Our Best Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe (An Olive Garden Inspired Classic)

Are you yearning for a bowl of soup that soothes the soul and warms you right through? Something substantial enough to be a meal in itself, yet wonderfully indulgent? We completely understand. There are moments when only a deeply flavourful, creamy soup will do, particularly one that evokes fond memories of a favourite restaurant dish. It’s for this very reason that we have poured our hearts into perfecting this #ChickenGnocchiSoup. It’s truly the perfect remedy for any comfort food craving.

Our recipe is a heartfelt tribute to the beloved Olive Garden version. We’ve successfully recreated the signature velvety consistency and rich, savoury notes, all while giving you the joy of preparing it in your own home. This brilliant one-pot meal combines succulent chicken, fluffy potato gnocchi, and fresh vegetables in a broth so luscious, you’ll be tempted to savour every last drop. There’s no need for a takeaway when you can create this masterpiece yourself. For those who adore creamy, satisfying meals, our Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe offers a similarly comforting experience.

Why You’ll Adore This Recipe

• Restaurant-Quality at Home: We genuinely believe our homemade version surpasses the original. You have complete control over the freshness of the ingredients and the seasoning, and you can enjoy it steaming hot from the pot. It’s also much more economical!
• On the Table in Under 45 Minutes: This soup comes together with surprising speed and ease. From the first chop to the final simmer, you can serve up a meal of exceptional quality in well under an hour, making it ideal for a special weeknight dinner.
• Wonderfully Creamy & Hearty: The blend of rich chicken broth and double cream results in a beautifully smooth and decadent base. The addition of gnocchi and chicken transforms it into a properly filling dish that truly defines #ComfortFood.
• Made with Simple Staples: You won’t need to search for any obscure ingredients. Everything required for this recipe, from the vegetables to the gnocchi, is readily available at your local grocery shop.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 500g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into small pieces
• 60g plain flour
• 1.5 litres chicken broth (good quality)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 500g potato gnocchi (shelf-stable or fresh)
• 250ml double cream
• 150g fresh spinach
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

How to Prepare Our Olive Garden Inspired Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Making this delightful #CopycatRecipe is wonderfully simple. We have outlined the entire method in easy-to-follow stages. Find your largest saucepan or Dutch oven, and let us begin!

Step 1: Build the Flavour Base

Every fantastic soup begins with a ‘mirepoix’ – that timeless trio of onion, celery, and carrot. This combination creates a rich, aromatic foundation that gives the soup its wonderful depth of flavour.

1. In a large, heavy-based pot or a Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over a medium heat.
2. Tip in the chopped onion, celery, and shredded carrots. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring now and then, until all the vegetables are tender and the onion looks glassy.
3. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook for one more minute until you can smell its lovely aroma. Take care that it doesn’t brown.

Step 2: Add the Chicken and Make the Roux

Next, we will cook the chicken and form a ‘roux’. This simple flour-and-fat paste is the key to achieving a beautifully thick and creamy soup without any thinness.

1. Place the diced chicken into the pot and cook until it’s pale golden on all sides. It doesn’t need to be fully cooked yet, as it will continue to cook later in the broth.
2. Scatter the plain flour over the contents of the pot. Keep stirring for one minute to cook the flour, which removes any raw taste. This will coat all the ingredients and act as our thickening agent.

Step 3: Create the Soup Broth

Here is where the soup truly comes to life. By incorporating the broth slowly, we ensure a silky, smooth texture free of any lumps. A little patience goes a long way!

1. Carefully pour in around 250ml (one cup) of chicken broth, mixing continuously until the flour has fully dissolved. Be sure to scrape up any flavourful pieces stuck to the bottom of the pot.
2. When the base is smooth, gradually whisk in the rest of the chicken broth. Pop in the dried thyme and the bay leaf.
3. Bring the soup to a low simmer before turning the heat down. Cover with a lid and leave it to cook gently for 15 minutes, allowing all the lovely flavours to mingle.

Step 4: Finish with Gnocchi, Cream, and Spinach

Now it is time to introduce the main event! The gnocchi will cook right in the soup, soaking up all that delicious flavour and becoming wonderfully soft and pillowy.

