This creamy chicken gnocchi soup with spinach combines cooked chicken, tender potato gnocchi, and thyme in a rich broth made with half-and-half and heavy cream. The stovetop recipe makes four generous servings in 35 minutes, with the dairy stirred in at the end so it stays gently heated.
If the chicken-and-gnocchi combination is what you order at Olive Garden, this homemade version belongs in your dinner rotation. Start with cooked chicken, give the vegetables time to soften, and save the gnocchi for the last few minutes; the little potato dumplings need much less time than the celery.
For more bowls worth keeping in the dinner rotation, browse my Cozy Soup Recipes.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Olive oil
- Sweet onion, diced
- Celery, finely chopped
- Matchstick carrots
- Garlic, minced
- Dried thyme
- Chicken broth
- Cooked, diced boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Refrigerated potato gnocchi
- Half-and-half
- Heavy cream
- Fresh spinach, roughly chopped
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Buy Now →
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now →
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Cooked chicken is the starting point for this recipe; rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken thighs can replace the chicken breasts. You'll need 2 cups whichever cooked option you choose.
For fresh thyme, use 1 tablespoon leaves in place of the dried thyme. For a lighter soup, replace the cup each of half-and-half and heavy cream with 2 cups half-and-half; chopped baby kale can replace the spinach, with a few extra minutes to soften.
Tools That Make It Easier
- Staub 7-quart round pot, red, or a large soup pot
- Chef knife
- Cutting board
- Dry measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Liquid measuring cup
- Wooden spoon or heat-safe stirring spatula
- Ladle
- Shallow airtight storage containers
- Optional: Beautiful 6-quart 10-in-1 Electric Multi-Cooker for the slow-cooker method
- Optional: instant-read food thermometer for the slow-cooker chicken temperature check
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → How to Make Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
Soften the vegetables, simmer the broth, and cook the chicken and gnocchi before adding dairy. Keep the final heating gentle once the cream goes in.
Step 1 - Prep the ingredients. Dice the onion and cooked chicken, finely chop the celery, and mince the garlic. Roughly chop the spinach and keep it separate.
Step 2 - Soften the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat; add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften. Add the thyme and garlic and stir for about 30 seconds.
Step 3 - Simmer the broth. Pour in the broth and add the salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the celery is tender.
Step 4 - Add the chicken and gnocchi. Stir in the cooked chicken and gnocchi. Maintain a gentle simmer for 3-5 minutes, or follow the gnocchi package directions, until the gnocchi are tender and the chicken is heated through.
Step 5 - Finish gently. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the half-and-half, heavy cream, and spinach; heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the spinach wilts and the soup is hot, without boiling. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
Tips for a Creamy, Tender Bowl
The best texture comes from giving the vegetables their cooking time before the gnocchi goes in. Check that the celery is tender after simmering the broth; once the gnocchi is added, use the package directions and tenderness as your guide.
- Keep the dairy below a boil. Turn the heat to low before adding half-and-half and cream, then stop once the spinach wilts and the soup is hot.
- Loosen it a little at a time. Gnocchi absorb broth as the soup stands; stir in small additions of chicken broth rather than thinning the entire pot at once.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh
Refrigerate the soup in shallow, airtight containers within 2 hours and use it within 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring frequently and adding chicken broth as needed to loosen the consistency.
Can You Freeze It?
For the best texture, freeze the vegetable-and-broth base before adding the chicken, gnocchi, dairy, and spinach. Freeze the base for up to 3 months, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, bring it to a simmer, and finish with the remaining ingredients.
You can freeze finished soup, but the dairy may separate and the gnocchi may soften after thawing. If you're planning freezer meals, the unfinished base is the better choice.
What to Serve with Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
Garlic bread, breadsticks, or crusty bread make good company for this creamy soup, and a green salad with vinaigrette adds a fresh contrast. Try Homemade Garlic Bread and Italian Side Salad, or dress your own greens with Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Homemade Garlic Bread
Italian Side Salad
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I add raw chicken to this gnocchi soup?
This method starts with cooked, diced chicken. The brief simmer after adding the chicken is for heating it through and cooking the gnocchi; it is not a raw-chicken cooking step.
Do I need to cook the gnocchi in a separate pot?
No. Add refrigerated potato gnocchi directly to the soup and gently simmer for 3-5 minutes, or follow the package directions, until tender.
Does this recipe need a flour roux?
No. This soup gets its creamy base from half-and-half and heavy cream without a flour-thickening step.
Get More Recipes Like This
If you loved this recipe, make sure you join my email list. I send out my best weeknight dinners, holiday favorites, and reader-requested recipes straight to your inbox.
I'll also send you My 5 Chef Secrets that instantly elevate your cooking - the exact techniques I use in my own kitchen.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tell Me How It Turned Out
One of my favorite parts of sharing recipes is hearing how they turn out in other kitchens.
