t h i s i s g o i n g t o f r e a k y o u r l i f e .
You know when you make a recipe, or test a recipe, or play with a recipe, and in your head it comes out a certain way, and then in reality-ville it comes out monumentally more fab and slap-ya-mama worthy?
THIS. UUUUUUGH. this.
This! ^^^ t h i s.
I’m excited, can you tell?
Without a doubt, this recipe is going to fall into, land, straight up BOMB your heavy meal rotation. And you won’t even see it coming. Except for now. I’m telling you right now.
Let’s discuss this. Before I completely lose it.
First of all, you’ll roast a head of cauliflower, along with a whole head of garlic. Roasted garlic. Mashed into a paste. A roasted garlic paste. Also known as the reason for living.
Then you’ll sear some chicken things. THIGHS. Dark meat. Also known as tomorrow is a new day.
Then you’ll make a pan sauce. A pan sauce! Right in the browned chicken bits. With butter, the roasted garlic paste, chicken stock and lemon juice. Also known as you’ve just added me to your will.
Then you’ll boil some gnocchi! Also known as baby pillows for your mouth.
And lastly, you’ll toast a little bit of pine nuts. Also known as ignore the price tag and just do it because you only live once and they’re delicious little boogers.
And you toss it all together and watch as the buttery garlic sauce puts a shiny coating on all that rapturous, roasted bounty.
Top it with cheese. Extra parsley. More lemon. The toasted pine nuts. The future you thought you had. Your entire sense of vulnerability. Don’t look back.
The total time on this is probably right at an hour. But the sweet thing is, while the cauli and garlic roast, you can pan-sear your thighs (the chicken’s, not yours), give them a quick shred, and boil the gnocchi. Then once the garlic is finished roasting, mash up the cloves and boom, whip up your pan sauce. She’s done.
SORRY, FINISHED. A cake is done. Wait, I guess done works here, too. The dish is done. Wait, does it? Yeah, it totally does!
Wait.
Never mind.
You may now begin your new life.
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 medium head of cauliflower, broken into florets
- 3 Tbs. olive oil, divided
- 1 head of garlic, end sliced off (exposing cloves), drizzled with a tsp of oil and wrapped in a small square of foil
- 20 oz package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 Tbs. dried Italian seasoning
- 16 oz package of dried gnocchi
- 2 Tbs. butter
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 lemon
- 3 Tbs. pine nuts, lightly toasted
- fresh parsley
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400.
- Place the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet, and toss with 2 Tbs of oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. Place the wrapped garlic head next to it on an oven grate. Roast for 45 minutes. Flip the cauliflower if needed to brown all over.
- Once the roasting is finished, cover the cauliflower to keep warm. Let the garlic cool for a few minutes, then squeeze the cloves out, into a small bowl, or a mortar. Sprinkle the cloves with a small pinch of salt, then mash into a paste, using either a pestle or a spoon.
- In the meantime, while the veggies roast, heat the remaining Tbs. of olive oil in medium skillet. Season the chicken thighs with the Italian seasoning, and a pinch of salt. Sear the chicken on both sides over a medium-high heat, until browned on both sides and cooked through, 10-13 minutes total.
- Let the chicken cool a few minutes, then pull the thighs apart with your fingers, shredding them a bit.
- Back in the pan with the browned chicken bits (<--heaven), melt the 2 Tbs. of butter. Once the butter foams, add the roasted garlic paste and stir it around, infusing the butter. Add the chicken stock, and a Tbs. of lemon juice. Let it simmer for a few minutes.
- Have a pot of salted water brought to boil while you're prepping everything else, and boil the gnocchi according to package directions, like 2-3 minutes. Drain and transfer the gnocchi straight into the pan sauce. Add the roasted cauliflower florets and shredded chicken thighs. Add the toasted pine nuts, parsley leaves and as much freshly grated parmesan as your tender heart will let you.
- And you're done! Serve with more lemon and parsley and cheese, duh.
- Serves 4!
GNOCCHI ME.
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