Some recipes – like relationships – aren’t easy.

They take time, love, effort, encouragement and something special to make all the pieces come together into a cohesive whole. There is a lot of joy that comes out of a well-cooked meal or from a carefully cultivated relationship, but both require patience. And sometimes, you can get a little frustrated and burned along the way.

This week, I experienced a few minor self-inflicted burns, both literal and emotional, while cooking this Date Night Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi recipe.

I started cooking late on Thursday night, meaning by the time I started cooking, I was already hungry, tired and generally unpleasant to be around. I had picked an intentionally complicated recipe to cook this week, to give my husband and I a nice dinner to look forward to.

But a “nice dinner” doesn’t mean I was nice while cooking it. As I was seasoning the chicken, cooking it in the pan, reducing the wine in the sauce, and throwing it all into the oven, I was rushing.

When my husband Hunter came downstairs to check on dinner (and check on his wife), he told me how great everything smelled, how he couldn’t wait to eat it and how he wanted to help me finish the recipe.

I took it as impatience. I told him I could handle it. It would just take a few more minutes. Don’t rush me (while still currently rushing). He left the room, both of us stinging from our perceived insults.

Not even five minutes later, I reached into the 400-degree oven to take the chicken and gnocchi back out and put it on the stovetop. And as I adjusted the pan on the burner, I thoughtlessly grabbed the metal handle.

Not. fun.

Usually, I pride myself on being tough, but I would be lying if I didn’t say my eyes were watering as I ran my hand under cold water in the sink. Hunter came running when he heard me yelp.

I once again told him I could handle it, while still cradling my palm like a wounded bird. But this time, he didn’t take no for an answer. Following my warnings about how hot the handle of the pan was, he finished off the recipe by adding the spinach and Parmesan to the gnocchi, stirring until everything was combined.

With my hand and my ego starting to cool, Hunter and I plated up our dinner, poured the remainder of the wine into our glasses and sat down to finally eat together. And when we started talking to each other, we realized neither of us had been trying to hurt each others’ feelings over when a plate of potato pasta and chicken thighs would be ready. Who could have guessed?

Though this recipe is adapted from a recipe by Laura Rege from Delish, she didn’t originally call it a “Date Night” recipe. But at the end of an hour of cooking the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, chicken and gnocchi in a creamy wine sauce, I felt like I was on a date.

Hopefully, you will too, though, maybe skip the minor burn along the way.

Date Night Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi

Ingredients

4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon paprika

Kosher salt

Ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes

4 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio)

1 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 (17-ounce) package gnocchi

1 (6-ounce) package of baby spinach

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, season chicken with Italian seasoning, paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Make sure all sides are covered.

• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes each side. Transfer chicken to a plate.

• Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add wine and cook, stirring, until reduced by half. Add broth, then slowly add cream (be patient, unlike me, if you want the flavors to come together properly). Bring to a simmer and stir in gnocchi, tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

• Return chicken to the pan. Bake until chicken is cooked through and a thermometer reads 175 degrees, about 16 to 20 minutes (check frequently).

• Remove from the oven and transfer chicken to a plate. Add spinach and Parmesan to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until the spinach wilts, for about 2 to 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet, and season with salt and pepper to taste.