This Olive Garden gnocchi soup is a copycat recipe and it tastes better than the real thing! You will enjoy this soup packed with chicken, vegetables, creamy broth, and delicate gnocchi. There is also a secret ingredient that takes this soup to the next level!
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I love making gnocchi soups and this creamy chicken gnocchi soup is my family’s favorite. I make it taste SO much better than the restaurant one because of one simple ingredient: Parmesan cheese! There are actually two parts of Parmesan cheese here, the rind and grated cheese. So I recommend that you get a wedge with the rind.
Using the rind from the Parmesan cheese wedge is a staple of Italian cooking. I use it in quite a few of my Olive Garden soup recipes such as Pasta E Fagioli and Minestrone. It’s a great way to add a ton of flavor with something that is generally thrown out, but it’s definitely optional if you don’t have one on hand.
Homemade gnocchi is a great option for soups and you can always makes a large batch so you can use some in this soup, eat some sauteed in butter and Parmesan, and freeze some for easy weekly dinners.
Although, you can always save a lot of time by getting store-bought gnocchi. It will still be good even if you don’t feel adventurous to make your own.
Ingredient Notes and Tips
Chicken – you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or you can use boneless skinless chicken thigh meat. Thigh meat is more flavorful and juicy but does have a slightly higher fat content. Breast meat is leaner, but not as juicy or flavorful.
Veggies – you will need the classic base vegetables for the soup: carrots, onion, and celery. This is called either “mirepoix” or “softito,” or “soffritto.” It a flavor base for many soups and if you make soups often, you can prepare it ahead of time.
Garlic – Fresh garlic will yield MUCH better flavor than pre-minced.
Chicken Broth – chicken stock is best for deeper, richer flavor, but if you need to, you can substitute vegetable broth if needed. When using store-bought broths and stock, try to get “low sodium” or “no salt added” kind. Try to also get bone broth if available, it will have a richer flavor.
Gnocchi – you can use homemade gnocchi or store-bought gnocchi. If using store-bought, I highly recommend that you get them from the refrigerated section!
Herbs – use an aromatic combination of fresh thyme. If you don’t have access to fresh thyme, it’s completely okay to use dried. Just remember that dried herbs do tend to me more potent, so use half the amount listed in the recipe.
Spinach – while it’s best to use fresh spinach, you can use frozen spinach if needed. Just make sure to thaw and drain off excess liquids first.
Milk – use whole milk for rich and creamy soup. If you need to keep it lactose free, use lactose free milk. If you need to keel the soup dairy free, you can use almond milk or soy milk but note that it does taste quite different from milk.
Heavy whipping cream – for the best rich and creamy texture, do use heavy whipping cream and nothing less. (If you need to keep it lactose free or dairy free, use lactose free half and half and some lactose free sour cream. There are some plant-based whipping cream options if needed, check your grocery stores.)
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
1. Cooking chicken.
- Add oil to a large Dutch oven over medium heat to sear your chicken breasts (1). This is one of the best ways to add flavor to your soup. Searing locks moisture into the chicken as well as adding to the fond in the bottom of the pot.
2. Sauté the vegetables.
- Take chicken out and let it rest a bit while you sauté the vegetables (2). When the vegetables are soft, smash, mince, and add garlic to the center of the pot (3).
- Dice chicken when vegetables are softened and add it to the pot as well (4).
3. Add liquids.
- Start pouring in stock (5) and milk (6) while scraping the bottom of the pot and slowly stirring.
PRO TIP: When adding your milk and broth to the pot, make sure to scrape up all the browned goodness off the bottom of the pot and mix.
- Add Parmesan rind and seasoning to the soup (7). Cook the soup over medium-low heat until it comes to a gentle simmer.
PRO TIP: Parmesan rind should be cooked with the soup but when the soup is done, make sure to find it and discard.
4. Add final ingredients, then serve!
- (If using packaged gnocchi, check gnocchi package instructions for exact cooking time) Add gnocchi (8), spinach, grated parmesan cheese (9). Cook until gnocchi is done and pour in heavy whipping cream (10). (Best way to tell if gnocchi is done, is to wait until it floats up to the surface. This usually takes 3-5 minutes.)
- Once the gnocchi is done, discard the Parmesan rind.
PRO TIP: Don’t let the soup come to a full boil at any point because there is a high chance that milk and cream will curdle. Gentle simmer is okay but don’t let it boil.
