Warm up on a chilly day with this delicious and comforting Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup recipe. Made with tender chicken, soft gnocchi, and a creamy broth, this easy one pot soup is the perfect combination of flavors and is ready in only 30 minutes! Pair with my Buttermilk Biscuits or Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits for a complete meal!
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Jump to:
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- What is gnocchi?
- Ingredient Notes for Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
- How to make Creamy Gnocchi and Chicken Soup
- How to make Copycat Chicken and Gnocchi Soup in the Slow Cooker
- Pro Tips for Success
- Storing Cream Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
- More Soup Recipes You’ll Love
- Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)
Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Have you ever been to Olive Garden and tried their Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup? Not only is it incredibly flavor packed, but it is loaded with chicken, gnocchi, and fresh veggies. Next to their Pasta e Fagioli Soup, it is definitely my favorite comfort food! In fact, I almost always order their soup and salad meal when we go because its unlimited and I can get two bowls of soup, which allows for leftovers the next day! A win win! This creamy chicken soup is ready in no time and perfect any night of the week!
What is gnocchi?
Up until just a few years ago, I had no idea what gnocchi was! Can you believe that?! Now, it is one of my most favorite Italian pastas! Gnocchi is made from potato dumplings and is soft, chewy, and pairs nicely with butter, a cream sauce, or tomato sauce. To create the signature gnocchi shape, you press the dumplings against a fork or gnocchi board to form ridges. Although made from potatoes, it is often treated like pasta and can be enjoyed as a side dish or main meal option.
Ingredient Notes for Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
Below is a brief overview of each ingredient needed for this creamy soup. To see printable recipe card with exact amounts, scroll to the bottom of this post.
- Chicken– cooked and chopped, I love using Rotisserie Chicken for this soup, or cooking a few boneless skinless chicken breasts in the slow cooker and once tender, roughly chopping into bite-sized pieces.
- Gnocchi– you’ll want to use potato gnocchi, often found near the pasta aisle at your local grocery store.
- Butter– I use unsalted butter to control the sodium amounts, but salted butter works too.
- Onion– you’ll need one medium yellow or white onion, chopped.
- Garlic– fresh minced garlic is best, the jarred kind works great too.
- Carrots– my family prefers shredded carrots, however, small diced carrots work great.
- Celery– you’ll need one cup, which is about 2-3 stalks chopped.
- Flour– all purpose flour is best.
- Chicken Broth– I use low-sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth works as well.
- Half and Half– if you don’t have any on hand, you can use milk or heavy cream.
- Spinach– fresh spinach freshly chopped
- Salt/ Ground Black Pepper– season to taste.
- Thyme/ Nutmeg– I love using fresh thyme sprigs, however, dried thyme works too. These seasonings add great flavor to the broth.
How to make Creamy Gnocchi and Chicken Soup
- Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat.
- Add the carrots, celery, and onion to the Dutch oven and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue cooking until the onions are translucent and the vegetables are tender.
- Stir the flour into the vegetables and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Gradually pour in the half and half while stirring to prevent clumping. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes or until thickened.
- Add the cooked chicken and chicken broth, then bring the mixture to a boil.
- Stir in the gnocchi, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and thyme. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the gnocchi is cooked through.
- Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted. Serve and enjoy!
How to make Copycat Chicken and Gnocchi Soup in the Slow Cooker
- Saute the vegetables and garlic before getting started.
- Place all ingredients EXCEPT the gnocchi, half and half, and spinach into your slow cooker and cook on low for about 4 hours. During the last hour of cooking, add in the gnocchi.
- Just before serving, stir in the half and half and spinach, stirring to combine. Serve and enjoy!
Pro Tips for Success
- The longer the soup simmers on the stove, the thicker it gets. If you find it too thin, just add a few minutes to the simmering time. If too thick, add a bit more half and half.
- Feel free to use cooked and crumbled sausage (Italian sausage is a fav substitute) in place of the chicken.
- If you love cheese, grated Parmesan cheese is a tasty topping to add just before serving to each bowl.
- For an added spice, red pepper flakes just before serving are delicious.
Storing Cream Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
- Once fully cooled, place leftovers in an airtight storage container and refrigerate up to 3 days. This soup can also be frozen in a freezer safe airtight container up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in fridge overnight before reheating.
- To reheat, you can heat in the microwave or over the stovetop using medium heat.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love
Copycat Panera Chicken and Wild Rice Soup– warm, creamy, and full of flavor, it’s the perfect comfort food for any cozy night in.
Chick Fil A Chicken Tortilla Soup– a copycat recipe you don’t want to pass up. Now, you can enjoy a bowl of the restaurant’s famous soup right at home!
Instant Pot Taco Soup– perfect for busy weeknights or when you need a comforting meal. Packed with flavor and customizable toppings, it’s sure to become a family favorite.
Creamy Chicken and Potato Soup– a creamy, flavorful soup that is easy to make and packed with coziness throughout! Tender potatoes, bacon, chicken, and vegetables combined in a hearty broth that is perfect comfort food!
Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup– a hearty, flavor packed, and comfort food at its finest! Tender noodles, chicken, veggies, and bacon combine in a savory broth!
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Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups diced chicken Rotisserie works great
- 16 oz potato gnocchi
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup carrots shredded
- 1 cup celery diced
- ¼ cup flour all purpose
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 ¼ cups half and half
- 2 cups spinach chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat.
- Add in the carrots, celery, and onion. Saute for about 5 minutes before adding in the minced. Cook until onions are translucent and vegetables get tender.
- Stir the flour into the vegetables and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Gradually pour in the half and half while stirring to prevent clumping. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes, or until thickened.
- Add in the chicken and chicken broth. Bring mixture to a boil.
- Stir in the gnocchi, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and thyme. Simmer for 5 minutes or until gnocchi is cooked through and tender.
- Stir in the spinach and cook until just wilted. Serve and enjoy!
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