Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Olive Garden is a cozy stovetop soup loaded with tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, and spinach in a rich, creamy broth that tastes like the restaurant favorite and comes together fast on a weeknight.
Table of Contents
Why this soup
- It delivers silky texture from a light cream base while keeping flavors bright with carrots, celery, garlic, and a hint of thyme for balance.
- Store bought gnocchi and rotisserie chicken make prep quick without sacrificing that comforting restaurant style finish.
Ingredients
- Olive oil, unsalted butter
- Yellow onion, carrots, celery, minced garlic
- All purpose flour
- Low sodium chicken broth
- Half and half or whole milk with a splash of cream
- Potato gnocchi
- Cooked shredded chicken
- Fresh spinach
- Dried thyme, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper
- Optional: red pepper flakes, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley.
How To Make Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Olive Garden
- Sauté aromatics: In a heavy pot, warm olive oil and butter, then soften onion, carrots, and celery 6 to 8 minutes; add garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Build the base: Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir 1 minute to make a blond roux; slowly whisk in broth until smooth with no lumps.
- Simmer: Add seasonings and bring to a gentle simmer 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened and vegetables are tender.
- Finish with comfort: Stir in half and half, gnocchi, and chicken; simmer 3 to 4 minutes until gnocchi float and are tender; fold in spinach to wilt 1 minute.
- Taste and serve: Adjust salt and pepper, ladle into bowls, and top with Parmesan and parsley if desired.
Pro tips
- Use shelf stable or refrigerated gnocchi and cook directly in the soup to thicken naturally with starch, no heavy cream overload needed.
- For extra silky texture, swap half the milk for evaporated milk, which resists curdling in hot soups and keeps a creamy mouthfeel.
- Rotisserie chicken saves time; diced cooked chicken breast or leftover roast chicken also work perfectly.
Make it friendly for all
- Gluten sensitive swap: Use a 1:1 gluten free flour for the roux and confirm the gnocchi is gluten free if needed.
- Dairy light option: Use whole milk only and add a cornstarch slurry near the end for body; finish with a small knob of butter for richness.
- Flavor boost: A splash of lemon at the end brightens the cream base, and a pinch of nutmeg complements the dairy beautifully.
Storage and reheating
- Store in airtight containers up to 3 days; the gnocchi continue to thicken the broth, so thin with broth or milk when reheating gently over low heat.
- Freeze without gnocchi for best texture, then add fresh gnocchi when reheating on the stovetop
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Olive Garden
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Olive Garden is a cozy stovetop soup loaded with tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, and spinach in a rich, creamy broth that tastes like the restaurant favorite and comes together fast on a weeknight.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Sauté aromatics: In a heavy pot, warm olive oil and butter, then soften onion, carrots, and celery for 6 to 8 minutes; add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Build the base: Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir 1 minute to make a blond roux; slowly whisk in chicken broth until smooth with no lumps.
- Simmer: Add dried thyme, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; bring to a gentle simmer 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened and vegetables are tender.
- Finish with comfort: Stir in half and half, gnocchi, and shredded chicken; simmer 3 to 4 minutes until gnocchi float and are tender; fold in spinach to wilt 1 minute.
- Taste and serve: Adjust salt and pepper, ladle into bowls, and top with Parmesan, parsley, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired.
Notes
Use shelf-stable or refrigerated gnocchi and cook directly in the soup to naturally thicken with starch without heavy cream. For extra silky texture, swap half the milk for evaporated milk to resist curdling. Rotisserie chicken saves time; leftover roast chicken also works. Gluten sensitive: use 1:1 gluten-free flour and confirm the gnocchi is gluten-free. Dairy-light: use whole milk and add a cornstarch slurry near the end; finish with a small knob of butter. Flavor boost: a splash of lemon at the end brightens the cream base, and a pinch of nutmeg complements the dairy. Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days; thin with broth or milk when reheating gently. Freeze without gnocchi, then add fresh gnocchi when reheating on the stovetop.
