Bumpin' Chicken and Dumplings

SteelerSue's Note:

This is a recipe I watched Aaron McCargo Jr make on Food Network. It looked amazing! I HAD to make it and it was soooooo good. I am submitting the recipe as he wrote it, but I made a few changes. First, I doubled it into a 9x13 pan which I sprayed instead of buttering. I didn't double the olive oil. I used petite diced tomatoes and let them cook down a bit. I cubed raw chicken breast and sauteed it with a bit of onion and garlic and added it with the gnocchi as written. I used regular mozzarella instead of smoked. Just little changes that really didn't change the recipe. Enjoy! It is delicious.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4-6

Yield: 4.0

• butter, for baking dish
• 1 (12 ounce) package potato gnocchi
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, strained
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 (3 -4 lb) roasted chicken, diced
• 8 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
• 4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, divided
• basil leaves, to garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Lightly butter an 8x8 inch baking pan.
3. Cook the gnocchi according to package directions.
4. In a large deep saute pan over medium-high hear, add the oil.
5. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic begins to brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and parsley. Reduce heat and bring to a simmer.
7. Add the gnocchi and chicken. Toss well to combine.
8. Mix in the mozzarella and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan.
9. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.
10. Bake until the cheese is melted and nicely browned, about 15 to 20 minutes.
11. Remove the dish from the oven, garnish with the basil leaves and serve.