Living in a semi-rural area, you hear a lot about weather and crop predictions. Things like a late frost can be detrimental to fruit crops, I know this much. I also know that we’ve had very little rain and my front lawn looks like garbage. Rumor on the street is that the summer is going to be hot and dry. Who really knows. Summer is just getting started and to be a meteorologist, you only need to be right about 20% of the time before people start to discredit you altogether.
This week, though? HOT. HUMID. Our air conditioning is on and without it, I would be a very unpleasant person and I most certainly wouldn’t be sleeping well…even if I was forced to relocate to the basement for the tolerable temperatures. Needless to say, the HOT part of summer is holding true…for this week, anyway.
Around 3pm yesterday, Mark started texting to inquire about having a family boat night. I picked up my phone to find several long, convincing texts to which I simply responded, “This is not a hard sell, let’s do it. See you at home to pack up after work.” We whipped up some pb&js, loaded up the cooler with some cheese, bell peppers, and a few cold brews alongside some sippy cups of milk for the girls. 😉
We got a few miles south of the boat dock and started munching on dinner, dancing and singing to Dance Monkey, my kids’ favorite song. Which we listen to on repeat. Daily. And not 5 minutes after anchoring, along comes a massive, DARK cloud of guaranteed rain. It was sitting directly above our boat (or so it seemed) and Mark asked me to check the radar. It was a 90% chance of rain in less than 30 minutes. The evening was cut short, but it was a fun little outing anyway.
While the girls were thrilled with dinner, I was a bit underwhelmed. I haven’t had a MEAL in a few nights now and I’m ready for it. Especially since no cooked dinners leads to no lunch leftovers. You know, the things I coach my patients about all the time. #facepalm I’m very excited for dinner at home this evening and REAL food – something warm and fresh…and balanced.
One of the last meals that felt like a fancy, yet effortless night in: this meal — Creamy Lemon Chicken Gnocchi. Admittedly, gnocchi is a food I’m a bit take-or-leave on, but this recipe spoke to me with the spinach, lemon, and cream sauce. I was sold and MAN, it did not disappoint. Quick and easy, this dish will not disappoint in any way!
Creamy Lemon Chicken Gnocchi
This velvety smooth cream sauce has a lemony punch to coat the tender gnocchi and chicken breasts for this all-in-one masterpiece!
Ingredients
- 2 (8 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved widthwise to thin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 lb uncooked potato gnocchi
- 1/2 cup (2 oz) freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 4 oz fresh baby spinach (~5 gently packed cups)
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken with garlic powder and lemon pepper; set aside.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Cook for 5 minutes or until browned; flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate and cover to keep hot.
- Return skillet to the stove and reduce to medium heat. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broth, lemon juice, and black pepper; scape any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Add the half and half to the skillet and cook until bubbly around the edges. Add the gnocchi and stir. Arrange in a single layer so the gnocchi is submerged in the sauce. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and add the parmesan and spinach. Gently mix until spinach is wilted but remains bright green. Add back in the chicken and any accumulated juices, spooning some of the sauce over the chicken. Serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe ever so slightly adapted from Salt and Lavender
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1/4 recipe (~1 cup gnocchi and 4 oz chicken with sauce and spinach)Amount Per Serving: Calories: 520Total Fat: 20.0gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 873mgCarbohydrates: 48.0gFiber: 2.8gSugar: 3.3gProtein: 36.5g
Love savory lemon dishes? Voila!
- One Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
- Honey Lemon Chicken
- Lemon Parmesan Shrimp with Broccoli and Cauliflower
- Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Creamy Lemon One Pot Pasta
- Lemon Garlic Orzo with Roasted Vegetables
Be well,
