One-Pot Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Better Than Olive Garden)

Creamy vegetable soup in a large pot, filled with sliced carrots, spinach, mushrooms, and herbs, garnished with black pepper and red pepper flakes.

One-Pot Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Better Than Olive Garden)

This creamy chicken gnocchi soup is a one-pot dinner with golden seared chicken, soft potato gnocchi, cremini mushrooms, fresh thyme and rosemary, and a silky Parmesan broth. I love it for chilly evenings because it's hearty, cozy, and ready in about 45 minutes, with just one pot to wash. Make it in the Dutch oven on the stovetop, in an Instant Pot, or in a Slow Cooker.

Course Soup

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword chicken gnocchi soup, creamy chicken gnocchi soup, Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 580kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon paprika
1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil divided
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 medium onion diced
3 medium carrots sliced
3 ribs celery sliced
8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 Parmesan rind
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb potato gnocchi
2 cups fresh spinach loosely packed, chopped
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
fresh basil optional garnish
fresh thyme leaves optional garnish
red pepper flakes optional garnish
cracked black pepper optional garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. Season with paprika, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden. It should not be cooked through yet. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the butter to the same pot. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 6-8 minutes, until softened.
Add the mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture and start to brown. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, to cook out the raw flour flavor.
Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring, scraping up any browned bits. Add the bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Return the seared chicken to the pot. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) and the broth is flavorful.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks. Remove and discard the bay leaf and Parmesan rind.
Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir in the heavy cream and gnocchi. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the gnocchi floats (see notes). Add the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes, just until wilted.
Turn off the heat. Stir in the shredded Parmesan. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh basil, thyme leaves, red pepper flakes, and cracked black pepper. Serve hot.

Notes

Chicken thighs or rotisserie chicken: Boneless, skinless thighs can replace the breasts (simmer for 20-25 minutes). For rotisserie chicken, just add about 4 cups of shredded chicken with the cream.
Tortellini instead of gnocchi: Swap in 16-20 oz of cheese tortellini and cook according to the package directions, just like in my chicken tortellini soup.
Parmesan rind. I highly recommend using one. It simmers in the broth and adds rich flavor. Remove it before adding the cream. No rind? Stir in an extra ¼ cup grated Parmesan at the end.
Gnocchi timing. Shelf-stable, fresh, or refrigerated potato gnocchi cooks very quickly, about 2 to 3 minutes, until it floats. Frozen gnocchi takes a little longer, roughly 4 to 5 minutes.
Salt. The Parmesan rind and cheese add saltiness, so low-sodium broth gives you the most control. Season at the end.
Dairy-free: Use olive oil instead of butter, canned unsweetened coconut milk instead of heavy cream, and skip the Parmesan rind and cheese.
Gluten-free: Use gluten-free gnocchi and a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour.
You will need these supplies: large soup pot or Dutch oven, cutting board, knife, tongs, wooden spoon, two forks, ladle, instant-read thermometer.

How to Make Chicken Gnocchi Soup in a Slow Cooker

In a large skillet, sear the seasoned chicken, then sauté the vegetables, mushrooms, garlic, herbs, and flour. Deglaze with 1 cup broth, then transfer everything to the slow cooker.
Slow cook: Add 3 more cups of broth, the bay leaf, and the rind. Cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours.
Shred the chicken and discard the rind and bay leaf.
Stir in the cream and gnocchi and cook on HIGH for 10-15 minutes, until the gnocchi float. Stir in the spinach and Parmesan.

How to Make Chicken Gnocchi Soup in an Instant Pot

On Sauté, sear the seasoned chicken, then cook the vegetables, mushrooms, garlic, herbs, and flour. Add the broth (scrape the bottom well to prevent a burn warning), bay leaf, rind, and chicken.
Pressure cook on HIGH for 8 minutes with a 10-minute natural release. Shred the chicken and discard the rind and bay leaf.
On Sauté, simmer the cream and gnocchi until the gnocchi float. Stir in the spinach and Parmesan.

Storage Tips

Refrigerating & Reheating: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The gnocchi soaks up broth as it sits, so add a splash of broth when reheating over low heat.
Make Ahead & Freeze: For make-ahead prep or freezing, prepare the soup through the step where the chicken is fully cooked, shredded, and returned to the pot. Remove the bay leaf and Parmesan rind, then freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, thaw, reheat on the stovetop, and add the cream, gnocchi, and spinach as directed.

Nutrition