Ever wanted a cozy, creamy meal that’s actually healthy and simple? This chicken pesto gnocchi bake is your weeknight hero—no heavy cream, just homemade basil pesto, chicken, and veggies (tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant) all roasted in one pan.
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Why you'll love this recipe
One-pan wonder. Less cleanup, more flavor—just like Creamy Chicken Cajun Pasta, Beef Teriyaki Noodles, or Marry Me Chicken Bake.
Pesto-packed goodness. Bright basil flavor without cream—similar to Creamy Basil Pesto Orzo, Spinach Walnut Basil Pesto.
Hands-off baking. I love anything that has minimal effort. You can toss it all in the pan and bake.
High?protein meal prep. Chicken, veggies, carbs and a protein-rich sauce for a High Protein Chicken Meal Prep like Chicken Tzatziki Salad and Chicken Bacon Mushroom Risotto.
Ingredients and substitutions
Chicken breast. I used Chicken Breast as it's affordable, lean and protein-packed - but you can substitute for thighs if preferred.
Gnocchi. I use store-bought from the fridge section at the grocery store. Don't use the ones on the shelves as their texture isn't as good. If you get the opportunity, definitely make your own gnocchi, but it's not necessary.
Silken tofu. This increases the protein content of the sauce and makes it creamy without heavy creams.
Swap. You can substitute for cream if you prefer, but I always find for meal preps, I don't want cream multiple days in a row. You could also opt for cream cheese or Greek yogurt if you want to avoid heavy cream but still want creaminess.
Basil. Fresh is recommended. Substitute for spinach for a more affordable option (but the flavour profile will be different).
Pine nuts. They can be expensive so feel free to substitute with walnuts or cashews for a slightly different nutty flavour.
Parmesan. I highly recommend freshly grated (rather than packaged) as you'll get the best flavour. You can also substitute with nutritional yeast for a lactose-free version.
Vegetables. I used cherry tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant as these were in-season at the time. But you can substitute for other vegetables.
Swap. Onions, carrots and peppers would work great. You could also add in some Spinach at the end for a more salad vibe.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity.
How to make baked chicken gnocchi
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 200?°C (400?°F).
Step 2: Chop your chicken and veggies into bite-sized chunks and toss with gnocchi, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplant. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to coat evenly.
Step 3: Spread everything in a single layer on a large, lined baking tray—don’t crowd the pan
Step 4: Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway to roast evenly.
Step 5: Blend your pesto while the tray is baking by combining silken tofu, basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and parmesan until smooth.
Step 6: Remove tray from the oven, and while still hot, drizzle or dollop the pesto on top. Toss gently or leave it in blobs for a saucy finish.
Top Tip
Don’t crowd the pan. Gnocchi and veg roast better when spaced out—use two trays if needed to avoid steaming.
Add pesto after baking. This keeps the basil vibrant and prevents it from turning brown or bitter in the oven.
Recommended Equipment
A large rimmed baking tray or sheet pan ensures even roasting and crisp edges. You don't need a deep dish, I like to use one because it provides a good vessel to mix the pesto directly in.
Meal prepping
This chicken pesto gnocchi is a great meal prep friendly dish because it has a source of protein (chicken and tofu), carbs (gnocchi) and veggies. It can also be eaten hot or cold, making it great for a summer meal prep or if you don't have access to a microwave on your lunch break.
Storing
Allow the gnocchi and veg to cool completely (no more than 2 hours). If you don't plan on eating it right away, you can also wait until it's cooled to add the pesto sauce (this will help keep it vibrant for longer).
Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating
If you reheat, I suggest leaving the pesto off until you're just about to eat to keep it super fresh.
Reheat in oven (180?°C/350?°F) for 10 minutes. This will bring back the crispiness.
You could also microwave on 1 minute intervals for approx. 2 minutes.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Yep! It saves time and still delivers big flavor—you can even swap basil pesto for sun?dried tomato pesto.
I recommend one that has minimal ingredients and fillers so it replicates homemade as best as possible
Yes! You can absolutely put shelf-stable or fresh gnocchi straight in the oven—no need to boil first. Just coat it with a little olive oil and bake with your other ingredients. It roasts beautifully, getting golden and slightly crispy on the outside while staying tender inside.
If your gnocchi turns out doughy, it’s usually because it was too crowded on the tray or didn’t get hot enough to roast properly. Spread it out in a single layer, make sure your oven is fully preheated, and skip the boiling—direct baking gives better texture when done right.
Other Chicken Breast Meal Preps
Or, you can have a browse through my Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Baked Chicken Pesto Gnocchi and Vegetables (No Cream)
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Equipment
- Stick Blender, recommended over traditional blender/food processor as it's smaller and needs less clean up.
Ingredients
Pesto
- 300 g (10 ½ oz) silken tofu
- 60 g (¼ cups) lemon juice, approx. 1 lemon
- 50 g (1 cups) basil leaves
- 20 g (2 tablespoon) pinenuts, subs Note 1
- 2 garlic cloves, fresh recommended
- 20 g (2 tablespoon) parmesan, freshly grated recommended, subs Note 2
- salt and pepper, to taste
Gnocchi Bake
- 400 g (14 oz) gnocchi, see note 4
- 400 g (14 oz) chicken breast
- 200 g (7 oz) cherry tomatoes
- 150 g (5 ½ oz) zucchini
- 200 g (7 oz) eggplant
- 30 g (2 tablespoon) olive oil
- 10 g (2 tablespoon) dried basil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 200?°C (400?°F).
- Slice 400 g (14 oz) chicken breast, 200 g (7 oz) cherry tomatoes, 200 g (7 oz) eggplant into bite sized pieces. Keep 200 g (7 oz) cherry tomatoes whole.
Bake
- Add 400 g (14 oz) chicken breast, 200 g (7 oz) cherry tomatoes, 150 g (5 ½ oz) zucchini, 200 g (7 oz) eggplant, 400 g (14 oz) gnocchi to the baking tray in a single layer and coat with 30 g (2 tablespoon) olive oil, 10 g (2 tablespoon) dried basil, salt and pepper. Mix to coat evenly.if tray is too crowded, consider spreading across 2.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until chicken reaches 70°C (160°F), stirring halfway to roast evenly.
Make Pesto
- While baking, add 300 g (10 ½ oz) silken tofu, 60 g (¼ cups) lemon juice, 50 g (1 cups) basil leaves, 20 g (2 tablespoon) pinenuts, 2 garlic cloves, 20 g (2 tablespoon) parmesan, salt and pepper to hand blender and blend until smooth.
- Remove tray from the oven, and while still hot, drizzle or dollop the pesto on top. Toss gently or leave it in blobs for a saucy finish.If meal prepping, keep sauce separate and add after reheating.
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