Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe (better than Olive Garden)
If you’re looking for a creamy chicken gnocchi soup recipe that’s better than Olive Garden’s, you’ve found it! Every bite is full of savory chicken, melt-in-your-mouth gnocchi, melted parmesan cheese, perfectly cooked carrots as well as spinach, and the creamiest broth.
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This post may contain affiliate links of items I know and love. Read our disclosure policy for more information.
Better Than Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
This is one of my favorite soups ever! When I was little, my mom got this soup at Olive Garden when we would go. It always smelled so good, but I didn’t want to eat spinach. I was a little bit of a picky eater as a child, haha!
But one day I decided to order a bowl and just try it. My plan was to eat around the spinach, but after my first bite, I ate everything. It was too good not to, and it taught me that I actually like spinach. So I guess that was a win-win. I found a soup I loved, and I learned I liked spinach.
I just love foods that bring back a certain memory, which is why this soup is so special to me. After I met my husband, who said he didn’t like soup, I got him to try it at the restaurant. Lo and behold he fell in love with it too.
Now we make it at home often, alongside sourdough garlic bread, sourdough Texas toast, or sourdough Texas roadhouse rolls.
How Do You Make Gnocchi For This Recipe
Homemade gnocchi is so simple and easy. You combine the dough, roll it out, and cut it into gnocchi. Visit my sourdough potato gnocchi recipe to learn more about the process. If you don’t have a sourdough starter, no worries; just leave the starter out and make regular gnocchi.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- boneless skinless chicken breast
- avocado or olive oil
- yellow onion diced
- diced carrots
- chicken broth
- garlic powder
- salt
- pepper
- dried thyme
- potato gnocchi (1 batch of my homemade gnocchi)
- half and half (or homemade cashew cream)
- chopped baby spinach
- shredded parmesan cheese
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
How to Make This Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
Cut chicken breast into 1” cubes. Set aside.
Place oil in pot and heat on medium until hot. Add in diced onions and carrots. Cook on medium heat for 4-5 minutes until carrots and onions are soft.
Add chicken pieces, salt, and pepper to the pot and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Stirring throughout the cooking process.
Add in chicken broth, garlic powder, thyme and half and half. Stir to combine.
Add in potato gnocchi and cook on medium for 5 minutes.
Add in cream, spinach, and shredded parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.
Let simmer on low for 10 minutes to cook the spinach and bring the flavors together. Serve with a little extra parmesan if desired and enjoy!
Slow Cooker Instructions
Place all the ingredients except the gnocchi in the slow cooker; even the raw chicken can go in. Cover and cook for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Add the gnocchi for the last 30 minutes so they can cook.
Storing Leftovers
Make sure the soup is completely cooled before putting it in the fridge. Then, store leftovers in a glass airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Freezing Instructions
Let the soup cool completely, then freeze in freezer-safe containers. I recommend using glass freezer storage containers, not plastic baggies. This soup will last 2-3 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight before you want to reheat it.
How to Reheat Soup
I always recommend reheating leftover soup on the stovetop in a pot. Just pour in the soup and heat on medium until it reaches the desired temperature. You can also do this in a slow cooker. I recommend adding a little extra parmesan cheese to your leftover soup after it’s heated.
Recipe FAQs
Chicken gnocchi soup is exactly what it sounds like. It’s got chicken, gnocchi, parmesan, carrots, spinach, seasoning, and a creamy broth.
You can use precooked chicken if you prefer.
Yes, you can. Let the soup cool completely, then freeze in freezer-safe containers. Thaw in the fridge overnight before you want to reheat it.
That’s up to you. I personally recommend making homemade gnocchi; they’re so easy and eliminate any additives in the premade options. Here’s my homemade gnocchi recipe. If you don’t have a sourdough starter, you can still make it; just leave out the sourdough.
Of course! Place all the ingredients except the gnocchi in the slow cooker; even the raw chicken can go in. Cover and cook for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Add the gnocchi for the last 30 minutes so they can cook.
More Soup Recipes from Scratch
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Soup
- Crockpot Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Cheeseburger Soup Recipe (No Velveeta)
- Creamy Tomato Gnocchi Soup
Did you make this recipe?
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Creamy Gnocchi Soup Recipe
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 tsp avocado or olive oil
- 1/2 of a yellow onion diced
- 1/4 cup diced carrots
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt (add more to taste if chicken broth has no salt)
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/2 cups potato gnocchi (1 batch of my homemade)
- 1 cup half and half (or homemade cashew cream)
- 1/4 cup chopped baby spinach
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cut chicken breast into 1” cubes. Set aside.
- Place oil in pot and heat on medium until hot. Add in diced onions and carrots. Cook on medium heat for 4-5 minutes until carrots and onions are soft.
- Add chicken pieces, salt, and pepper to the pot and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Stirring throughout the cooking process.
- Add in chicken broth, garlic powder, thyme and half and half. Stir to combine.
- Add in potato gnocchi and cook on medium for 5 minutes.
- Add in cream, spinach, and shredded parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.
- Let simmer on low for 10 minutes to cook the spinach and bring the flavors together. Serve with a little extra parmesan if desired and enjoy!
I have been searching for a recipe like this one! Thank you for sharing, I am so excited to get the ingredients to make it!
Yay! I’m so excited for you to make this soup. It’s such a good one!