parts. You might choose to remove the thighs from the pan once they are golden brown.

Do I need to pre-boil the gnocchi?

No. Shelf-stable potato gnocchi can be added to the sauce and left covered to cook while the sauce simmers.

Can I use frozen gnocchi?

Yes, you can add frozen gnocchi to a sauce without defrosting them, but expect to add 2-3 minutes to the cooking time to thoroughly cook the inside of the gnocchi. Test a gnocchi to see if it's cooked through.

Why did my gnocchi turn mushy?

Overcooking is usually the problem. Boil gnocchi for 5 to 7 minutes and test for doneness instead of longer cooking times and covering the pot. Fully cooked gnocchi will be soft but intact. Gnocchi that breaks apart or sticks together is overcooked.

How long do leftovers keep?

Leftover crack chicken gnocchi can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 days. Before serving, reheat crack chicken gnocchi in a skillet over low heat. Add milk or chicken broth to the sauce to help loosen it.

Can I make it in a slow cooker?

You can cook it in a slow cooker. Add the chicken, ranch mix, and cream cheese and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Add the gnocchi and cheeses during the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Cook the bacon separately for the last 30 minutes of cooking time and serve some on top with the meal.

Crack Chicken Gnocchi with Bacon and Cheddar

By Mason BrooksOct 30, 2026

Prep

10 min

Cook

25 min

Total

35 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Crack chicken gnocchi is my one-pan dinner recipe of choice if I'm looking to make a dinner featuring bacon, chicken, potato gnocchi, and sauce without a second pan for the gnocchi. The sauce is made with block cream cheese and sharp cheddar cheese and ranch seasoning for a creamy, ranch-flavored sauce.

Crack Chicken Gnocchi with Bacon and Cheddar

I fry thick-cut bacon in a large pan over medium heat until it is cooked and pour off the fat, then add the chicken and brown it with a slotted spoon to remove the bacon. I cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. It cooks in 5 to 7 minutes, just as long as it takes to brown the chicken.

The gnocchi are uncooked and added to the sauce. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. I take the saucepan off the heat when the gnocchi are tender but not falling apart or sticky. Overfilling the saucepan steams the gnocchi and causes the sauce to lose its smooth look. I don't overfill the saucepan with this recipe.

Serve the hot chicken gnocchi bowls topped with reserved bacon and green onions, and optionally add red pepper flakes to the sauce for additional spiciness. Fold spinach in once the gnocchi is done.

Why you'll love this recipe

It feeds four people from one pan. The sauce used to cook the chicken can also be used to cook the gnocchi.
Canned gnocchi can be prepared straight out of the can. You don't need to boil water in another pot.
The ranch, cheddar, bacon, and plain chicken options offer additional choices for a mixed group, where plain chicken is often requested.
Full-fat cream cheese and shredded cheddar cheese can be mixed to make a sauce without flour.
It takes 35 minutes, including 10 minutes of preparation time, to reach the dinner table, when dinner needs to move along.
The reserved bacon and green onions are added as a topping to individual servings and some diced meat and onions are added to the sauce.

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chopped bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Move it to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the bacon fat in the skillet.

Season the cubed chicken with salt and pepper. Cook it in the hot bacon fat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken and set it aside with the bacon.

Lower the heat to medium-low. Cook the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant, then whisk in the chicken broth and scrape the browned bits from the pan. Add the cream cheese and ranch seasoning, then whisk until the cream cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.

Gradually stir the shredded cheddar into the sauce until melted. Return the cooked chicken and half of the bacon to the skillet.

Stir the uncooked gnocchi into the sauce until coated. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, lower the heat, cover, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the gnocchi is plump and tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Serve immediately with the remaining bacon and sliced green onions.

FAQ

Provide a green salad with a vinaigrette dressing on the side with the skillet meal. Other side dishes include steamed broccoli and roasted green beans. Do not serve anything else on the plate.

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Dinner Pasta Chicken American One Pot Stovetop

Crack Chicken Gnocchi with Bacon and Cheddar

Name: Crack Chicken Gnocchi with Bacon and Cheddar
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch cubes); 6 slices bacon (chopped); 16 oz shelf-stable potato gnocchi; 8 oz cream cheese (cubed and softened); 1 1/2 cups chicken broth; 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded); 1 oz packet dry ranch seasoning mix; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1/4 cup green onions (sliced, for garnish); 1 tbsp olive oil (if needed); salt (to taste); freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

By Mason BrooksOct 30, 2026

Prep

10 min

Cook

25 min

Total

35 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Serve the hot chicken gnocchi bowls topped with reserved bacon and green onions, and optionally add red pepper flakes to the sauce for additional spiciness. Fold spinach in once the gnocchi is done.

Why you'll love this recipe

It feeds four people from one pan. The sauce used to cook the chicken can also be used to cook the gnocchi.
Canned gnocchi can be prepared straight out of the can. You don't need to boil water in another pot.
The ranch, cheddar, bacon, and plain chicken options offer additional choices for a mixed group, where plain chicken is often requested.
Full-fat cream cheese and shredded cheddar cheese can be mixed to make a sauce without flour.
It takes 35 minutes, including 10 minutes of preparation time, to reach the dinner table, when dinner needs to move along.
The reserved bacon and green onions are added as a topping to individual servings and some diced meat and onions are added to the sauce.

Ingredients

Servings4

•1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch cubes)
•6 slices bacon (chopped)
•16 oz shelf-stable potato gnocchi
•8 oz cream cheese (cubed and softened)
•1 ½ cups chicken broth
•2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
•1 oz packet dry ranch seasoning mix
•2 cloves garlic (minced)
•¼ cup green onions (sliced, for garnish)
•1 tbsp olive oil (if needed)
•salt (to taste)
•freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

1
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chopped bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Move it to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the bacon fat in the skillet.
2
Season the cubed chicken with salt and pepper. Cook it in the hot bacon fat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken and set it aside with the bacon.
3
Lower the heat to medium-low. Cook the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant, then whisk in the chicken broth and scrape the browned bits from the pan. Add the cream cheese and ranch seasoning, then whisk until the cream cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.
4
Gradually stir the shredded cheddar into the sauce until melted. Return the cooked chicken and half of the bacon to the skillet.
5
Stir the uncooked gnocchi into the sauce until coated. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, lower the heat, cover, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the gnocchi is plump and tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
6
Remove the skillet from the heat. Serve immediately with the remaining bacon and sliced green onions.

FAQ

Provide a green salad with a vinaigrette dressing on the side with the skillet meal. Other side dishes include steamed broccoli and roasted green beans. Do not serve anything else on the plate.