Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
A cozy one-pot comfort soup that’s rich, hearty, and ready in under an hour.
KEY INFO
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Dietary: Contains gluten, dairy
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
- Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Alternative: Slow cooker for hands-off cooking
INGREDIENTS
Base Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter (30ml)
- 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 medium carrots, sliced (about 1½ cups)
- 2 celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ pounds boneless chicken breasts (680g)
- 1 pound potato gnocchi (450g)
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (1.4L)
For the Cream Base
- 3 tablespoons butter (45g)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (30g)
- 2 cups heavy cream (480ml)
- Substitute: half-and-half for a lighter version
Seasonings
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
METHOD
- Heat Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil.
- Sauté vegetables until softened (5-7 minutes):
- Add onion, carrots, celery
- Add garlic in the last minute
- Add chicken and cook until golden (6-8 minutes per side). Remove and shred when done.
- Make roux:
- Melt butter
- Whisk in flour
- Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly
- Build soup base:
- Slowly whisk in broth
- Add cream
- Bring to a gentle simmer
- Add remaining ingredients:
- Return shredded chicken
- Add gnocchi
- Cook 3-5 minutes until gnocchi floats
- Finish soup:
- Stir in spinach until wilted
- Add parmesan
- Season to taste
CRUCIAL TIPS
- Don’t boil after adding cream – gentle simmer only
- Add gnocchi just before serving to prevent them from getting mushy
- Shred chicken while still warm for easier pulling
Storage
- Keeps 3-4 days refrigerated
- Store gnocchi separately if not eating immediately
- Freezes well without gnocchi for up to 3 months
Common Mistakes
- Boiling cream (causes curdling)
- Overcooking gnocchi (turns mushy)
- Not seasoning adequately
Variations
- Use rotisserie chicken for quicker prep
- Add mushrooms for extra umami
- Substitute kale for spinach
- Make gluten-free using GF gnocchi and flour
