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–+ servings
featured chicken gnocchi soup
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4.66 from 23 votes

Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe

My copycat Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup recipe is loaded with tender bites of chicken and pillowy gnocchi in a creamy broth. It's better than the real thing!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 bowls
Calories: 399kcal
Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter ⅛ stick*
  • ½ white onion diced
  • 1 carrot peeled and diced
  • 1 rib celery chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • kosher salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 16 ounces potato gnocchi
  • 2 cups half-and-half **
  • 1 cup fresh spinach roughly chopped
  • 2 shredded cooked chicken or chopped***

Instructions

  • Heat the oil and butter in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, ½ white onion
    Butter melting in a pot.
  • Stir in the carrot and celery, and cook until softened, another 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
    1 carrot, 1 rib celery, 3 cloves garlic
    chopped carrots, celery, and onion in a white pot
  • Add the chicken broth, thyme, salt, and pepper; bring to a low boil.
    4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, kosher salt
    Soup boiling in a pot.
  • Stir in the gnocchi, and cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
    16 ounces potato gnocchi
    Adding potato gnocchi to a pot of soup.
  • Stir in the half and half, chicken, and spinach. Cook until warmed through, another 5-7 minutes.
    2 cups half-and-half, 2 shredded cooked chicken, 1 cup fresh spinach
    creamy chicken gnocchi soup in a white pot with a wood spoon
  • Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve.
    A bowl of creamy chicken gnocchi soup.

Video

Notes

*If using salted butter, I recommend skipping the added salt when seasoning.
**Heavy cream can be used for a richer, silkier broth. For a lighter soup, use 2 cups of whole milk instead.
***Use any leftover/cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces or shredded. If you don't have any, check below for simple baked chicken breast instructions. This can be made ahead of time and stored.
Tips:
  • Using cooked chicken in this recipe is all about convenience. If you prefer to start with raw chicken, you'd need to simmer them with the broth until fully cooked through, before adding the gnocchi.
  • Don't cook the gnocchi before adding them to the soup. They will cook fully (in just a few minutes) in the soup. Cooking them first will lead to mushy gnocchi!
  • If you don't want a fully-wilted spinach, stir it in just before serving, off the heat.
Bake Chicken: Drizzle 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Bake in a 400°F oven for 22-26 minutes until cooked through. Use right away, or store until ready to make the soup.
Make Ahead: If you'd like to make this soup ahead of time, simmer everything (minus gnocchi) together and store; then stir in fresh gnocchi upon reheating.
Storage: Store chicken gnocchi soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 459mg | Potassium: 495mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2560IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 4mg