If you’ve ever been to Olive Garden, then you’ve probably seen Chicken Gnocchi Soup on the menu. This copycat recipe is just as rich and creamy, and packed with chicken, potato gnocchi, and spinach.
If you love delicious gnocchi dishes, then you should try this tasty mushroom gnocchi or gnocchi with prosciutto and peas.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
After trying this Chicken Gnocchi Soup at the restaurant, I was on a mission to recreate it at home. I love how absolutely delicious and spot-on this amazing copycat recipe turned out to be.
- TASTE: Savory and seasoned with herbs and sauteed veggies, this soup has great flavor. The potato gnocchi and chicken make the perfect pairing for a satisfying meal.
- TEXTURE: Butter and Half & Half give this dish a rich and creamy texture that can’t be beat. It’s simultaneously smooth and chunky in all the best ways.
- TIME: This recipe takes about 50 minutes to make.
- EASE: This Chicken Gnocchi Soup is pretty simple. With the easy step-by-step instructions, you’ll be serving this up in no time.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken- Use cubed chicken breast for this recipe because it will hold its shape better while cooking than other cuts. Buy the chicken boneless and skinless.
- Gnocchi- Stick to plain potato gnocchi for this dish since we have plenty of delicious flavors being added to it. Frozen and thawed, or fresh, is fine.
- Spinach- It’s best to go with fresh leaves over frozen here, so they are not overly wilted or introducing too much water to the soup.
- Chicken broth- Go with low sodium so you can better control the salt level in the soup by adding it to your liking.
Add-ins and Substitutes
- Substitute other white meats- You can also use pork or turkey in place of the chicken breast. Dark meat, like chicken thighs, also work in a pinch but the texture is a little different.
- Add other vegetables- If you like your creamy soups with some mushrooms, broccoli, or bell peppers, you can also add them.
- Substitute gluten-free ingredients- Whether you make your own or buy it, you can make this recipe with gluten-free gnocchi and sub rice flour for those who can’t have wheat.
- Add bacon- Cook some chopped bacon until crisp, then add it to this Chicken Gnocchi Soup for a salty, crunchy addition. Try this Crispy Air Fryer Bacon recipe.
How to Make Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Saute the garlic. In a large pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add in the minced garlic cloves and stir for about 10 seconds.
- Cook the chicken. Add the chopped chicken breast to the pot and stir until fully cooked, and most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Add the vegetables. Then add the diced celery, carrots, and onion to the pot, and stir until the onion becomes translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Add the flour and broth. Add the flour to the sautéed chicken and vegetables and stir for a few minutes. Then slowly pour in the chicken stock while stirring.
- Put the herbs and gnocchi in. Add in the dried thyme and potato gnocchi and let it come to a boil. Then simmer for 5-10 minutes
Pro Tip: Stir as you add the chicken stock to the pot to avoid clumps of flour from developing.
- Add the Half & Half and seasoning- Pour in the Half & Half, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a boil again.
- Finish it with spinach- Lastly, chop up the fresh spinach and add it to the soup. Stir until the spinach is wilted (about 5 minutes). Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Fully cook the chicken- Make sure the chicken is fully cooked before adding anything else to the pot. This ensures that it’s safely cooked as it might not be obvious later on.
- Cook the flour- Stir the flour in and cook it for a few minutes to kill the bacteria and get rid of the raw flour taste.
- Adjust salt depending on the broth- If you’re using my homemade broth recipe, 1 1/2 tsp of salt should be enough. If you’re using store-bought, then start with 1/2 tsp and add more according to your preference.
- Add the spinach last- Spinach can wilt a lot and lose its vibrant color, so add it last so it only cooks just enough for a light wilting.
FAQs
Gnocchi, pronounced (nyoh-kee) is a small dough dumpling made of potato, semolina, all-purpose flour, egg, and sometimes cheese. They can be flavored in various ways and are typically served in a sauce or soup.
Unfortunately, most store-bought gnocchi is not gluten-free, but you can make your own gluten-free gnocchi instead. You can also find a gluten-free version if you check specialty sections of stores or online.
Serving Suggestions
This Chicken Gnocchi Soup is a delicious dish to enjoy on its own, or serve with other flavorful recipes. Here are some great ways to serve it.
- Salad: Enjoy this soup with a Chopped Italian Salad, Spinach Pomegranate Salad, or Fresh Tomato and Feta Salad.
- Fresh bread: Serve this Chicken Gnocchi Soup with toasted slices of Focaccia Bread, Harvest Bread or Overnight Rustic Bread.
- Sandwiches: A cup of this soup pairs well with a Grilled Caprese Sandwich, Turkey Croissant Sandwich, or Classic BLT Sandwich.
- Small appetizers: Since it’s so filling, serve it with some mini, but still yummy, Smoked Salmon Cucumber Rolls, Mushroom Puff Pastry Appetizers, or Eggplant Napoleon.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can prep this dish ahead by cooking the chicken so it can just be added to the soup when you are ready to put it together. Or make the soup without the gnocchi and store it, only cooking the gnocchi right before you’re ready to serve.
Storing: Store any leftover Chicken Gnocchi Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Warm it again in the microwave or on the stovetop. Keep in mind that the gnocchi will get softer as it sits though.
Freeze: You can freeze this soup once it has cooled by placing it in an airtight container or freezer ziplock bag. It will last for about 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and then reheat on the stovetop.
More Delicious Soups!
Full Recipe Instructions
Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1-1 1/2 lb chicken breast chopped
- 1 onion
- 1 1/2 large carrots
- 2 ribs celery
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 cups half & half
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 lb potato gnocchi
- 2 cups spinach
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add in 3 minced garlic cloves and stir for about 10 seconds.
- Add 1 or 1 1/2 pounds of chopped chicken breast to the pot and stir until fully cooked, and most of the liquid has evaporated.
- In the meantime dice 2 ribs of celery, 1 1/2 carrots, and 1 onion. Then and add it to the pot. Stir until the onion becomes translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Add 1/2 cup flour to the sautéed chicken and vegetables and stir for a few minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.
- Then slowly pour in 6 cups of chicken stock while string to avoid getting clumps of flour.
- Add 1/2 tsp dried thyme along with 1 lb potato gnocchi to the soup and let it come to a boil. Then simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Pour in 2 cups of half & half into the soup and add the salt and pepper. If you're using my homemade broth recipe 1 1/2 tsp salt should be enough. If you're using store-bought broth, you made need to start off with 1/2 tsp and add more according to your liking. Bring it to a boil again.
- Lastly, chop up 2 cups of fresh spinach and add it to the soup. Stir until the spinach is wilted (about 5 minutes). Serve the soup with some bread on the side and enjoy!
Notes
- Cook the flour- Stir the flour in and cook it for a few minutes to kill the bacteria and get rid of the raw flour taste.
- Adjust salt depending on the broth- If you’re using my homemade broth recipe, 1 1/2 tsp of salt should be enough. If you’re using store-bought, then start with 1/2 tsp and add more according to your preference.
- Add the spinach last- Spinach can wilt a lot and lose its vibrant color, so add it last so it only cooks just enough for a light wilting.
Nutrition
Ps: The original recipe for this olive garden chicken gnocchi soup copycat was posted on April 13, 2015. We’ve updated it since.
- Iced White Chocolate Mocha - May 2, 2025
- Vanilla Macarons - April 29, 2025
- Easy Guacamole Recipe - April 24, 2025
Recie says
Simply delicious 😋
Dina says
Thank you Recie! 🙂 Thank you for giving my recipe a try and for your kind review! 🙂