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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
We really enjoy this soup. It does get very thick so I usually add extra broth.
My son has Celiac Disease. Can I use gluten free flour like “cup for cup” or would a corn starch slurry be better?
Yes, gluten free flour will work great for this recipe.
I made this with a healthy pinch of red pepper flakes and oh my god it took the flavor up a notch. Perfect for those days where you feel a sickness coming on, it really complements the thyme. Thank you for posting this!
I try to make this WW friendly; I use Fat-free canned milk. Double the veg. And use chicken breast thAt I poach in chicken broth. It’s delicious!
This is honestly so much better than Olive Garden and I love Olive Garden’s
Will this recipe taste the same without celery? Could I use celery salt instead?
Omitting the celery varies the taste just a little but still tastes good. If you use celery salt, but sure to taste it before adding salt. Celery seed is another option, but just an 1/8-1/4 tsp or a good shake should do the trick.
I have added nutmeg to this recipe…I had read somewhere that was the spice that OG uses on this soup.
I dunno…but man oh man it does make it extra awesome.
Is it better to use salted or unsalted butter?
Hi Katie!
Thanks for the great question. I would prefer to use unsalted butter that way you can add salt to your taste. Hope that you like the recipe! Thanks for following along with me!!
Wow. This recipe is AMAZING. 🙂
I doubled all of the ingredients because my husband and I are greedy lol. He gave it 10/10 and told me I have to make it again at least once a month. He loved how thick the soup was too. This soup definitely sticks to your gut. Do you all serve this with any sides like a roll/salad or do you just eat the soup plain? Thanks for sharing this with us!!!
A salad works well with this or asparagus. Rolls or breadsticks are fun to dip in the soup. So glad that you and your husband both enjoyed. Thank you for sharing!
What Is the total volume of all the soup? I have a 4 quart pot and am wondering if I could possibly double the recipe in it?
For this recipe you can half it to stay in a 4 quart pot. If not, it should be in about a 6 quart pot. You can always leave out the remainder if needed.
I made this today… didn’t have cream or half n half, but I did have Carnation almond milk for cooking. Worked great. I used an entire bag of baby spinach ♥️. The soup came out great. I’ve made it before, and I’ll make it again. I also get gnocchi at the Dollar Tree.
OH Wow! I never would have thought that Dollar Tree had gnocchi! That is great to know. Thank you so much for sharing!
Great Recipe…..thank you so much!!!!???
Ok I just came from Olive Garden and had this soup which was absolutely the best thing I have ever eaten , so now I want to make it at home. This seems like the best recipe. I will update you with how it came out. Thanks so much.
Theresa, how did it come out? I love this soup at Olive Garden and I’m going to grocery store to get ingredients to make it.
Does anyone know the nutrition facts for this recipe? I am so excited to try it, everyone keeps saying it is better than Olive Garden’s…which is delicious.
I like to use skinny taste.com or myfitnesspal.com for any nutritional information. Hope that helps you find what you are looking for.
I’ve made this recipe several times and I love it. Instead of using just thyme, I use Italian seasoning. I omit celery altogether because I can’t tell a difference with or without it. I use shredded chicken instead of diced. Also it was good without it, but I tried adding half a block of cream cheese the last time I made it to make it a touch richer and it was amazing. Thanks for a recipe I will be using forever!
I made this not to long ago with this recipe and it came out so good! The second time i made it I decided to make it and habe some of my partners family members come over and have them eat it. They also really enjoyed it because it was so delicious, I would 10/10 recommend for you to try this!!