Creamy Spicy Vodka Gnocchi with Balsamic Chicken Crumbles

Ingredients

• 1 cup Low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 cup Spicy vodka sauce or favorite pasta sauce (The author used Carbone spicy vodka sauce.)
• 0.5 cup Grated Parmesan
• Salt (For the boiling water and to taste before plating.)
• 1 tsp Cooking spray or olive oil (Use cooking spray as an alternative to the olive oil.)
• 1 lb Ground chicken breast or ground turkey (Use either ground chicken breast or turkey.)
• 2 tbsp Chopped Calabrian chili peppers
• 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 2 tbsp Water (Added to the chicken sauce.)
• 4 Crushed garlic (Use 4 frozen crushed-garlic cubes or 4 fresh garlic cloves.)
• 1 lb Potato gnocchi
• 1 cup Reserved gnocchi cooking water (Reserve about 1 cup; approximately 1/2 cup is used to thin the sauce.)
• Fresh basil (Some is chopped and folded into the gnocchi; reserve more for garnish.)
• Black pepper (For garnish.)
• Low-fat ricotta (For garnish.)
• Olive oil (For drizzling over the plated gnocchi.)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, blend the cottage cheese, pasta sauce, and grated Parmesan until completely smooth. Set the blended sauce aside.

3. 3

   Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and coat it with cooking spray or 1 teaspoon olive oil.

4. 4

   Add the ground chicken breast or turkey. Cook one side for a few minutes until golden brown, then break the meat apart and continue cooking until fully cooked.

5. 5

   Add the chopped Calabrian chili peppers, balsamic vinegar, honey, water, and crushed garlic. Cook until the sauce thickens, then turn the heat to low.

6. 6

   Add the potato gnocchi to the boiling water and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the gnocchi float.

7. 7

   Reserve about 1 cup of the gnocchi cooking water, then drain the remaining water from the gnocchi.

8. 8

   Return the gnocchi to low heat and add the blended sauce. Stir to combine.

9. 9

   Add about three-quarters of the chicken crumbles and some freshly chopped basil. Fold everything together until smooth.

10. 10

    Add some of the reserved cooking water to loosen and bring the sauce together as needed; the author used about 1/2 cup.

11. 11

    Season with salt to taste, then plate the gnocchi.

12. 12

    Garnish with the remaining chicken crumbles, additional fresh basil, black pepper, low-fat ricotta, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

The post states approximately 46 g protein and 12 g fat per serving, though nutrition will vary with the specific sauce, cottage cheese, gnocchi, and choice of chicken or turkey. The source does not specify the exact amount of basil, ricotta, finishing olive oil, or salt.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Italian-inspired
• high-protein
• gnocchi
• ground chicken
• spicy
• comfort food
• one-pan sauce