Chicken & Leek Gnocchi Bake

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

500 g fresh gnocchi

100 g kale, hard-stalks removed

1 chicken stock cube

1/2 tbsp. coconut oil

1 tbsp. butter

1 onion, diced

2 leeks, cut into 5mm rounds

500 g skinless chicken breast, cut into 3cm chunks

200 g mushrooms, brushed clean and roughly sliced

25 g plain flour

1/2 tsp. English mustard powder

25 g parmesan, grated

1/2 bunch of parsley, roughly chopped

Salt and pepper

3 tbsp. fresh breadcrumbs

Steamed vegetables, to serve - optional

Directions

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and preheat your oven to 190ºC (fan 170℃/gas mark 5).

When the water is boiling, drop in the gnocchi and cook for 2 minutes, then add the kale and cook for a further 2 minutes. Use a mug to scoop out 300ml of the cooking liquid. Add the chicken stock cube into the mug, stir, and set aside. Drain the gnocchi and kale.

While the gnocchi is cooking, melt the coconut oil and butter in a large frying pan over a medium to high heat. When hot, add the chopped onion and leeks and fry for about 3 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Crank up the heat to maximum and add both the chicken and mushrooms to the pan. Stir-fry for a few minutes or until the meat takes on a little colour.

Reduce the heat to just below medium and stir in the flour. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then gradually start adding the stock. Stir in a quarter of the liquid at a time to avoid lumps.

When all of the liquid has been added, bring to the boil, then take the pan off the heat and stir in the mustard powder, parmesan and chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Tip the drained gnocchi and kale into the pan and gently stir everything together. Tip the mixture into a baking dish, sprinkle the breadcrumbs all over the top and then slide it into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden.

Remove the dish from the oven and serve on its own or with a big bowl of steamed vegetables.