This Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup recipe is hearty, filling, and easy peasy! It’s filled with diced chicken, tender potato gnocchi, vegetables, and simmered in a creamy broth jam-packed with flavor. The best part is that it’s ready in just 30 minutes, making it a quick and easy comfort food the whole family will love.
You may have fallen in love with the Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup, but this recipe is a pretty darn good copycat that you don’t have to leave the house for it and it’s cheap to make! I’m using diced chicken breasts, but to make it even easier you can shred a rotisserie chicken, and it’s just as good.
If you love this creamy soup, be sure to try these other OG favorites and dishes that pair well together: simple Italian salad, grilled chicken alfredo, giant stuffed pasta shells, fried raviolis, and end the Italian-inspired night with this cannoli recipe.
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Why You’ll Love Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Quick and easy dinner ready in 30 minutes.
- A great Olive Garden copycat recipe.
- Hearty, filling, and flavorful.
- Can easily double or triple for a bigger crowd.
🍜 Ingredients:
- Olive oil – to sauté the vegetables
- White onion – I use white onions but you can also try yellow onions
- Cloves of garlic – use store bought minced garlic if you need to
- Shredded carrots – you can shred yourself or use store bought shredded carrots
- Celery – adds a nice flavor to the soup
- Chicken broth – use a rich, high-quality chicken broth or chicken stock
- Dried thyme, oregano, and basil – can swap for an Italian seasoning blend if needed
- Salt and coarse black pepper – for seasoning
- Chicken breast – to save time you can also purchase a rotisserie chicken and shred it, or dice up leftover chicken
- Gnocchi – you can purchase a package of gnocchi in most grocery store, they’re often in the fresh pasta section and also near the dry, packaged pasta. Better yet, make your own homemade gnocchi for a really fun experience and fresh pillowy gnocchi!
- Fresh spinach – baby spinach is best
- Heavy cream – makes this rich and thick
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you are out of carrots, you can substitute orange or red peppers. Or you can add in both! It will give it a nice bite and sweet flavor.
- Try Kale as an alternative to the spinach.
- We’ve also tried to add cooked crispy bacon to the top of the bowl as a garnish and its delicious.
- Small pasta such as orzo would be a great swap for the gnocchi or if you wanted to try something new.
- If you use a low sodium broth, add more seasonings. We like to use a rich stock.
- You can use whole milk instead of the heavy cream if desired.
- Chicken thighs are also great in this recipe.
🔪 Instructions:
Step 1: Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Step 2: Stir in the carrots and celery.
Step 3: Pour in the broth and seasonings and bring to a boil.
Step 4: Add the gnocchi and diced or shredded chicken and simmer over low heat, covered, for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Stir in the cream and spinach.
Step 6: Add more salt and pepper if needed. Once the spinach has wilted, the soup is ready to serve!
GARNISH/SLICE/SERVE: Ladle into your favorite bowl and enjoy with grated parmesan cheese if desired and a slice of warm crusty bread!
Recipe Tips for Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Using cooked chicken will take less time, but you can cook the raw chicken directly in the soup. Simply brown it before sautéing the onion. It doesn’t have to be cooked completely.
- While the soup is simmering, the gnocchi will help to thicken it up. If you want it to be more stew-like, make a cornstarch slurry mixing a tablespoon of water and cornstarch (or flour) together. Then pour it in while it’s simmering. Do wait until the end to determine if a thickener is needed – you might be surprised by how much starch the gnocchi adds to the soup.
Fun Fact
Many believe that gnocchi is a pasta, but really it’s considered a dumpling since it’s made with potatoes.
Recipe FAQs
You can keep leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
It’s best if you don’t freeze it. Because of the cream and the texture of the gnocchi once it has cooked, it just doesn’t hold up well.
Some recipes may call for that, but not this one! We are cooking the gnocchi along with the other ingredients.
Sauté the onions and veggies first, then add them to the crockpot or dutch oven. Top with all remaining ingredients except the spinach, cream, and gnocchi. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. Add the gnocchi in the last hour of cooking, then the spinach and cream about 30 minutes before serving.
More Comforting and Delicious Soup Recipes
If you tried this Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup white onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup shredded carrots 1-2 medium carrots
- 1 cup celery sliced (2-3 stalks)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper plus more to taste
- 2 chicken breasts cooked and diced
- 16 oz. gnocchi homemade or store-bought
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onion soft and translucent; add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more, until garlic is fragrant.
- Add carrots and celery; saute 2-3 minutes longer.
- Add chicken broth, thyme, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Add the chicken and gnocchi and cook on low heat, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the spinach and heavy cream. Once the spinach wilts (1-2 minutes), the soup is ready to serve.
- Stir the soup, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
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