Tomato Gnocchi with Cheese Sauce, Chicken and Mustard Croutons

For the gnocchi, cook the potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water until they are easy to pierce with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and set aside until still warm, but cool enough to handle. Rinse the pot, then fill with water, season with salt and bring to a boil. 

Meanwhile, for the cheese sauce, in a large heavy skillet, bring the milk to a simmer over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the cornstarch, then whisk in the cheese a handful at a time, adding the next handful after the previous one has melted. Whisk in the mayonnaise, butter and crushed red pepper flakes and keep warm.  

For the croutons, in a large bowl, mix together the mustard, EVOO, salt and pepper, then toss with the bread. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the seasoned bread and cook, tossing occasionally, until the edges are crisp. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the skillet and reserve for the chicken. 

For the chicken, heat the skillet used for the croutons over medium-high heat. Brush the breasts with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and cook, turning once, until just cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board, cover and let rest. 

Meanwhile, remove the skin from the potatoes and put them through a ricer or food mill into a large bowl. Add the ketchup and egg and mix to combine. Sift together the flour, garlic powder and onion powder and slowly incorporate into the potatoes until a dough forms.   

On a floured surface, cut the dough into 4 portions. Roll each section into a long coil about 1 inch wide, cut in half crosswise and then cut each coil into 1-inch pieces. 

Slowly add the gnocchi to the boiling water, carefully stirring so they don't stick together or to the bottom of the pot. After the gnocchi float to the surface, wait 15 to 20 seconds, then transfer them to the cheese sauce with a slotted spoon and toss to combine.  

To serve, cut each chicken breast crosswise into slices. Spoon the gnocchi and sauce onto plates, then top each portion with a chicken breast, croutons and some diced tomato.