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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
Alyssa, I made this per recipe instructions except used very little fresh thyme to meet our taste.
It turned out great and will make it again. This was the first time using gnocchi’s and I liked them. Will be trying more of your recipes. Thanks Jim.
I made this at a friend’s house using what she had on hand ( no celery ot thyme. Substituted Italian seasoning). Used heavy whipping cream instead of half and half. And a can of cooked chicken. Plus other ingredients. It turned out amazing!! Went to Olive Garden a week later. Ordered their soup, ours was way better!! Thanks for sharing ?
This was the easiest, spot on recipe!! So very delicious! My family absolutely loved it!
Just made this!. YUMMY! I had to add extra broth to thin it out. I used dried thyme and added basil. I felt like it was missing something and basil did it. l will make this again.
Hello, Alyssa. I wanted to thank you for sharing this recipe. I love this soup but I hate the chicken Olive Garden uses. I’m not crazy about the texture. I gave some of it to my co workers and they loved it. One even saIf it is better than Olive Garden themselves.
YAY! That is great! I am SO happy that you loved it! Thanks for sharing! XOXO
Am sure that they use turkey or hens that don’t produce eggs anymore , it seemed to me just makes more cents for their bottom line ! Not surprised bean counters look for a cheaper protein alternatives ! Loved the soup regardless and both times I had it @ Olive Garden I would think of what and how they made it , thanks for helping with recipe will try it tomorow ,making chicken stock from scratch
Made this last night, made gnocchi from scratch pan fried chicken after drudging etc… Butter and olive oil like you would for chicken piccata . ommited the thyme came out awesome!
That is awesome you made it your own. I am so happy for you! Thanks so much for sharing! XOXO
made the Chicken Gnocchi. Not crazy about using thyme. It was ok but will leave the thyme out. I would use a different spice. Thyme is too strong for our taste
what’s “half and half”
Half milk/half cream, it is in the dairy section.
If you’re Canadian like myself, it’s called Blend here ?
I can’t get gnocchi at the store in my tiny town. Could i just use tortilini instead? And is there anything i should do different?
I have never tried it with tortellini. You will have to let me know how it works! You may need to add it at the very end since it is more tender than gnocchi. Hope that helps and it is yummy!! XOXO
Giant shell macaroni is good in this recipe. You need to increase broth ingredients when you do. The shells fill up with the broth.
Do you need to cook the Gnocchi before you add it to the soup?
No, the Gnocchi will cook towards the end of the recipe. Hope that helps! XOXO
I made the Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup— and I didn’t change much… more broth and chicken stock- but it was hands down one of the best soup recipes I’ve made. I’m home sick today and I can’t wait to make this soup. It’s comforting.
That is awesome to hear! I do love this soup and it is simple to make at home! Thanks for sharing! XOXO
This is very delicious soup!!!!!! Never had the olive garden one but im sure this one is better.
AWE! Thank you SO much! I am so glad that you loved it! XOXO
I made this tonight, I doubled the recipe and only used a dash of dried thyme after reading reviews. It was delicious and perfect! Just like Olive Garden’s. I am adding this to my fall soup collection.
THAT IS FANTASTIC!! I am so glad you loved it! It is one of my favorite soups! Thanks so much for sharing! XOXO
I am not usually one to say bad things about anyone else’s cooking but I am compelled to this time..I am sorry. I LOVE the soup at Olive Garden so I ran out and got all the stuff for this recipe immediately and made it just as the recipe above said. And unless you LOVE LOVE LOVE Thyme you will hate this soup. One tablespoon was over the top. ALL I could taste was the Thyme. Plus the carrots and the celery were crunchy. I THINK that the celery should be cooked alone for a while THEN add the carrots and onions and cook them til the onions are clear. THEN follow the recipe EXCEPT only add a sprinkle of Thyme..you can always add more if you want but you cant take it back out once it is in. Otherwise I think this recipe is spot on and will be awesome.
This was a great recipe, thank you for sharing! I used everything that it called for but used frozen carrots and I used 32oz of chicken broth. I also added a little chicken bouillon and it was much better. It was still creamy even after adding so much liquid.
That is AWESOME!! I am so happy it turned out and your could make it your own! Thanks for sharing! XOXO
I made this soup for dinner tonight and it was amazing. The only change I made was to skip the celery as it’s not a family favorite. It was creamy & filling and the first time I’ve ever had gnocchi. 🙂 Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. I will be making it again.
Your first time?!? I feel privileged to have you try this recipe first! I am so happy you all liked it! Thank you so much for sharing! XOXO