Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Replace the noodles in your soup recipe and try Chicken Gnocchi Soup instead. Bite-sized, pillowy dumplings simmered gently in chicken stock are the epitome of comfort food. Throw in mushrooms, carrots, celery, onions, and a hint of thyme and rosemary for a nourishing, and delicious dinner.

When people think of Chicken Gnocchi Soup in the United States they often think of the creamy version from Olive Garden, an American chain restaurant serving Italian food. But the first time I tried Chicken Gnocchi Soup was when a friend, Chef Nick Strawhecker, taught me his signature recipe.

His chicken and gnocchi soup with tender handmade gnocchi, roasted vegetables, and a rich, luxurious homemade chicken stock is incredible, but also time consuming. I wanted a weeknight-friendly version with all the body, flavor, and comfort of his recipe with less of a time committment. With flavor and time in mind, I went to work in my home kitchen to develop this recipe.

My chicken gnocchi soup recipe has tender pillowy gnocchi, a rich broth, and loads of vegetables like mushrooms, carrots, and spinach. But, unlike Olive Garden’s Chicken Gnocchi soup recipe, I skip the creamy flour-based roux. The starch from the gnocchi provides enough body to the soup without weighing it down. And unlike my friend’s version, it’s ready for soup bowls in less than an hour. It’s a hit in my house and I know it will be equally loved in yours. 

Table of Contents

1. Chicken Gnocchi Soup Ingredients
2. My Favorite Store Bought Gnocchi and Chicken Stock 
3. How to make this Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
4. To Make Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Style)
5. What to Serve with Soup
6. Chicken Soup for Every Season
7. Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe

Chicken Gnocchi Soup Ingredients

• Olive oil: A good quality olive oil will enhance the flavor of this soup. I prefer to use a peppery oil like our Greek Early Harvest Olive Oil, but really any high-quality olive oil will do.
• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: I like chicken thighs for soup because they stay juicy and don’t dry out, but you can also use chicken breasts. 
• Mirepoix: Carrots, celery, and yellow onion are the classic base for many soups to deepen the flavor and enrich the stock. 
• White wine: Wine adds acidity and deglazes the pan. In other words, it helps you incorporate the fond, aka the “brown stuff” that sticks to the bottom of the pan. Think of it as extra flavor from the chicken and vegetables. If you abstain from alcohol you can replace the wine with water or extra chicken stock. 
• Cremini mushrooms: I love, love, love, mushrooms in chicken soup. They are meaty and filling. I have also made this soup in the spring when morel mushrooms are in season with equally amazing results.
• Garlic cloves: Garlic is a non-negotiable must in chicken gnocchi soup. I’m just kidding. Do whatever you want, but garlic does make everything better. You don’t have to take my word for it. The National Institute of Health also loves garlic. 
• Rosemary, bay leaves, and thyme: I prefer fresh rosemary, but you can use dried if that’s what you have on hand. I love the woodsy flavor this herb combo contributes to the soup. 
• Chicken stock: I make chicken stock every time I roast a whole chicken. It’s just a habit I’ve gotten into and because I make it my slow cooker 90 percent of the time and it takes very little effort. However, if box stock is more your speed that’s totally fine. Use a low-sodium broth so you can season as you go when making this soup. 
• Gnocchi: Homemade gnocchi is a labor of love but it’s a fun skill to have in your culinary tool belt. And, these pillowy dumplings are so delicious. Use them in soups, bake them in pasta sauce for Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina, or place them in the oven with some vegetables for sheet pan gnocchi. When I make them from scratch I freeze them, then use as needed straight from the freezer. If making gnocchi is not on your list of things to do, then use store-bought – frozen or shelf-stable will all work. 
• Baby spinach: I add spinach to most of my soups. It’s just an easy way to add an extra vegetable and kick up the nutrition, but if you don’t have any leave it out and the soup will still taste delicious. You could also add kale, Swiss chard, or parsley. 
• Kosher salt and black pepper: The purpose of salt is usually two-fold in a recipe. The first is to draw out moisture and the second is to enhance the flavors of the dish. If you taste something and it tastes flat or bland, it probably just needs a touch of salt to make the ingredients shine. Pepper adds mild earthy heat. Add as much or as little as you would like.

