Chicken Gnocchi Soup
on Jan 17, 2024, Updated Mar 07, 2024
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This thick and creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup is made by cooking onions, carrots, celery, gnocchi, and shredded chicken in a hearty and salty chicken broth. This soup is the ultimate comfort food and is sure to be a crowd pleaser!
There is nothing better than a bowl of warm, rich, and thick soup during the cold winter months! Chicken gnocchi soup is one of my favorite go-to meals because it is quick to put together and is bursting with herbaceous Italian flavor. Each bite is the perfect combination of smooth and creamy broth, tender vegetables, and chewy gnocchi.
This soup has the look and taste of a gourmet dish, yet it is super simple to make in your own home! All the ingredients are cooked together in one pot for an easy weeknight dinner. This soup has something that everyone will love; pair it with some easy homemade breadsticks and you’ll have a dinner that your family will rave about!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Has a rich and creamy texture!
- Makes enough to feed a larger family or have leftovers.
- Is a quick one-pot, 30-minute dinner.
- Can be served on its own or paired with your favorite Italian-inspired side dishes.
Recipe Ingredients
- Shredded Chicken—You can use freshly baked chicken breast or leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Gnocchi—This potato-based pasta adds a nice bouncy texture to this soup.
- Shredded Carrots—Provide nutrients and build flavor.
- Celery—Diced. Adds a nice crunch and savory note!
- White Onion—For a nice aroma and depth of flavor.
- Chicken Broth—Acts as the smooth and savory base for this hearty soup. You can use low sodium if you prefer.
- Heavy Cream—Makes your finished soup creamy and rich.
- Italian Seasoning—Gives this chicken gnocchi soup that classic herby flavor.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Popular Substitutions and Variations
- Not a big fan of chicken? You can make this gnocchi soup with other types of meat! Try Italian sausage, shredded turkey, or meatballs.
- To make this recipe vegetarian, you can omit the chicken or use tofu instead. And don’t forget to use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth!
- Change the flavor profile by making this soup spicy! Add heat with some red pepper flakes or a bit of cayenne pepper.
- For more nutrients and additional flavor, you can add more vegetables. Try adding spinach, tomatoes, green beans, or peas.
How to Make the Best Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Step #1. In a large pot, sauté the white onion, celery, and Italian seasoning in a bit of olive oil.
Step #2. Once the vegetables have softened, add the chicken broth, chicken, and gnocchi.
Step #3. Cover and allow the mixture to simmer until the gnocchi is soft and chewy.
Step #4. Add the heavy cream and allow the soup to continue simmering until slightly thickened. Serve warm and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
No, it is not necessary to cook the gnocchi before adding it to the soup! As the pasta simmers in the broth, it will cook all the way through. Plus, the gnocchi will absorb some extra yummy flavors as it cooks with the other ingredients.
Gnocchi should be soft with a smooth and delicate texture. When they are done cooking the gnocchi will typically float to the top of the soup. You can also keep an eye on it, when it looks puffy and you can poke it all the way through with a fork, then it is done!
Your soup will naturally thicken the longer it simmers! If you find that your simmered soup is still too runny for your taste, you can ladle a small amount of soup into a separate bowl and mix in a tablespoon of cornstarch or flour. Then you can incorporate this slurry back into your soup. This will thicken up your chicken gnocchi soup quickly!
Expert Tips
- You can typically find gnocchi on the pasta aisle at your local grocery store. If you like to make your own gnocchi, you’ll want to make sure you have about 2-3 cups for this recipe.
- If your store doesn’t sell bags of shredded carrots, you can dice 2 medium carrots instead.
- Be sure to cook the chicken on a low simmer! If the chicken is boiled too vigorously, it will become tough and chewy.
- You can swap out the white onion for a yellow onion if that’s what you have on hand. A yellow onion will give your finished soup a slightly sweeter flavor profile.
How to Serve and Store Gnocchi Soup
This chicken gnocchi soup tastes amazing topped with some black pepper, chopped basil, or freshly grated parmesan cheese. It is a hearty enough soup that it can be served as a main dish with homemade Italian bread or a fresh side salad like this simple salad with beets.
Any leftover gnocchi soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat your soup in the microwave a single serving at a time. Reheat in 30-second intervals, stirring after each one, until the soup is warm throughout. I don’t recommend storing this soup in the freezer as the heavy cream will have an odd texture once it thaws.
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Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 1/2 cups shredded chicken
- 1 16 ounce package gnocchi
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Drizzle a little bit of vegetable or olive oil in a large pot. In the pot, stir together the onion, celery, shredded chicken, and Italian seasoning.
- Allow the veggies to cook for a few minutes over medium heat. After about 5 minutes, add the broth, chicken, and gnocchi. Bring the broth to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid and allow the soup to simmer for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, add the heavy cream and allow the soup to cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You can typically find gnocchi on the pasta isle at your local grocery store. If you like to make your own gnocchi you’ll want to make sure you have about 2-3 cups for this recipe.
- This soup is great topped with some black pepper, chopped basil, or freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- If your store doesn’t sale bags of shredded carrots, feel free to grab 2 medium sized carrots and dice them instead.
- Your leftover gnocchi soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat your soup in the microwave. Reheat a single serving on 30-second intervals, stirring after each one, until the soup is warm all the way through.
- I don’t recommend storing this soup in the freezer as the heavy cream will have a funky aftertaste once it thaws.
- You can switch out the white onion for a yellow onion. A yellow onion will give the soup a slightly sweeter taste.
