With chunks of chicken, veggies, potato gnocchi, and a rich and creamy broth, this chicken gnocchi soup recipe tastes just as good as the one at Olive Garden. Make it at home for a fraction of the cost!
It has great Italian flavor, and is ready in about 30 minutes? Everyone loves this hearty, creamy soup. Make it an even more filling meal by serving it with green salad and garlic rolls.
BEST OLIVE GARDEN SOUP
Does anyone else have a hard time picking a favorite soup at Olive Garden? I’m always torn between the creamy chicken gnocchi soup and the zuppa toscana. They are both just so good!
I’ve been making the zuppa toscana at home for years, and my family LOVES it. The sausage gives it so much flavor. But I knew it was about time I tried my hand at the creamy chicken version.
I was a little bit scared that my family would turn up their noses because of the spinach. But nope, they loved it! It has a mild Italian flavor, and those little potato gnocchis floating in the soup make it irresistible!
Give both of them a try and let me know what you think. Now you won’t have to make the decision at the restaurant, you’ll have a tough time choosing which one to add to the weekly menu. Hahaha. 🙂
What is gnocchi?
Gnocchi is a soft pasta often used in Italian cooking. Often compared to dumplings, they are oval shaped and usually have grooves.
Gnocchi is typically made with mashed potatoes, eggs, and flour. It cooks quickly into soft pillows that are wonderful in soup or served with sauce. You can use fresh, dry, or homemade gnocchi for this soup recipe.
Look for dry gnocchi in the pasta aisle; it is usually shrink wrapped and then boxed. You may also find fresh gnocchi in the refrigerated section.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN GNOCCHI SOUP
- PREP: Dice onions, carrots, and celery; roughly chop the spinach. Mince the garlic.
- CHICKEN: In a large soup pot, brown the chicken breast in olive oil over medium high heat. Cook till juice runs clear. Set aside to cool, then shred.
- SAUTE: While chicken is cooling, in the same pot, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add diced vegetables and saute for about 4 minutes. Add garlic and flour and cook for another minute, whisking constantly. You want to cook the flour to get rid of the raw flour taste.
- LIQUID: Add 4 cups hot water and 3 tablespoons of chicken flavored Better Than Bouillon. (Or substitute 4 cups chicken broth or chicken bone broth.)
- SEASONING & CHICKEN: Stir in salt, Italian seasoning, pepper, thyme, paprika, and shredded chicken to the pot.
- FINISH: Stir in milk and gnocchi. Cook till gnocchi is tender. (Different brands have different cooking times, so follow the directions on the package.) Add the spinach the last 2 minutes of cooking.
COPYCAT OLIVE GARDEN SOUP VARIATIONS:
- To make this soup even more tasty, garnish it with crisp crumbled bacon. YUM!!
- Stir in 3-4 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese with the milk.
- For a hint of spice, add 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Want and even more rich and creamy soup? Replace the milk with half and half or cream.
Can I use leftover chicken for Olive Garden Gnocchi Soup?
Absolutely! Just skip the cooking chicken step and simply shred or dice your leftover chicken. You can even use a rotisserie chicken.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHICKEN GNOCCI SOUP:
MORE TASTY SOUP RECIPES:
CHICKEN GNOCCHI SOUP RECIPE
Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
You can't go wrong with this copycat olive garden chicken gnocchi soup. It's creamy, hearty, and loaded with tasty ingredients. And it's ready in about 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 24 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large or 3 small)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 Tbsp salted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 4 cups hot water
- 3 Tbsp low sodium Better Than Bouillon chicken flavor
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dry thyme
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 2 cups milk
- 16 ounces gnocchi
- 3 ounces fresh spinach (about 2-3 cups)
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, brown the chicken breast in olive oil over medium high heat. Cook till juice runs clear. Set aside to cool, then shred.
- In the same pot, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add diced vegetables and saute for about 4 minutes or until crisp tender.
- Add garlic and flour and cook for another minute, whisking constantly.
- Add hot water and chicken bouillon. Stir in salt, Italian seasoning, pepper, thyme, paprika, and shredded chicken to the pot.
- Add milk and gnocchi. Cook till gnocchi is tender. (Different brands have different cooking times, so follow the directions on the package.)
- Add the spinach the last 2 minutes, cooking just till it wilts.
Notes
You can substitute 4 cups chicken broth or chicken bone broth for the water and chicken bouillon.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 522Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 149mgSodium: 850mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 48g
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My favorite soup ever!! & this recipe turned out beautifully! SO delicious & we have leftovers! YAY!!
Leftover soup is absolutely the BEST!