Creamy Chicken, Veggie, and Gnocchi Stew

Need a nutritious and easy weeknight dinner? Creamy Chicken, Veggie, and Gnocchi Stew is comforting, hearty, and full of flavor. The stew can be made in the slow cooker, pressure cooker/Instant pot, or on the stove top. Plus, it’s a kid-friendly meal that’s packed with protein and vegetables.

Kids in the Kitchen:

Soup/Stew may seem like a strange choice for a recipe to make with kids, but there are lots of easy ways children can be a part of the process. Have kids in the kitchen with you is especially helpful if kids are hesitant about eating “mixed foods” like soup. “Picky” eaters can be scared of a bowl full of different ingredients all together which is totally understandable. However, by seeing and touching the ingredients and being a part of the cooking process. That way kids can feel more comfortable with trying and eating the finished soup.

• Prep the veggies: Simply washing the vegetables you are using in the recipe can be an easy, quick way for any aged child to be involved with this recipe
• Help chop! If your child does one thing to help with this recipe, I’d suggest having them chop a carrot. First cut the carrot into thin strips then have your child cut each strip into a small dice. Need more info about teaching kids to use a knife or a child-safe knife recommendation? Check out my blog post Teaching Knife Skills to Toddlers and Kids.
• Measure and add: Have your child measure the salt, pepper, and herb seasoning into a small bowl then sprinkle the mixture over the chicken. If you already chopped the veggies, have your child help add them to the pot.
• Stir: Have your child place their hand over yours to safely stir the soup together.
• Garnish: Sometimes having child choose a topping or side dish can be a great way to get them excited about the meal. Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese to the top of the soup or make some toast to go on the side. Kids can also choose their bowl and spoon to get ready for dinner.

Subs and Tips for Making Creamy Chicken, Veggie, and Gnocchi Stew

• Gnocchi? I often find packaged gnocchi next to the dry pasta at my store. However, you can use any fresh or frozen gnocchi that you like. I’ve also seen some gluten-free options if you need them.
• Pasta instead: If you can’t find gnocchi or don’t want to use it, feel free to sub any small shaped pasta that you like. Egg noodles will also work well. To use pasta, I would cook it separately and then add it to the stew when serving. It does add an extra step but pasta takes longer to cook and will absorb too much liquid if cooked in the stew.
• Veggies: Kale would be a great additional to this stew. It will take longer to cook than spinach, so I would add it in at the beginning of the recipe with the other vegetables.
• Dairy-free? You can definitely leave out the yogurt in this recipe and it will still be great. You could also use some coconut cream, but it will change the flavor of the stew. A dairy-free sour cream might work, but I haven’t tested it.

Creamy Chicken, Veggie, and Gnocchi Stew

A nutritious and comforting weeknight dinner that couldn't be easier to make.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp butter or additional oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning or other dried herb blend
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 2 to 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 celery stalks, diced
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups chicken broth I use Better Than Bouillon
• 1 lb mini or regular gnocchi
• 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (preferably whole milk)

Instructions

 

Slow Cooker

• Add oil and butter to the slow cooker insert.
• Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and herb seasoning over the chicken then add to the slow cooker. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and broth. Stir to distribute the ingredients then cover and set the crockpot to High for 4 hours or Low for 6 hours.
• When there is 10 minutes of cook time left, remove the lid and break the chicken up into shreds with tongs or forks. Stir in the gnocchi, spinach, and yogurt. Cover and let cook for the remaining 5 to 10 minutes.
• Taste the stew and add more salt and pepper as needed. If the stew is too thick for you, feel free to stir in more chicken broth. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Pressure Cooker

• Turn on the SAUTE function and add the oil and butter.
• Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and herb seasoning over the chicken then add to the slow cooker. Set aside
• Once the pot is hot, add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes to start softening the vegetables.
• Add the chicken and broth to the pot and stir to combine. Turn off the SAUTE function, secure the lid on the pot, then set to HIGH PRESSURE for 10 minutes.
• Once the cook time is up, release the pressure. Remove the chicken to a plate and shred into bite-size pieces.
• Stir in the gnocchi, spinach, and yogurt then add the chicken back to the pot. Cover and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to cook the gnocchi and wilt the spinach.
• Taste the stew and add more salt and pepper as needed. If the stew is too thick for you, feel free to stir in more chicken broth. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Stove Top

• Add oil and butter to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and herb seasoning over the chicken then add to the slow cooker. Set aside.
• Once the pot is hot, add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes to start softening the vegetables.
• Add the chicken and broth to the pot and stir to combine. Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Once the chicken is tender and the vegetables are soft, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces then add them back to the pot.
• Stir in the gnocchi, spinach, and yogurt. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 10 minutes to cook the gnocchi and wilt the spinach.
• Taste the stew and add more salt and pepper as needed. If the stew is too thick for you, feel free to stir in more chicken broth. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Keyword chicken, crockpot, instant pot, slow cooker, weeknight dinner

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