Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)

This Chicken Gnocchi Soup is a creamy, flavorful soup that tastes just like, if not better than, the restaurant version! Whip this recipe up in 30 minutes and serve it with a side of Garlic Knots or 4-ingredient Mayonnaise Biscuits!

To me, there is nothing better than sipping on a hot and creamy soup on a cold and snowy Maine evening. I consider soup to be one of my main food groups in the winter, and this Chicken Gnocchi Soup takes only 30 minutes, so of course it has to be a part of the soup rotation!

Chicken Gnocchi Soup Ingredients

• Chicken breast – Either chopped chicken breast or a shredded rotisserie chicken works for this soup.
• Olive oil – Use a good quality olive oil for your vegetables to cook in for the best flavor.
• Onion – I used a yellow onion in this recipe, but you can also use a white onion.
• Celery stalks – Use fresh celery stalks. 
• Carrots – The carrots in this recipe are cut into matchsticks, but if you prefer you can chop the carrot into even slices.
• Garlic – The fresh garlic can be substituted with three heaped teaspoons of minced jar garlic. 
• Chicken stock – This recipe uses chicken stock, but if you don’t have any on hand you can use vegetable stock. 
• Gnocchi – Fresh or frozen gnocchi works for this recipe.
• Italian seasoning – Use a store-bought Italian seasoning, or make your own. 
• Heavy cream – Whole-fat heavy cream is best used in this soup for texture and taste. However, it could be substituted with half and half. 
• Baby spinach– I prefer chopping the spinach in this soup, but you can put whole spinach leaves in if you prefer larger bites.
• Parsley – Fresh parsley is used to garnish the soup, but you can skip this step.

Can I Make This Soup In A Dutch Oven?

Yes! This recipe specifically calls for a large pot, but it can be interchanged with a Dutch oven.

Can I Make This Recipe Vegetarian?

You can omit the chicken in this soup and it will become Gnocchi soup, and replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock instead.

Can I Freeze Chicken Gnocchi Soup?

Yes, this soup can be made ahead and frozen. Allow the soup to come down to room temp before placing it in an airtight container. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months, then thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

How Do I Make Chicken Gnocchi Soup?

I LOVE how simple this Chicken Gnocchi Soup is! It makes me wonder why I ever bothered ordering this soup at Olive Garden, when I could’ve made it at home in 3 simple steps and in only 30 minutes! Most of the ingredients I have on hand already without needing to go to the grocery store!

Step One: Heat the olive oil in your pot or Dutch oven, then add onion, celery, and carrots. Once the vegetables are soft, add garlic, and Italian seasoning, and allow to cook down for a few minutes.

Step Two: Add the chicken stock, cooked chicken, and gnocchi to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until the gnocchi is cooked through.

Step Three: Add heavy cream and spinach. Simmer soup until spinach has wilted. Ladle soup into bowls and serve!

Chicken Gnocchi Soup Tips

• Add cheese– I recommend adding parmesan, romano, or Parmigiano reggiano.
• Add spice– Add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to give the soup some extra heat.
• Serve with bread– We all know the best part of going to Olive Garden is the breadsticks, and while this soup doesn’t come with breadsticks on the side, you can be creative and make homemade bread to go on the side of your soup! Bread is perfect for dipping into this flavorful, creamy meal.

If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review; I love hearing from you! And don’t forget to join our Busy Family Recipes Facebook Community and share your photos of the dishes you made there!

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Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This chicken gnocchi soup is just as good, if not better, than the popular Olive Garden version. It’s creamy, full of flavor and filling enough to be a full meal, thanks to the chicken and potato gnocchi. Not only is this soup delicious, but it’s also incredibly quick and easy, taking only 30 minutes.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cooked and diced chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion finely diced
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• 2 carrots peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped or minced
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 16 oz. Potato gnocchi
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup parsley finely chopped, for garnishing (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, chopped celery and carrot matchsticks. Cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
• Add the chicken stock, gnocchi and cooked chicken to the saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes, or until the gnocchi has cooked through.
• Add the heavy cream and baby spinach leaves and simmer until the spinach has wilted. Remove from heat.
• Ladle the soup into serving bowls and garnish with the chopped parsley, if using.

NOTES

Storage: Store this soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat until piping hot using the stovetop or microwave. This soup is suitable for freezing. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.