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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
This is a fine recipe and makes a delicious soup. The flour is totally unnecessary though because the gnocchi expel so much starch into the soup. I skipped it and it was a lovely consistency. Soup should be flowing, not gloppy and thick. It also made it easy to reheat the next day as it will get thicker overnight anyways.
One thing that is never written to do in all the kopykat variations of this soup is cutting the gnocchi in half before adding them to the pot. It is very necessary if you want the soup to be like Olive Garden’s, and also want a soup–and not a stew. The gnocchi at the restaurant are SMALL. They are not the full-sized pastas that are sold in grocery stores. It seems like a long chore, but line a few up at a time in a row and it goes very quickly. They are much nicer to eat on the soup, and much closer to the restaurant version.
We looked this recipe up while out shopping. Never made it before. We LOVE it!! Fast, easy and delicious!! Without a doubt a go to anytime!! You won’t be disappointed. ♥️ Thank you so much!
This is a staple in my home now! Thank you for a wonderful recipe! I use Italian seasoning, chopped parsley, and basil to broaden the flavor, as we’re not huge fans of thyme on its own, but other than that, the recipe is superb on its own! I make it at least once a week, and using rotisserie makes life so much easier. LOL! Thanks!
Should you cook the chicken before adding it to the recipe? If so, how should you cook it?
Yes, you will want to cook the chicken ahead of time. This is a fall favorite! Enjoy! XOXO
So mine ended up as a pasta basically. There wasn’t nearly enough liquid to make this a soup when I made it. What did I do wrong?
The same thing happened for me.. I’d leave out the flour because the gnocchi are starchy, but to fix I turned off the heat and added about 1/2 cup more half and half.. it thins it right out and still tastes amazing! You may need more seasoning though.
This sounds amazing! However, I’m gluten and dairy intolerant, so what can I substitute for the butter, half & half, and flour? Any suggestions? Thanks! 🙂
I ate this wonderful concoction at the Olive Garden and knew I had to add the recipe to my repertoire. So, thank you, thank you, thank you for offering this recipe on Pinterest. I made it today and it’s delicious! I did double it to have plenty around..
Can I us chicken stock instead of broth? Would it taste the same?
Yes, that sounds great! Enjoy!! XOXO
I made this last night, it was really tasty and incredibly easy to make. No fancy ingredients, quick and simple weeknight dinner. Rounded out with homemade bread.
YAY! That is perfection in our house! Thank you for sharing! I really appreciate it! XOXO
Do you think this soup can be frozen?
It can be but you will want to remove the Gnocchi before freezing or they will be mushy when reheating it.
I made this today. Its so much better then olive garden. I had a couple of modifications . I didn’t use the thyme, but used some season salt, added some chives and used chicken thigh meat. I cooked the knocci separate because as left over I didn’t want them to expand and use of the juices from the soup and get mushy. This also allowed for my picky eaters. I also made a pot of white rice, so some of the family used the rice which is really good too.
What is the serving size?
4 to 6 people
I live alone and like to make big batches of food and freeze some. How woud this soup freeze.
This soup is not the best to freeze but it can be done. You will want to freeze the gnocchi separate though or it will be a little mushy when heating it up.
I made this for the second time with a few modifications. I used two cans of Kirkland:s chicken breast and the broth that is with the chicken. I’m not a fan of thyme so I left that out. I thinned the broth with just a little water. I used 3 cups of whole milk and a cup of cream. Then I went skimpy on the salt. This made a delicious low sodium soup. Using water instead of most of the broth allowed the sweetness of the sautéed vegetables to shine through. Lower sodium cooking does not have to be bland!
Im a bit embarrassed to ask, cause im new to this, but what is the half and half thats mentioned??
No problem at all. Half and half is half milk and half cream. You can find it in the dairy section in the grocery store by the milk. Hope that helps! XOXO
Can I use homemade Gnocchi?
OH, that sounds delicious! Enjoy!