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.
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Jhonnie says
I almost never comment on anything but I have to say this is absolutely terrific!! It is even better than Olive Garden’s! Followed the recipe exactly and was delicious! My hubby loved it! Thank you for figuring it out! I have always enjoyed Olive Garden’s, but now it will never stand up to this recipe! Thanks again Dina!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you so much for leaving such amazing feedback! I’m so happy you both love this recipe!
MJ says
Some of my family doesn’t like the texture of onions – can onion powder be used instead? Thanks for the recipe!
simplyhomecooked says
Hello MJ, you can substitute with onion powder if you’d like to.
Ashley says
Do you have to cut the gnocchi in half or was just a preference of yours?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Ashely, you don’t have to cut the gnocchi in half. It’s just personal preference 🙂
Kasey says
This looks fantastic! Have you ever tried making it in a crockpot and if so, for how many hours?
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Kasey! I’ve never tried making it in a crockpot. That’s a good idea though. I’ll have to try that.
Melissa says
Did this recipe work in the crockpot?
Thanks
Melissa
Roberta says
If substituting heavy cream for the half n half how much would you use, same amount or less/more. Thanks
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Roberta, sorry for the delayed response, I was out of the country on vacation. I would use the same amount of half & half. The soup will just be a little lighter.
Kristin says
This was incredible! I did substitute the gnocchi with cheese tortellini because my store only had frozen gnocchi and it was really expensive for a small bag. This was probably the best soup I’ve ever made at home and I love that it was made with fresh, real ingredients!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for leaving such a kind review Kristin 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed the soup!
E says
Made this tonight and it just like the Olive Garden soup! Thanks for sharing recipe!
Question – how do you this would do if I froze leftovers?
E says
Oops – didn’t see the previous post????
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you! I’ve never frozen this soup before so I can’t really say much.
E says
I tried freezing – the gnocchi turned too mushy but the soup part still tasted good. I like my gnocchi a little on the firm side. So cooking lesson learned!????
simplyhomecooked says
Thanks for updating me on that. I’ll keep that in mind for the future.
Nicole Davis says
Can I freeze this soup? I didn’t see that question in the thread. Thanks! Excited to try this!
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Nicole, I’ve never frozen this soup but I don’t see why you can’t. I’ve frozen soups similar to it and they still tasted great later 🙂
Valentina says
Do you think chicken thighs might work better here? The chicken breast isn’t too dry?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Valentina, you can substitute the chicken breast for thighs. It’s personal preference 🙂
Julie says
Hi! I am a little confused on how much gnocchi to use… the ingredients list calls for a 1 pound bag, but then in the instructions it sounds like you only use half the bag. Is that correct? Thanks! I’m planning to make this tonight. Can’t wait!
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Julie, I’m sorry if that instructions confused you a bit. I meant to say to cut each gnocchi into halves (not the amount of gnocchi in half).
Amy says
I have some leftover buttermilk would I be able to use that instead of half and half?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Amy, I don’t think buttermilk will serve as a very good substitute here. Do you have heavy cream?
Julie says
Where do you buy the gnocchi?
simplyhomecooked says
Hey Julie, I believe most grocery stores should carry potato gnocchi.
Chris says
This soup recipe is fantastic! I’ve made it several times now and every time I make it I get lots of compliments. 🙂 Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Chris! Glad you came across this recipe 🙂 it’s one of my husband’s favorite soups.
Tiffany says
This soup was amazing!!! I added a 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese during the last few minutes of cooking! 🙂
simplyhomecooked says
Yum to the Parmesan! 🙂 Glad it turned it well for you Tiffany!
Kat says
I also made this and along with the gnocchi I also added some cheese tortellini at the end before serving.
simplyhomecooked says
Yum, tortellini sounds good 🙂
Amanda says
This was such a great recipe! I had it for dinner and it’s even better for lunch today!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the great feedback Amanda! Happy you enjoyed the soup!
Trudy says
I have this simmering on the stove….cannot wait to try it. It smells sooo good!
simplyhomecooked says
Yum! I’m excited for you to try it Trudy! ????
Anna says
Dina, I made this soup yesterday and it was really good! I had never heard of it before but I love creamy white soups. I did make a few mistakes in the process but oh well….it still turned out great. BTW, the kids’ reaction to gnocchi was an interesting one…some loved it, some asked for the soup without the gnocchi LOL
simplyhomecooked says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup Anna! The gnocchi does look pretty interesting, totally don’t blame for being a little weirded out lol.
Natalie says
I tried this soup at Olive Garden years ago and fell in love with it too! Trying this recipe today
simplyhomecooked says
Natasha, let me know how the soup turns out 🙂
Katy | Her Cup of Joy says
This soup is my favorite at OG, I get it almost every time I go. But their soups can’t compare to homemade, especially with the sodium content. I love how easy you made the instructions for us all 🙂
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Katy, I tried my best 😉