Description
This creamy chicken gnocchi soup is a comforting, one-pot meal packed with tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, and a rich, velvety broth. It’s a homemade version of the Olive Garden classic, perfect for beginner cooks looking for a quick and satisfying dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
- 1 stalk of celery, chopped
- ½ white onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 16 ounces potato gnocchi
- 2 cups half and half (or substitute with milk/heavy cream)
- 1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped celery, diced onions, minced garlic, and shredded carrots. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
- Add the chicken and broth: Stir in the cooked, diced chicken, followed by the chicken broth. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Cook the gnocchi: Gently add the gnocchi to the pot and let them cook for about 3-4 minutes until they float to the surface. Reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes to develop flavor.
- Stir in the cream and spinach: Pour in the half and half, stirring gently to combine. Add the chopped spinach and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the spinach wilts and the soup is fully heated.
- Taste and serve: Check for seasoning, adding more salt or pepper if needed. Remove from heat and serve hot, optionally garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- For an extra creamy soup, replace one cup of half and half with heavy cream.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, add a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water) before adding the half and half.
- Leftovers thicken as they sit. Add a splash of chicken broth or milk when reheating to bring back the original consistency.
- To make this soup gluten-free, use gluten-free gnocchi.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 523 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 622 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 99 mg