My Favorite Store Bought Gnocchi and Chicken Stock 

When it comes to any recipe, quality counts. I routinely make my own Homemade Chicken Stock and Homemade Gnocchi, but I’m also a busy working mom of two equally busy children. So sometimes, box stock and shelf stable gnocchi are required.

Frankly, if using a few grocery store shortcuts keeps my family out of the fast food line, I’m totally fine with that. We all need a little help sometimes.

If you don’t have time or don’t want to make stock and gnocchi from scratch, my favorite store bought brand of chicken stock is Kitchen Basics Original Chicken Stock. It’s both affordable and the closest thing to homemade I’ve been able to find. It has a clean chicken flavor and is lower in sodium than other box stocks. 

My favorite is a shelf stable gnocchi is called Pranzo. It’s made in Italy and is the closest I have found to homemade. I usually find it at Trader Joes, but really any gnocchi will do. Frozen, fresh, shelf stable or cauliflower gnocchi will all work in this recipe.

How to make this Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe

• In a large soup pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add chicken thighs and cover with a lid. Cook on one side for 4 minutes. Remove the lid, flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 4 minutes, or until the thighs are completely cooked. Remove the chicken and place on a cutting board.
• To the Dutch oven, add the carrots, celery, and onion, bay leaves and salt and pepper. Let it sit without stirring for about 8 minutes. You want to develop a little color on those vegetables and some fond (brown stuff) on the bottom of the pan.
• Add 1/2 cup dry white wine, thyme and rosemary sprig. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the fond off the bottom of the pan, while the wine reduces. Add the garlic and quartered mushrooms. Stir to combine. Cook everything together for about 5 to 10 minutes until the carrots are soft and the mushrooms have shrunken in size.
• Add the stock and simmer for 15 minutes, giving the flavors a chance to meld. While everything simmers, use two forks to shred the chicken thighs.
• Add the gnocchi and the shredded chicken to the simmering soup. Cook for 5 minutes until the chicken is warmed through and the gnocchi is cooked. Remove the bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Stir in the spinach, if using until wilted. 
• Ladle the soup into bowls, and serve with crusty bread and a simple salad.

To Make Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Style)

The beauty of this recipe is you can adapt it. If you really want creamy soup you can go about it a few different ways:

• Puree a can of cannellini beans and stir them into the soup. This is a super healthy way to make something creamy without adding the extra saturated fat from heavy cream. 
• Make a slurry of 3/4 cup whole milk and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Use a fork to whisk the cornstarch and the milk together then stir it into the simmering soup at the end. Let it simmer for 5 minutes, then serve. 
• Stir in 3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream 5 minutes before you finish cooking the soup.
• Make a roux. Once you’ve finished cooking the chicken and removed it from the pan add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 3 tablespoons of flour. Whisk the flour into the fat for about 5 minutes until the flour is no longer raw and it takes on a golden brown color. Add in the onion, celery, and carrots. It will look crumbly and you’ll think you made a mistake—you didn’t. Keep whisking and cooking the vegetables down. Add the wine, and whisk. It should smooth out and loosen up. Continue with the rest of the recipe.

What to Serve with Soup

Rosemary Focaccia Bread is at the top of my list to serve with a hearty soup like this, but any crusty bread will do. Pairing it with a salad like our simple Lemon Parmesan Lettuce Salad or this herb heavy Greek Salad called Maroulosalata adds a welcome touch of fresh vegetables.

If you like to finish dinner with a sweet treat then something really easy like these Baked Apples are great for a weeknight (and equally good for breakfast in the morning) or for something a little extra special try this Fig Almond Cake.

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