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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
I love this recipe and have made it many times over the last few years. I am wanting to make it in the crockpot this time. Would you recommend that I still make the roux or just sauté the veggies and add the butter and flour to the crockpot? TIA
Hi Mandee! I would recommend still making the roux first so your soup doesn’t have any lumps.
Thank you! I cooked the veggies, made the roux and added the chicken broth. I poured that into a jar and put it in the fridge the night before. When I went to make it in the crockpot I just dumped the premade “roux” in the crockpot with more chicken broth and the chicken and turned it on low for 4 hrs(this was more than enough time. Could probably be heated enough in an hour or 2). I then added the half and half, gnocchi, and spinach for an hr. It turned out perfect! Got so many compliments at our soup night at church and didn’t need to take any home. I was a little bummed about that cause I wanted leftovers. Lol
Can you substitute heavy cream for the half and half?
Yes, that will work!
Followed pretty much exactly just substituted chicken bouillon instead of chicken broth. It was very it’s a keeper
I loved it! Easy to make and so good! I didn’t have spinach and substituted peas. I’ll make it again. Thank you so much!
If I were to replace gnocchi with orzo, how much would I use?
I would use about 1 cup of uncooked orzo in this soup!
Will this dish freeze and reheat well?
Yes! That works great!
I usually try recipes out exactly as written so that if there is a “next time” making it, I know what I would modify. Honestly, this was great as-is…my husband and brother, both super finicky eaters in their own different ways, ate the whole pot. I managed to snag a cup of it before they annihilated it. Will definitely make this again!
i love Gnocchi soup it is my fav soup even on a hot & cold day
Can you use frozen gnocchi?
Yes! That will work fine!
Utterly delicious!!! We had to use kale but looking forward to trying spinach next time 🙂 definitely making this again. Thank you!
I made this tonight and it was wonderful. I had to “make” half-and-half using heavy cream and milk in equal portions. Next time I make it I will put the caroots in with the onion and garlic so they cook longer. Oh and I used leek instead of onion because I needed to use up my leeks. Vrey yummy.
Absolutely love this recipe! It’s very easy to make adjustments. I didn’t have chicken breasts defrosted, so I used frozen diced chicken, and I always cut back on the thyme; just a couple of shakes.
Why not let me choose to watch your video or not? It is very intrusive. I won’t be back to your site any time soon which is a shame because I love your recipes.
I’m so sorry! You should be able to click on the x on any video or hit the pause button. You can also click “Jump to Recipe” at the very top of the page and it will skip straight down to the recipe card. 🙂
Can you make this in the crockpot?
Yes! I would still definitely use cooked, diced chicken. Also, go ahead and sauté the veggies and garlic. Then put the chicken and veggies all together in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the liquids and all the other ingredients except the gnocchi, half and half, and spinach. Cook on low for three to four hours, adding the gnocchi in for the last hour of cooking. Before serving, add the half and half and spinach and stir to combine.
OMG this is so delicious! I was sorta afraid to try it, but I’m so glad i did. I doubled the recipe and almost followed to the T. But I didn’t have any half & half so I used 1 !/2 heavy cream & 1/2 cup of regular milk. Didn’t have fresh thyme, so I used ground thyme 1/4 tsp. And 2 tbsp of chicken flavor better than bouillon and it gave it such a wonderful flavor. I can’t wait for my husband to come home & try it. I know he will love it. I can eat soup everyday. And since it is winter in Southern California I got to have my soup. Thank you so much for this recipe. Oh by the way I cooked the shredded carrots, celery, onions & garlic all together first. Thanks Again
This is a amazing soup. Never tasted gnocchi before. Definitely will make it again maybe with handmade gnocchi and some fresh bread.
I would suggest cooking finely grated carrots with the onions and celery to tenderize and add the fresh spinach LAST to wilt or it will be overcooked.