Chicken Gnocchi Soup (2024)

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Thick, creamy, and oh so cozy. A big bowl of this delicious chicken gnocchi soup is the perfect way to warm up on a chilly day!

This is a popular recipe at Olive Garden, and we’ve perfected our own version. For more Olive Garden copycats, check out our Zuppa Toscana or Tuscan Garlic Chicken.

Cozy Soup in 35 Minutes!

This creamy, comforting soup is based off of my popular sausage and tortellini soup. It’s loaded with carrots, celery, chicken, gnocchi and spinach. Bonus: it only takes 35 minutes to make, start to finish!

The most time consuming part about this recipeis the prep. Pulling rotisserie chicken, chopping vegetables, and grabbing spices. Once you’ve turned on the heat, it only takes 20 minutes to make. It’s great for busy weeknights or those night where you don’t feel like cooking but still want a homemade meal.

This creamy, hearty soup has made its appearance at our table more than a few times this past year. It’s easy to make, tastes amazing and reheats perfectly the following day.

Let’s talk gnocchi for a minute.

If you’re new to gnocchi, it’s basically a puffy potato pasta/dumpling. You can find it on the pasta aisle or in the refrigerated section of most well stocked grocery stores.

I’ve used “packaged” gnocchi twice and “fresh” gnocchi once. They both are great as long as you don’t overcook them. Gnocchi will break down the longer you cook them.

They only need to be in the soup for 5 minutes tops (remember, the pot will be full, the liquid is thick and the heat is medium, so it will take longer then what the package recommends).

How to Make Chicken Gnocchi Soup

SAUTE. In a large stockpot set over medium heat, add butter. Add onion, shallot, carrot, and celery, sauté for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning.

COOK. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add in the chicken broth, then milk, whisk to combine. Add salt, Italian seasoning, thyme, pepper, and paprika.

SIMMER. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the rotisserie chicken and spinach and gnocchi. Stir continuously for 1 minute, then simmer for 4 additional minutes.

SERVE. Remove from heat and serve. We like to serve this soup with salad or bread. Some of our favorites include:

• Apple Harvest Salad
• Garlic Parmesan Artisan Bread
• Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
• Buttery Pull Apart Rolls

Variations

• Make it creamier by adding half and half or heavy cream instead of whole milk.
• Add in more veggies like peas or asparagus.
• Use mini gnocchi, they are a better size for soup.
• If you don’t have a rotisserie chicken, follow this Instant pot Shredded Chicken recipe.

Storage Tips

Keep the soup STORED in an airtight container in the fridge. REHEATlarge portions on the stovetop and smaller portions in the microwave. Heat until warmed through and if it is too thick you can add in extra broth or milk.

We don’t recommend freezing leftovers because the texture of the gnocchi won’t do well after being frozen and thawed. However, if you wanted to double this recipe and freeze half of it we recommend cooking the gnocchi separately and add it into individual servings.

For more chicken soup recipes, try:

• Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Chicken Wild Rice Soup
• Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
• Chicken Fajita Soup