If you like chicken gnocchi soup from Olive Garden, you’ll love this easy homemade one-pot version! It’s creamy, satisfying, and packed with flavor, and it all comes together in just 30 minutes.
When it comes to easy weeknight meals, rotisserie chicken is the gift that keeps on giving.
Pick up a single chicken at Costco or your local grocery store and you can enjoy several days worth of meals, and even use the leftovers to make chicken stock. If you're looking for a new idea for using rotisserie chicken, add this chicken gnocchi soup to your meal plan!
Gnocchi is delightfully pillowy and unexpectedly delicious in a soup, and you'll love the creamy, savory broth, which is flavored with onion soup mix so you don't have to fuss with measuring out herbs and spices.
Between the veggies, gnocchi, and chicken, this is the kind of satisfying soup you can make a meal out of!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Olive oil
- Celery hearts
- Carrots
- Garlic – Feel free to add more if you like your soup extra garlicky.
- Potato gnocchi
- Onion soup mix
- Water – If you have it on hand, you can use chicken stock, but I don’t recommend using broth—you’ll end up with a salty soup.
- Rotisserie chicken – Remove the skin and shred the chicken with a fork.
- Half-and-half – Heavy cream can be used instead for a creamier soup.
- Fresh spinach – You can use baby arugula, if you prefer. It adds a nice peppery flavor!
- Fresh chives
How to Make Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Once you’ve gathered all of your ingredients, it’s time to get cooking! Here’s what you’ll need to do.
Cook the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot set over medium heat. Add the celery and sauté for 2 minutes, then add the carrots and cook until they’re softened, about 3 to 5 minutes more. Stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute, or until fragrant. Transfer the cooked veggies to a bowl or plate.
Cook the gnocchi. Return the pot to the stovetop and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the gnocchi and cook it until it's golden brown, stirring gently to keep the gnocchi from sticking. Transfer the gnocchi to a bowl or plate.
Simmer. Return the pot to the stovetop and add the chicken, vegetables, water, and soup mix. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Finish. Stir in the gnocchi and cook for 5 minutes. Next, stir in the half-and-half, spinach, and chives. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about a minute or two. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then garnish with additional spinach and chives.
Tips for Success
This chicken gnocchi soup is incredibly easy to make, but these tips will help make sure it turns out perfect:
- Take your time prepping the chicken. Remove all of the skin from the rotisserie chicken before shredding it, and be sure to remove all the bones too.
- Keep the gnocchi from sticking. If the veggies absorbed most or all of the olive oil in the pot, generously coat it with non-stick spray before adding the gnocchi.
- Don't have rotisserie chicken? You can use cooked and shredded chicken breast instead. It's a great way to use up leftovers!
Variations
Here are some ideas for changing things up and making this chicken gnocchi soup your own:
- For a vegetarian version of this soup, leave out the chicken and add mushrooms or cannellini beans.
- Make a chicken gnocchi soup/zuppa Toscana mashup and use sausage instead of the chicken and kale instead of the spinach.
- If you want a bit more of a kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when you add the garlic.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken gnocchi soup is hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but if you want to round it out, serve it with a side of crusty bread to sop up all that creamy sauce, or a simple green salad.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Leftover chicken gnocchi soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat it on the stove over low heat until it’s warmed through, or heat it in the microwave.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
Yes, you can freeze this soup. Let it cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stove over low heat. You may need to add a splash of water or milk to thin out the soup since it will thicken over time.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 celery hearts chopped
- 4 carrots chopped
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 16 oz potato gnocchi
- 1 packet onion soup mix
- 4 cups water
- 1 2 lbs rotisserie chicken skin removed and shredded - approximately 4 cups
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup fresh spinach roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh chives chopped
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add celery and sauté for 2 minutes. Add carrots and sauté for and additional 3-5 minutes until both are softened.
- Add garlic and sauté 1minute until fragrant. Remove celery, carrots and garlic and set aside.
- Using the same pot, on medium high heat, brown gnocchi until golden. If you do not have enough olive oil left in the pan to coat the bottom, spray with cooking spray. Stir gently to prevent gnocchi from sticking to pan. Remove and set aside.
- Add chicken, veggies, water and onion soup mix to pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Stir in gnocchi and cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir in half and half, chopped spinach and chives. Cook until spinach is tender, about another 1-2 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with more chopped chives and spinach.
Video
Notes
- Remove skin from rotisserie chicken before shredding, be sure to remove all bones For a creamier soup, you can use heavy cream instead of half and half.
- If your gnocchi sticks to the pan, use coat with non-stick spray If you don't spinach on hand, try baby arugula instead.
- Leftover chicken gnocchi soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat it on the stove over low heat until it’s warmed through, or heat it in the microwave.
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