Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe

A scalloped white bowl of creamy chicken gnocchi soup with potato gnocchi, diced chicken breast, spinach, and matchstick carrots, with breadsticks and the Dutch oven alongside.

5 from 3 votes

Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe

A creamy Olive Garden copycat chicken gnocchi soup made with seared chicken breast, pillowy potato gnocchi, matchstick carrots, and fresh spinach in a half-and-half broth. One pot, about 50 minutes, and better than the restaurant version.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 517kcal

Author Jennifer

Equipment

1 large Dutch oven 5-6 quart

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb chicken breasts boneless, skinless
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion , diced
2 ribs celery , diced
1 cup carrots , matchstick cut (1/8-inch julienne)
4 cloves garlic , minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth , low-sodium
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon salt , plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
16 oz potato gnocchi (the shelf-stable kind, not the frozen kind)
2 cups half-and-half
5 oz baby spinach , roughly chopped

Instructions

Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with the salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side, without moving it, until golden and cooked to 165°F. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, scraping the browned bits up off the bottom of the pot, until the vegetables soften. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute.
Pour in the chicken broth about a cup at a time, whisking after each addition until smooth. Stir in the thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 5 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Cut the chicken into bite-size cubes and stir it into the pot with the gnocchi. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until the gnocchi are tender.
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the half-and-half and the chopped spinach and warm 2 to 3 minutes, until the spinach wilts and the soup is steaming. Do not let it boil.
Taste and add salt as needed. Serve hot.

Notes

Do not boil after the dairy goes in. A hard bubble makes half-and-half separate. Keep it at a steam over low heat.
Shortcut: substitute 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken and start at step 3. Brown the vegetables a little longer to build back some of the flavor you lose.
Make ahead: prepare through step 5, refrigerate up to 3 days, then reheat and finish with fresh gnocchi, the chicken, cream, and spinach.
Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days and thicken overnight. Loosen with a splash of broth or milk when reheating.
Gluten free: use gluten-free gnocchi and swap the flour for 3 tablespoons cornstarch whisked into 1/4 cup cold broth, stirred in at step 5 instead of making a roux.
Lactose free: substitute lactose-free half-and-half cup for cup. Butter is naturally very low in lactose, or use a lactose-free or plant-based stick. Check the gnocchi package, since a few brands add cheese to the dough.

Nutrition