Leave a comment below and tell me what worked, what you changed, or who you made it for. I read every comment and genuinely enjoy seeing your variations and serving ideas.
If you made the recipe, please leave an honest rating and review. Your feedback helps other readers decide whether the recipe is right for them.
More Recipes You Might Like
Creamy Tomato Soup
A smooth, creamy tomato soup with fresh basil that reheats well and fits easily into winter lunches and soup-and-sandwich dinners.
New England Clam Chowder
This easy New England clam chowder uses small pieces of canned clams, red potatoes, bacon, milk, cream, and finely chopped parsley for a rich, briny homemade soup.
Creamy Salmon Chowder
This Creamy Salmon Chowder has hearty pieces of fresh salmon, potatoes and roasted corn in a thick and creamy broth. With "Snowmageddon 2016" bearing down on the Northeast, I thought "time was of the essence" for making this comforting Creamy Salmon Chowder. If you're already hunkered down somewhere up North, maybe you have a leftover chunk
Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
This creamy chicken and wild rice soup is packed with flavor and perfect for warming up on chilly nights. Chicken, Wild Rice and a cheesy creamy base make this velvety soup so comforting. It's finally cooling off here…
Creamy Italian White Bean Soup
There's something magical about a pot of soup simmering away, filling the kitchen with aromas that warm both the heart and soul. Imagine it's a chilly evening, and you're craving something that's more than just food-a…
Zuppa Toscana
Soup, soup, soup! I'm crazy about soup lately...can you tell? Have you ever been to Olive Garden and had their Zuppa Toscana? Well, I happen to love this soup and can't seem to get enough of it, so I developed this…
Recipe
PrintBetter Than Olive Garden Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, and fresh spinach fill a rich, creamy broth in this easy one-pot soup. Ready in 35 minutes for a comforting weeknight dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 generous servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 cups boneless skinless chicken breasts (cooked and diced)
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 1 white onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 16 ounces refrigerated gnocchi
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup fresh spinach (roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and cooked chicken, finely chop the celery, and mince the garlic. Roughly chop the spinach and keep it separate.
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat; add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften. Add the thyme and garlic and stir for about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the broth and add the salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the celery is tender.
- Stir in the cooked chicken and gnocchi. Maintain a gentle simmer for 3-5 minutes, or follow the gnocchi package directions, until the gnocchi are tender and the chicken is heated through.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the half-and-half, heavy cream, and spinach; heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the spinach wilts and the soup is hot, without boiling. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
- Slow Cooker Option: Beautiful 10-in-1 Electric Multi-Cooker Option
- Use the SEAR/SAUTÉ, SLOW COOK, and SIMMER functions on Drew Barrymore's Beautiful 6-quart 10-in-1 Electric Multi-Cooker. The appliance offers LO and HI slow cooker settings.
- Estimated cooking time: 4-5 hours on LO or 2-3 hours on HI, plus sautéing and finishing.
- Select SEAR/SAUTÉ, set the temperature to 300°F, and set the timer for 10 minutes. Add the olive oil, onion, celery, and carrots. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the broth, salt, and pepper. Select SLOW COOK, cover, and cook on LO for 4-5 hours or HI for 2-3 hours, until the vegetables are tender. Keep the cooked chicken, dairy, and spinach refrigerated until needed.
- Select SIMMER, level 2, and set the timer for 15 minutes. Stir in the cooked chicken and allow the broth to return to a simmer. Add the gnocchi and cook for 3-5 minutes, or according to the package directions, until tender.
- Stir in the half-and-half, heavy cream, and spinach. Reduce to SIMMER, level 1, and heat gently for about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the spinach wilts and the chicken reaches 165°F. Stop cooking once hot; do not allow the dairy to boil.
- Adjust the seasoning and serve promptly.
Notes
- Chicken amount: This recipe uses 2 cups of cooked chicken. Rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken thighs can replace the chicken breasts.
- Substitutions: Replace the dried thyme with 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves. Use 2 cups half-and-half in place of the half-and-half and heavy cream for a lighter soup. Chopped baby kale can replace the spinach; allow a few extra minutes for it to soften.
- Consistency: Gnocchi absorb liquid as the soup stands. Add chicken broth a little at a time if the soup becomes too thick.
- Serving suggestions and pairings: Serve with garlic bread, breadsticks, or crusty bread and a green salad with vinaigrette.
- Storage: Refrigerate in shallow, airtight containers within 2 hours. Use within 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring frequently and adding broth as needed.
- Freezing: For best texture, freeze the vegetable-and-broth base before adding the chicken, gnocchi, dairy, and spinach. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to a simmer, and finish with the remaining ingredients. Finished soup can be frozen, but the dairy may separate and the gnocchi may soften after thawing.
Nutrition
- Calories: 662
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 1751
- Fat: 36
- Saturated Fat: 20
- Carbohydrates: 51
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 34
- Cholesterol: 165
Comments
No Comments