Creamy broth, pillowy potato gnocchi, tender chicken, and fresh spinach: this Homemade Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup captures everything people love about the restaurant favorite, and you can make it in about 45 minutes in one pot. The soup gets its silky body from a simple butter-and-flour roux and a generous pour of half-and-half, and it tastes even better the next day. Serve it with warm breadsticks for a cozy dinner that feeds a crowd. This is an independent home version and is not affiliated with Olive Garden. While you are at it, try my Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce for another copycat classic.
Table of Contents
Why This Chicken Gnocchi Soup Works
- A classic roux base: cooking butter and flour together thickens the soup without cornstarch and gives it a velvety texture.
- Ready in 45 minutes: using store-bought gnocchi and rotisserie chicken keeps the prep short.
- Balanced richness: broth cuts the half-and-half so the soup is creamy without being heavy.
- Great for leftovers: it thickens as it sits and reheats well.
Gnocchi are small Italian dumplings, usually made from potato, flour, and egg. Shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi cook in just a few minutes and soften into tender bites that soak up the creamy broth.
Ingredients for Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 cups (28 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup finely shredded carrots
- 2 cups cooked, shredded or diced chicken (rotisserie works well)
- 1 package (16 ounces) potato gnocchi
- 3 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
How to Make Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Step 1: Saute the Vegetables
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Step 2: Make the Roux
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, until it smells lightly nutty and there are no dry spots.
Step 3: Add the Broth
Pour in the broth slowly, about 1/2 cup at a time, whisking after each addition so no lumps form. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
Step 4: Add the Cream and Seasonings
Reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk in the half-and-half, thyme, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Warm the soup gently for 5 minutes and do not let it come to a hard boil. Stir in the carrots and chicken.
Step 5: Cook the Gnocchi
Add the gnocchi and simmer gently for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until they float and are tender. Refrigerated gnocchi usually take 2 to 4 minutes, and shelf-stable ones 4 to 6, so follow the package.
Step 6: Wilt the Spinach and Serve
Stir in the spinach and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until wilted. Taste and add salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan.
How to Serve Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Serve the soup hot with garlic breadsticks or crusty bread for dipping. My Quick and Easy Sheet Pan Breadsticks are a perfect partner. A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette balances the richness. Sprinkle each bowl with Parmesan and cracked black pepper, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat. For another creamy chicken comfort dish, see my Creamy Chicken Gnocchi.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Cool the soup and refrigerate it in an airtight container within 2 hours. The USDA recommends eating refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days. The gnocchi absorb liquid and the soup thickens as it chills, so reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring in a splash of broth or milk until it loosens. Reheat until steaming hot. Cream-based soups with gnocchi do not freeze well, since the texture becomes grainy, so plan to enjoy it fresh or from the refrigerator.
Tips and Variations
- Add the broth slowly. Pouring it all at once before the flour is absorbed is what creates lumps.
- Do not boil hard after adding the half-and-half. High heat can make dairy separate.
- Use low-sodium broth so you can control the salt.
- Stir in the spinach at the end, and if you plan on leftovers, add it only when reheating so it stays green.
- For a richer soup, swap 1 cup of the half-and-half for heavy cream. For a lighter soup, use 2% milk for part of it and expect a thinner result.
- No cooked chicken? Simmer 1 pound of boneless chicken breasts in the broth for about 15 minutes, shred them, and return them to the pot.
- A splash of dry white wine after the flour adds depth.
- Do not overcook the gnocchi, which turn mushy quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen gnocchi?
Yes. Add them straight from the freezer and cook until they float and are tender, usually 5 to 7 minutes.
Why is my soup thin?
The roux may not have cooked long enough, or the soup was not simmered. Let it simmer gently for a few more minutes, since it also thickens as it sits.
Can I make the soup dairy-free?
Yes. Use plant-based butter and a full-fat, unsweetened oat or coconut cream in place of half-and-half, and expect a different flavor.
Can I make it in the slow cooker?
Yes. Saute the vegetables and roux on the stove, then cook with the broth and chicken on low for 4 hours, adding the half-and-half, gnocchi, and spinach in the last 20 to 30 minutes.
What can I substitute for half-and-half?
Heavy cream thinned with a little milk works, or use whole milk for a lighter soup. Adjust the flour if you want it thicker.
Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced About 1 cup.
- ½ cup celery, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth 28 ounces.
- 3 cups half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg Optional.
- ½ teaspoon salt Plus more to taste.
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup carrots, finely shredded
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced Rotisserie works well.
- 16 ounces potato gnocchi
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach, loosely packed
- grated Parmesan cheese Optional, for serving.
Instructions
Cooking
- Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and celery 5 to 6 minutes until soft. Add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly 1 to 2 minutes until lightly nutty.
- Slowly pour in the broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, whisking after each addition. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk in the half-and-half, thyme, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Warm gently 5 minutes without boiling hard. Stir in the carrots and chicken.
- Add the gnocchi and simmer gently 4 to 6 minutes until they float and are tender (follow package timing).
- Stir in the spinach for 1 to 2 minutes until wilted. Season with salt, ladle into bowls, and top with Parmesan.