Recipe FAQs
You can definitely use store-bought gnocchi. If using store-bought, I highly recommend that you get them from the refrigerated section.
You can also use frozen gnocchi if you have any. No need to thaw frozen gnocchi, simple add it to the soup and cook until cooked through.
Yes, store-bought gnocchi will be able to hold its shape while being store with soup for a couple of days. It will be softer though, but still be completely good to eat.
Note that store-bought gnocchi will hold its integrity a little better than homemade. Homemade gnocchi are also fine to store in leftover soup but will be a little softer
Try to serve this comforting, filling soup along with some crusty bread. You’ll be glad you have the bread to soak up every last drop of the soup from your bowl!
Storing and Shelf Life
Store the leftover chicken and gnocchi soup right in the Dutch oven you cooked it in or in an airtight container, in the refrigerator. Make sure to COOL the soup to room temperature first and cover the pot with the lid if using the same pot.
Stored properly, this soup should be good for about 3-4 days.
You can reheat the individual portions in the microwave. If you need to reheat a lot at the same time, do it on stovetop in the Dutch oven over medium heat until warmed through
Freezing Chicken Gnocchi Soup
You can freeze this soup but only partially made.
Much like my Chicken Gnocchi Soup, you would have to freeze it without gnocchi in the soup as they will change texture and not be appetizing.
You also want to freeze it without cream, milk, or spinach. So essentially, you will be making the soup half way in order to freeze it.
Freeze soup in an air-tight freezer container and don’t fill the container all the way so there is room for soup to expand as it freezes. You can also freeze it in zip-lock freezer bags.
To finish the soup, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then heat it though in a pot over medium heat and lower the heat. Add milk, cream, gnocchi, Parmesan cheese, and spinach, and cook until gnocchi is cooked.
More Gnocchi Recipes To Try
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Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp canola oil divided
- 1 1/4 lb chicken breast of chicken thigh meat
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 celery ribs
- 1 medium carrot
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 sprig of thyme 1/2 tsp dried
- salt
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 16 oz gnocchi*
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 oz fresh spinach
- 1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- parmesan rind optional
Instructions
- Preheat a Dutch oven or another soup pot over medium heat and add about 2 tablespoons of canola oil.
- Sear and cook chicken meat until just done and take it out of the pot. Set chicken aside for it to cool down enough for you to handle it.
- While chicken is cooking, dice onion, celery, and shred the carrot.
- Add another teaspoon of oil into the same pot and add diced onions, celery, and carrots. Cook vegetables until softened.
- Dice chicken while vegetables are cooking.
- Stir in minced garlic and cook until it's fragrant.
- Add chicken back to the pot with vegetables, stir, and pour in chicken stock and milk. Lower the heat to medium low and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
- Add seasoning and a sprig of thyme.
- Optional: Parmesan rind cooked in soup will add great flavor so if you have a whole wedge of parmesan cheese, cut off the rind, and add it to the soup. (You will discard it with the thyme sprig later.)
- Cook the soup until it comes to a simmer and them add gnocchi.
- Cook just until gnocchi floats or according to the time on package instructions.
- Stir in chopped spinach, grated Parmesan cheese, and heavy whipping cream. Cook for a few minutes, until spinach is wilted.
- Take off heat right away and discard the sprig of thyme and Parmesan rind.
Video
Notes
- *Gluten free note: To make this soup gluten free, use gluten free gnocchi. Many stores (especially healthy grocery stores) carry gluten free gnocchi. If you can’t find them at your stores, you can make homemade gnocchi but substitute gluten free all purpose flour.
- Storing: Store the leftover chicken and gnocchi soup right in the Dutch oven you cooked it in or in an airtight container, in the refrigerator. Make sure to COOL the soup to room temperature first and cover the pot with the lid if using the same pot. Stored properly, this soup should be good for about 3-4 days.
- Reheating: You can reheat the individual portions in the microwave. If you need to reheat a lot at the same time, do it on stovetop in the Dutch oven over medium heat until warmed through.
- Freezing: you would have to freeze it without gnocchi! You also want to freeze it without cream, milk, or spinach. So essentially, you will be making the soup half way in order to freeze it. Freeze soup in an air-tight freezer container and don’t fill the container all the way so there is room for soup to expand as it freezes. You can also freeze it in zip-lock freezer bags. Cook gnocchi in thawed soup while reheating.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in October 2020.
Charlene Silvernail says
Loved the soup……just like Olive Garden’s!
LyubaB says
So glad you liked it, Charlene!