1. Take out the bay leaf. Add the potato gnocchi to the simmering soup and stir. Let them cook for 3–5 minutes, or just until they begin to bob on the surface. They cook fast, so watch them closely.
2. Turn the heat down to the very lowest setting. Gently pour in the double cream, stirring until it is completely blended. It’s important not to let the soup boil once the cream is in, as this could make it separate.
3. Add the fresh spinach in batches, stirring softly until it has wilted down into the soup. This will only take a minute or so.
4. Season to your liking with plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve straight away, finished with a little grated Parmesan, if desired.

Our Top Tips for the Perfect Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe

To help you achieve flawless results with every attempt, we’ve compiled some of our best advice. These simple pointers will elevate your #SoupRecipe from merely good to truly spectacular.

• Watch the Gnocchi Carefully: Potato gnocchi needs very little time to cook. As soon as they rise to the surface, they are ready. If they are cooked for too long, they can become unpleasantly soft. While store-bought gnocchi are wonderfully convenient, for a truly special touch, you might try to make your own from scratch.
• A Time-Saving Chicken Shortcut: When time is tight, a shop-bought rotisserie chicken is a fantastic helper. Just shred the meat (you’ll need about 500g) and stir it into the soup at the same time as the gnocchi.
• Grate the Carrots: Although dicing the carrots works fine, we prefer to grate them. This helps them to cook more quickly and ensures their natural sweetness is spread evenly through every spoonful of soup.
• Temper Your Cream: To ensure the cream mixes in smoothly without splitting, it’s a good idea to ‘temper’ it first. Simply add a ladleful of the hot soup into your cream, give it a quick stir, and then pour this warmed cream mixture back into the main pot.

Recipe Variations and Ingredient Swaps

One of our favourite aspects of this recipe is how adaptable it is. You can easily tweak it to match your preferences or use up ingredients you already have on hand.

• Boost the Vegetables: Don’t hesitate to throw in some sliced mushrooms, use kale in place of spinach, or add a handful of frozen peas for more goodness.
• Add a Little Heat: For a gentle warmth, add a pinch of dried chilli flakes at the same time as the garlic.
• Experiment with Herbs: A sprig of fresh rosemary added during the simmer imparts a lovely woody aroma, while some chopped fresh parsley stirred in at the end adds a vibrant freshness.
• Try a Different Protein: Chicken is the classic choice, but this soup is also exceptionally tasty with cooked and crumbled Italian-style sausage.
• For a Lighter Meal: If you fancy a hearty meal with fewer carbohydrates, we think you’ll love our comforting Low Carb Chicken Casserole.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Ultimate Bowl of Comfort

And there you have it – a wonderfully straightforward yet impressive Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe that truly ticks all the boxes. It is rich, satisfying, and filled with complex, savoury notes that will have your family and friends requesting another serving. This isn’t just food; it’s a warm embrace in a bowl, ideal for cool evenings, hectic weeknights, or whenever you feel the need for some delicious reassurance.

We are genuinely thrilled for you to give this recipe a go and put your own spin on it. It has quickly become a cherished staple in our home, and we are sure it will in yours as well. All that’s left is to assemble your ingredients, follow our simple guide, and get ready for a deeply satisfying meal.

Have you tried making our soup? We are always eager to hear about your experience! Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment and a rating below. We wish you happy cooking!

Recipe Card

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 500g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
• 500g potato gnocchi
• 1.5 litres chicken broth
• 250ml double cream
• 150g fresh spinach
• 1 medium onion, 2 celery stalks, 2 carrots
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 60g plain flour & 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried thyme & 1 bay leaf

Instructions

1. In a large pot, sauté onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil until soft. Add garlic, then stir in the chicken and cook until lightly browned. Sprinkle over the flour and cook for one minute.
2. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Remove the bay leaf. Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the surface (3-5 minutes). Reduce heat, then stir in the double cream and spinach until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: —, Carbs: — g, Protein: — g, Fat: — g