Contributed By: Unknown at the moment

Note: Chicken gnocchi soup is the hearty, warm, and creamy soup that you love from Olive Garden without having to leave the house.  The recipe comes together in under 30 minutes and, dare we say, is even better than the original.

Fresh veggies, shredded chicken, and potato gnocchi are cooked together in a creamy broth for a soup that feels like a meal.  Try your hand at some homemade breadsticks to serve alongside and you’ve got a complete and satisfying dinner.

The soup looks complicated, but we used store-bought gnocchi to cut down on time and effort.  The rest of the ingredients are probably ones you already have at home and everything is made in one pot for super easy prep and cleanup.  This soup is something the whole family will love.

If you are looking to freeze this soup, leave the gnocchi out.  Add in the gnocchi when reheating the soup, otherwise the gnocchi will get mushy after being frozen.

Time:

Total: 25 minutes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1/2 yellow onion (diced)
1/2 cup carrot (shredded)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon thyme
2 cups chicken breast (cooked and shredded or cut into cubes)
16 ounces potato gnocchi
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup frozen spinach (chopped)
Optional: Parmesan cheese (for serving)

Preparation:

Gather all the ingredients.
Heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large heavy bottomed pot like a Dutch oven.
Add the celery, onions, carrots, and garlic to the oil and then add the salt and pepper.
Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until the vegetables have slightly softened and the onions are translucent.
Add the flour and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes so the flour taste cooks off a bit.
Add the chicken broth and thyme to the pot.
Allow it to come to a boil.

Cooking:

Add the shredded chicken and gnocchi and cook for about 3 minutes or until the chicken is warmed through and the gnocchi is cooked.
Turn the heat down to medium-low. Stir in the heavy cream and frozen chopped spinach into the soup and cook until the spinach is warmed and the soup has thickened.
Add more salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately with crusty bread, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and a grind of black pepper.

Tips:

You can also cut about a pound of chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces and cook them right in the broth alongside the gnocchi.  But if you have leftover shredded chicken this is also a great way to use it up.  If you like crunchier vegetables, cook them for a shorter time before adding the broth.  You can also add the shredded carrots at the same time as the shredded chicken if you like them a little firmer.