Pesto Chicken and Gnocchi Bake

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F conventional. Set out a deep baking dish measuring approximately 33 × 23 cm with a capacity of at least 3.5 litres.

2. 2

   Peel and finely chop the onion, deseed and dice the pepper, and finely chop the garlic. Drain oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, weigh out 100 g and chop them. Roughly chop the spinach and grate the mozzarella. Measure the yogurt into a small bowl.

3. 3

   Cut the raw chicken into even 2 cm pieces.

4. 4

   Put the chicken, uncooked shelf-stable potato gnocchi, onion, pepper, garlic, frozen peas and drained tomatoes into the baking dish. Add all the pesto and chicken stock, stir thoroughly and spread into an even layer.

5. 5

   Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake on the middle shelf for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the foil, keeping clear of the escaping steam, and stir the mixture to separate any gnocchi that have stuck together.

6. 6

   Gradually stir several spoonfuls of hot sauce from the dish into the yogurt to warm it. Fold the warmed yogurt and spinach into the bake, then scatter the mozzarella evenly over the surface.

7. 7

   Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, until the gnocchi are tender, the cheese is lightly golden and the centre of the bake and the largest chicken pieces reach at least 74°C/165°F on a food thermometer. If necessary, continue baking and checking every 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Let the bake stand for 5 minutes before dividing into four portions.