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My creamy chicken gnocchi soup has everything I love about the Olive Garden favorite. It has tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, fresh vegetables, and a rich, creamy broth. Even better, it comes together in just 30 minutes!
Three Reasons You’ll Be Licking the Bowl
- Better Than Takeout: You get all the creamy, cozy flavor of Olive Garden’s chicken gnocchi soup right from your own kitchen.
- Ready in 30 Minutes: Rotisserie or leftover chicken makes this an easy dinner when you need something warm and filling fast.
- Loaded in Every Bite: Tender gnocchi, chicken, carrots, celery, and spinach make every bite hearty and satisfying.
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Ingredients
- Chicken: Using leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken makes it easy!
- Potato Gnocchi: Find this in the pasta aisle of the grocery store. Cut larger gnocchi in half so they’re easier to eat.
- Chicken Broth: My recipe calls for 2 cups. Like a thinner soup? Add a little extra chicken broth.
- Pasta Variation: Swap the gnocchi for small pasta like shells, ditalini, or orzo. Cook it separately, then stir it in at the end.
- Dairy-Free: Use an unsweetened, plain non-dairy milk in place of the half and half. The soup may be a little less rich and creamy.
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
I seriously can’t get enough of this creamy chicken gnocchi soup! And I love creating a little Olive Garden night in at home! If you want a complete meal, make some breadsticks and salad. Oh, and don’t forget the Tiramisu for dessert!
- Sauté the Veggies: In a large pot, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic, then cook until tender.
- Make the Roux: Sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Cook for about 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- Make It Creamy: Slowly stir in the half-and-half and chicken broth. Cook until the soup starts to thicken.
- Add Everything Else: Stir in the thyme, carrots, spinach, cooked chicken, and potato gnocchi. Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the gnocchi is tender and the soup has thickened. Season with salt and black pepper, then serve creamy chicken gnocchi soup warm.
Alyssa’s Pro Tips
- Don’t Overcook the Gnocchi: Add the gnocchi near the end and simmer just until tender. Cooking it too long can make it soft and gummy and thicken the soup more than you want.
- Keep It Creamy: Don’t let the soup get too hot, or the creamy broth can separate. Keep it at a gentle simmer and stir often so it stays smooth.
Must Have Kitchen Tools
- Large Pot: Plenty of room to sauté the veggies and simmer the soup.
- Sharp Knife: Makes cutting the onion, celery, and spinach quick and easy.
- Ladle: Makes serving the creamy soup simple.
Chicken Gnocchi Soup Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add the Base: Add the onion, celery, garlic, carrots, chicken broth, thyme, and cooked chicken to the slow cooker.
- Cook: Cover and cook on low for 4–5 hours or on high for 2–3 hours.
- Make It Creamy: About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the half-and-half and spinach.
- Add the Gnocchi: Stir in the gnocchi and cook for another 20–30 minutes, or until tender.
- Finish and Serve: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash of extra broth if you want a thinner soup.
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Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Creamy chicken gnocchi soup is an easy Olive Garden copycat ready in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- ½ cup diced celery
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 2 cups chicken broth more if needed
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup chopped spinach leaves
- 1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast I used rotisserie
- 1 (16-ounce) package potato gnocchi
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, add 3 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup diced yellow onion, ½ cup diced celery, and 2 cloves minced garlic, and cook until tender. Add ¼ cup all-purpose flour to create a roux and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in 2 cups half-and-half and 2 cups chicken broth and heat until it starts to thicken.
- Add 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, 1 cup shredded carrots, 1 cup chopped spinach leaves, 1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast, 1 (16-ounce) package potato gnocchi, and 1 tablespoon fresh thyme.
- Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the gnocchi is cooked and the soup thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Leftover Instructions
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often. Add a splash of chicken broth or half-and-half if it has thickened.
- Planning for Leftovers: If you know the soup will sit for a while, cook the gnocchi separately and add it to each bowl so it doesn’t get too soft.
- Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing it. The creamy broth can separate, and the gnocchi may get mushy after thawing.
Nutrition
Calories: 197kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 9gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 580mgPotassium: 267mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3445IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 93mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
More Olive Garden Inspired Recipes
Delicious and fast. Gotta play with it as everyone has their own preferences. Topped with parmeasaen cheese, delicious meal on a busy week night.
Delicious and so fast to pull together.
OH WOW I can’t believe it took me this long to find this recipe!!! This stuff is amazing, I couldn’t stop eating eat.
Made this tonight for 1st time. It was fantastic. The soup did not thicken until the very end and by then I was too hungry to add the stock and let it simmer longer. But I will definitely add more stock next time and also try the hot sauce recommendation above as I did have to add a lot of salt and pepper and some additional spices to give it more flavor. But all in all, this was very filling with the rotisserie chicken that I cut up along with the gnocchi. I made some biscuits filled with feta cheese to go along with the soup. My teenage kids loved it and I ran out of completely.
I have made this many times and yes, storebought gnocchi will last a long time, probably 2 years. But though I love this recipe, doesn’t have enough flavor, I added fresh and dried thyme, fresh oregano, 1 tsp., a little coriander, lots of black pepper and twice or more the amount of liquid and an extra cup of whole milk, as it gets too thick and quickly. I don’t add the spinach until the last 5 min. and I add half bag of frozen green peas when I add the gnocchi. When I finish I add about 1 tsp. hot sauce (you won’t even know it’s there but it gives it an amazing taste.) I just thought the recipe was too bland for me but by the time I finish everybody loves it.
How could I make this thicker if it isn’t thick enough for my family?
You can always add in more flour and chicken stock together.
Great!!! Thank you!!! Making it today!!! I can’t wait to see how it turns out!!!
I did less Broth and let it simmer for longer and i prepped the Chicken, Carrots and Spinach. And it was not super thick but not soupy!
I have made this several times. I think it’s even better than Olive Garden, and my family loves it! I serve it with lots of Parmesan cheese. Yum!
I also added more broth and left out thyme. I don’t like it and it was overpowering. Even my husband ate this soup and he doesn’t like soup. I tried the thyme the first time I made it.
I used oregano because I didn’t have Thyme and it was more subtle, and it was perfect!!
I used Rosemary Olive Oil it was very nice pete\
It needed more broth for our preferences, but it was a great recipe, very similar to the Olive Garden??
Has anyone perfected this as “shelf-stable” or pantry meal meal?
I bought some gnocchi it is supposed to be good on the shelf for one year, wondered if anyone else covered the other ingredients to be good on the shelf for a year.
Yes it will last up to 2 yrs.
This looks incredible! Can you use dried thyme instead of fresh?
Yes, that will still taste delicious!
I’ve made this several times. It is fairly easy to make and the family really likes it.
They all say it is better than the restaurant version.
The hardest part of making this was finding gnochi in the grocery store.
I’ve made this several times. It is fairly easy to make and the family really likes it.
They all say it is better than the restaurant version.
The hardest part of making this was finding gnochi in the grocery store.
I’ve made this several times. It is fairly easy to make and the family really likes it.
They all say it is better than the restaurant version.
This soup looks so good. My husband is lactose intolerant. Do you think I could substitute the half and half with tofutti sour cream? Or cream cheese? Will it thicken properly? Thank you!
Yes, it will alter the taste and thickness of the soup though.
My husband loves carrots so I used a can of cut carrots instead of fresh and he loves it and added nutmeg too, really does need it. But we both love this soup