This creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup is so easy to make at home and tastes just like the famous soup from Olive Garden. Use fresh or leftover chicken and make it on the Stove Top or the Crock Pot!
Be sure to serve this soup with my easy Cheddar Bay or Buttermilk Biscuits!
Chicken Gnocchi Soup
I definitely struggle with which soup to choose from when I go to Olive Garden, but Chicken Gnocchi Soup is always a top contender, along with their Zuppa Toscana Soup. (Does anyone else have a self vs. self over this decision?)
Since you’re here, I’m sure that this soup is right at the top of your list too. So let’s do it, this is definitely a super easy soup recipe. Check out my pro tips, storage information, Crock Pot instructions, and more below!
What is Gnocchi
- Gnocchi is mostly made of potato, and also contains flour and eggs.
- You can find it in the pasta aisle at the grocery store, where the dry pastas are located. You may also be able to find it in the refrigerated section with other fresh pastas.
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Soften the vegetables and garlic in butter. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
Add the chicken broth and half and half in splashes, stirring as you do so. Adding it too quickly can break the roux. Add the thyme and mustard powder.
Add the chicken and bring it to a gentle boil until cooked through, 10-15 minutes. Remove and dice, then add it back to the soup.
Let the soup simmer until desired consistency is obtained, it will continue to thicken. Add the gnocchi and simmer for about 5 minutes, (refer to package for timing).
Add spinach, red pepper flakes, and any salt/pepper to taste. Simmer until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Serve!
Crock Pot Method
Note: We’ll use a slurry to thicken the soup at the end, so omit the flour and only use 1 Tbsp. butter. The consistency of the Crock Pot method isn’t quite as thick as the stove top but it still tastes great.
- Cut uncooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. Melt the butter over low heat in the Crock Pot. Add the vegetables, garlic, and chicken and toss to coat. Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the thyme and mustard powder. Do not add the half and half, gnocchi, or spinach.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Use a fork to whisk the half and half and cornstarch until combined. Slowly stir it into the soup. Add the gnocchi. Increase heat to high and cook for 30 minutes, until the gnocchi is cooked through.
- Add the spinach a few minutes prior to serving. Season with red pepper flakes and salt/pepper if desired and serve.
Pro Tips
- The soup will continue to thicken the longer that it simmers on the stove top.
- Don’t cook the chicken at a rapid boil or it will become tough. A very gentle boil is best.
- Sliced or Ground Sausage can be used instead of chicken and it can be cooked with the vegetables as they soften.
- Half and Half is half milk, half cream.
- Mustard Powder is an ingredient that I like to use that you can’t taste outright in the soup, but it helps enhance the other flavors.
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- While this soup can be frozen, the consistency of dairy based soups isn’t quite the same when reheated. But the flavor is still great.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- 4-Quart Dutch Oven– This is the perfect size for this soup. This one is high quality and you’ll have it forever. (I use one almost every time I cook!)
- Spice Rack– This is the one I have, it’s a snap to measure out your seasonings quickly and easily. (Big time saver.)
- Measuring Spoons– To measure out the seasonings.
- Pinch Bowls– I measure out my seasonings ahead of time and add them to these small bowls so they’re ready to go when it’s time to add them.
- Garlic Twister– it’s much more flavorful to mince fresh garlic. This twister does it in seconds and is easy to clean and store.
- Soup Bowls –(I love these!)
- 16 oz. storage containers – I use these to store/freeze my soups. They have 8 oz. sizes as well. They’re stackable, leak proof, and dishwasher/microwave safe.
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Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 stick of celery, diced
- ½ cup carrots, julienned
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 2 cups diced cooked chicken
- 16 oz. potato gnocchi, (in the pasta isle)
- 1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes, optional
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Stove Top Method (See notes for Crock Pot method)
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions, celery, and carrots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, until the flour begins to turn a golden color.
- Add the chicken broth and half and half in splashes, stirring to incorporate. Don’t add it too quickly or you will break the roux.
- Add the thyme and mustard powder.
