This is THE BEST Chicken Gnocchi Soup recipe. It’s super-creamy, luscious, and jam-packed with tender gnocchi, juicy chicken, and also spinach—just like the restaurant version. And it’s so easy that you can whip up a pot tonight!
If you are craving a comforting bowl of Olive Garden’s Chicken Gnocchi Soup, I have great news for you. My copycat recipe is easy to make at home and super delicious! Chicken, pre-made gnocchi, and plenty of veggies come together for this cozy soup that cooks in about 20 minutes.
Scroll down to read more about how it all comes together or click here to jump straight down to the recipe.
What Kind Of Gnocchi Should I Use?
Gnocchi are small Italian dumplings made from potatoes, flour, and egg. But there’s no need to make it from scratch since store-bought gnocchi work great in this soup! Gnocchi can be found in a few different places in the grocery store: the pasta aisle, the refrigerated pasta section, and the frozen food section.
Some stores won’t have all three kinds, but that’s okay because any kind works in this recipe. I like to keep a package of the shelf stable gnocchi from the pasta aisle in my pantry for recipes like this. If you’re using frozen gnocchi, you’ll need to thaw it before getting started.
What Kind Of Chicken?
Some Chicken Gnocchi Soup recipes use cooked chicken, but I find I can use raw chicken and cook it right in the soup, avoiding the need to pre-cook. It cooks so quickly in the soup and adds flavor as well.
You can use either boneless skinless chicken breasts, boneless skinless chicken thighs, or a combination in this soup. Whatever you choose, simply cut it into 1/2 inch pieces so that the chicken cooks through properly in the short cook time.
If you have cooked chicken on hand, from a rotisserie chicken or from meal prepping with my easy pulled chicken recipe, you can absolutely use that instead. You’ll just add it later on, since it only needs to heat through.
Veggies For Chicken Gnocchi Soup
You have a little bit of flexibility here, but I tried to stay close to the restaurant version that my family knows and loves.
Spinach: Spinach is a necessary ingredient for this Olive Garden soup. I like to grab a package of the pre-washed baby spinach to save on prep time. You could substitute kale or another green, but spinach is the best option for authenticity.
Carrots: You can cut carrots into one inch sticks, or grab a bag of shredded carrots (sometimes labelled as “matchstick carrots”) to make it easier. I think that the hand-cut carrots better replicate the restaurant version. I won’t blame you if you want to trade a little authenticity for convenience though, so shredded carrots will absolutely work – use about a cup.
Aromatics: A couple ribs of diced celery, a diced onion, and some minced fresh garlic provide great flavors for the base of the soup.
If you’d like to add in any extras, aim for ingredients with similar cook times and cut them in small pieces to match the others. Try using bell pepper, zucchini, or mushrooms for variety.
How To Make Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Use a large pot or Dutch oven to make your chicken and gnocchi soup so that you’ve got plenty of room. Heat some oil over medium-high heat and then add your carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and seasonings. Cook until the vegetables are tender but crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Next, add the chicken broth and diced chicken and bring to a boil. Then, add the gnocchi and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
At the end, add the half and half and the spinach. Stir until the spinach has wilted. How easy was that???
How To Serve
I love serving this creamy chicken gnocchi soup in true Olive Garden fashion – alongside a green salad with Italian dressing and some warm breadsticks. (You can find frozen breadsticks similar to theirsat the grocery store.)
It’s also nice to finish the bowls of soup with some black pepper and Parmesan cheese just before serving. It’s so good!
More Comforting Chicken Recipes
Browse our full collection of soup recipes or try one of the delicious chicken recipes below.
Podcast Episode: Making Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Listen to me explain briefly about how to make this recipe, with some great tips along the way, by clicking the play button below:
Listen to more Recipe of the Day episodes here.
Print
Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
My Chicken Gnocchi Soup is creamy, luscious, and jam-packed with gnocchi, chicken, and spinach—just like the restaurant version.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 carrots, cut into thin 1-in. long sticks*
- 2 ribs of celery, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp. pepper, plus more to taste
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth
- 1 lb. raw boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-in. pieces**
- 1 lb. fresh, frozen, or shelf-stable gnocchi (thawed if frozen)
- 4 cups baby spinach leaves
- 2 cups half and half
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the carrot, celery, and onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook while stirring for 30 seconds.
- Add the broth and the chicken. Increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally (but do put the lid on the pot in between stirs so it heats up quickly).
- Add the gnocchi and bring the pot back up to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until gnocchi and chicken are cooked through, 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the half and half and the spinach. Continue to cook stir until the spinach is wilted, 1-2 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with the Parmesan cheese.
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Notes
*Or use 1 cup shredded carrots.
**You can alternatively use raw boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1/2 inch pieces, or a combination of breast and thigh. Or, you can use already-cooked chicken instead. 2 cups of chopped cooked chicken is what you need, but just wait to add it until you add the gnocchi.
Wow, this soup is wonderful. I really wish I had some breadsticks to serve with it, but next time I’ll be prepared!