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one plain bowl of four lightly browned chicken meatballs with small oval potato gnocchi in pale orange cream sauce containing short dark red sun-dried tomato strips and wilted green spinach, with no spaghetti, whole tomato halves, basil sprigs or garnish
Rachel Kim

Crockpot Marry Me Meatballs and Gnocchi

Keep the gnocchi out of the long cook. Sun-dried tomatoes season the broth while ricotta chicken meatballs simmer, then cream, Parmesan and spinach finish the sauce. Boil the gnocchi separately and fold them in after the dairy, when they can keep their shape instead of dissolving into the pot. The finished bowl should show distinct meatballs and soft potato dumplings with enough sauce between them to move when you tip the spoon.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs ground chicken that includes dark meat
  • 1/3 cup whole-milk ricotta
  • 1/2 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt for meatballs
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp neutral oil for sheet pan
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves finely grated
  • 1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and cut into short thin strips
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water for slurry
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
  • 3 oz baby spinach
  • 24 oz shelf-stable potato gnocchi
  • 2 tsp fine salt for gnocchi water

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F and oil a rimmed sheet. Gently mix chicken, ricotta, panko, egg, basil, meatball salt, garlic powder and pepper. Shape 24 meatballs and bake for 16 to 20 minutes until the centers reach 165°F.
  2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a saucepan and cook onion for 5 minutes. Add garlic for 30 seconds, stir in sun-dried tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer.
  3. Transfer hot broth mixture and hot meatballs to a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours, turning gently once.
  4. Whisk cornstarch with slurry water and fold into the sauce. Cover on HIGH for 15 minutes until lightly thickened, then turn off the cooker and wait until bubbling settles. Fold in cream, Parmesan and spinach and cover for 5 minutes to wilt the leaves; keep the meatball centers at least 165°F.
  5. Meanwhile, boil gnocchi in a large pot of water seasoned with gnocchi-water salt for 2 to 3 minutes, or the package time, until they float and are tender. Drain well and fold gently into the finished sauce.
  6. Divide gnocchi, spinach and sauce among 6 bowls and add 4 meatballs to each. Serve promptly before the gnocchi absorb more sauce.