- If using uncooked chicken, add it to the broth. Bring it to a gentle boil. (If you boil too rapidly, the chicken will become tough.) Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. (This depends on the thickness of the chicken.)
- Remove the chicken and let it rest for 5 minutes, then dice it and add it back to the soup. Let the soup simmer until desired consistency is obtained, it will continue to thicken.
- Add the gnocchi and simmer for about 5 minutes, refer to package instructions for exact amount of time.
- Reduce heat to low and add the spinach, red pepper flakes, and any salt/pepper to taste. Simmer until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Serve!
Notes
- The soup will continue to thicken the longer that it simmers on the stove top.
- Sliced or Ground Sausage can be used instead of chicken and it can be cooked with the vegetables as they soften.
- Half and Half is half milk, half cream.
- Mustard Powder is an ingredient that I like to use that you can't taste outright in the soup, but it helps enhance the other flavors.
Crock Pot Method Note: We'll use a slurry to thicken the soup at the end, so omit the flour and only use 1 Tbsp. butter. The consistency of the Crock Pot method isn't quite as thick as the stove top but it still tastes great.
- Cut uncooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. Melt the butter over low heat in the Crock Pot. Add the vegetables, garlic, and chicken and toss to coat. Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the thyme and mustard powder. Do not add the half and half, gnocchi, or spinach.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Use a fork to whisk the half and half and 2 Tablespoons cornstarch until combined. Slowly stir it into the soup. Add the gnocchi. Increase heat to high and cook for 30 minutes, until the gnocchi is cooked through.
- Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of cold water in a covered container and shake to combine. Stir it into the broth.
- Add the spinach a few minutes prior to serving. Season with red pepper flakes and salt/pepper if desired and serve.
This was really delicious, a perfect weeknight meal. Since my partner is dairy-intolerant, I used vegan butter and culinary oat cream instead of half and half, and it worked wonderfully. I’ll definitely make this recipe again.
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed this with the vegan butter and oat cream! Thanks so much for the comments and for the great review!😍
Can you make this a day a head and just put it into the crockpot to warm for the following day?
Hi Jodi! I worry that the Gnocchi would become dense and chewy. I might suggest that you prepare it without the gnocchi and then let it warm up on low the next day and add gnocchi at that time.
Absolutely delicious! Didn’t change a thing.
That’s so great to hear! Thanks for the great review Patricia!😍
This soup is so good I’ve made it twice in two weeks. Definitely a family favorite! Make sure you add the liquids as stated, it’s important and makes a difference. Olive Garden doesn’t hold a spoon to this homemade soup.
I’m so happy the family is enjoying the soup Debi!❤️ Thanks so much for the great comments and review!
OMGOSH ‼️ This soup is so tasty and satisfying. It will become a new comfort food. Delicious in every way. Thank You!!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this Debi!💖 Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
This soup is really delicious, I make it for people all the time and they always love it.
That’s great to hear you were able to make people with covid feel better with this soup!❤️ This is one of my go to soups when my daughter and husband aren’t feeling well. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and review!
How much corn starch do I add to the half and half using the crock method?
2 Tablespoons! Sorry about that!
This used to be my favorite item at OG and the only thing I would order until I had to eliminate dairy from my diet. I think coconut milk or cream would have too strong a flavor in this soup. Do you have a recommendation for a substitute?
Maybe you could try a non dairy milk like Nut Pods!
You can use lactose free or I just used broth and thickened it during covid.
I tried this recipe with only milk and then 1/2 cup heavy cream and 3/2 cup milk to help lower the calories. It was still very delicious. I totally recommend this recipe!!!
This was so easy to make. My family thought it amazing. Living in Australia this is a perfect time to eat soup as it is winter. It brought back memories of our trip to USA and the Olive Garden. Thank you, I will be making this again.
I’m so happy this brings you back to the USA! I sometimes forget that it’s winter in Australia right now, so cool! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!❤️
Wow this really does taste like Olive Garden’s Chicken Gnocchi Soup! I love it! I added some ground sausage for a little extra flavor and cooked it all on the stove top. Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Eileen! A little ground sausage is a great idea 😃! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!