I love to recreate my favorite Olive Garden dishes at home including their minestrone soup, famous salad and this fabulous chicken and gnocchi soup.
Whenever I eat at Olive Garden, I order the soup and salad combo just to enjoy a bowl (or two!) of chicken gnocchi soup. I’ve learned to make this fabulous dish at home, and I have to say, I think my version is the best I’ve ever had.
How do you make chicken gnocchi soup?
Start by cooking diced onions and celery in butter until the vegetables have softened. Stir in garlic and flour, then cook to form the base of the soup. Whisk in a combination of half and half and chicken broth, then bring the soup to a simmer. Stir in diced cooked chicken, carrots, spinach, seasonings and potato gnocchi. Cook the soup for 5-7 minutes, or until the gnocchi is done and spinach is wilted. Add a sprinkle of chopped parsley, then serve and enjoy.
Tips for the perfect chicken gnocchi soup
You can use any type of cooked chicken in this soup, such as diced leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken or even shredded chicken. I typically roast bone-in skin-on chicken breasts, then cut the meat into 3/4 inch sized pieces. I find that using half and half gives the most authentic flavor and texture, but you can also use whole milk, or use heavy cream but reduce the amount to 1 cup. This soup is best when made with refrigerated potato gnocchi, I find that it has the most flavor. That being said, sometimes it’s hard to find refrigerated gnocchi. I also tested this soup with shelf stable gnocchi and it came out great! Chicken gnocchi soup is best when served immediately. Leftover soup will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. No fresh spinach on hand? Frozen spinach will do in a pinch, just make sure to thaw it and squeeze any excess water out.
What are gnocchi made of?
Gnocchi are dumplings made of cooked and mashed potatoes and flour. They are sold in most grocery stores, and can be found in shelf stable packages near the dry pasta, in the refrigerator area near the fresh pasta and ravioli, or in the freezer area.
Can you freeze gnocchi soup?
This soup is not a great candidate for the freezer, simply because it contains dairy and may separate upon being thawed. If you’d like to freeze your soup, I recommend omitting the half and half, then adding it in after you thaw and reheat the soup.
Chicken gnocchi soup variations
While this recipe as written is a copy cat of the Olive Garden version, you can add other ingredients to the mix to customize the flavors to your tastes.
Protein: Try adding bacon or Italian sausage along with your chicken. Diced cooked turkey breast also works as a great substitute for chicken. Vegetables: Add a variety of veggies to the soup, such as mushrooms, peas, zucchini or green beans. Greens: Swap out the spinach for kale or escarole. Pasta: Instead of gnocchi, try cheese tortellini, small ravioli, or a short pasta shape such as rotini.
You can never go wrong with chicken soup on a cold day, and this version loaded with gnocchi and vegetables just can’t be beat!
More soup recipes you’ll enjoy
Hamburger Soup Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup Alphabet Soup Vegetable Soup
Chicken Gnocchi Soup Video
