Chicken and Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Copycat Recipe)

This soup, inspired by Olive Garden’s Chicken and Gnocchi soup, was a big hit at our house – I will definitely make it again. I served it with sliced whole-grain bread and it was very filling.

⏲️ Time needed

This quick and easy soup takes about 30 minutes.

🥘 Ingredients

• butter
• celery
• garlic cloves
• onion
• red bell pepper
• flour
• half and half
• milk
• chicken broth
• cooked chicken
• potato gnocchi
• fresh spinach
• thyme
• parsley
• Parmesan cheese

🌾 Adaptations for dietary restrictions

I enjoy a vegetarian version of this soup by substituting vegetable broth for the chicken broth and omitting the chicken.

📋 Instructions

Start the soup base by melting the butter in a large soup pan. Sauté onion, pepper, garlic, and celery in butter until the vegetables are translucent and tender. Add flour and stir until vegetables are coated with flour. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add the milk and half and half. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the mixture starts to thicken. Add chicken broth and again cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until mixture thickens to desired consistency (soup should be chowder-like in consistency).

Cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Add chicken, gnocchi, spinach, thyme, and parsley to the soup base and stir gently. When soup is heated through, serve with Parmesan cheese on top.

📖 Recipe

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

6 servings

Calories per Serving: 387

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Adjust quantity:

6 servings

Print Add to CollectionGo to Collections

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

This rich and creamy chicken and gnocchi soup is inspired by Olive Garden’s version. Served with a hearty bread for dipping, it’s a perfect cool weather meal.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup celery, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1-½ cups half and half
• 1-½ cups milk
• 28 oz chicken broth
• 1 cup cooked chicken, diced or shredded
• 1 pound potato gnocchi
• 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• ½ teaspoon parsley
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

Instructions

• Start the soup base by melting the butter in a large soup pan. Sauté onion, pepper, garlic, and celery in butter until transluscent and tender.
• Add flour and stir until vegetables are coated with flour. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Add milk and half and half. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until mixture starts to thicken.
• Add chicken broth and again cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until mixture thickens to desired consistency (soup should be chowder-like in consistency).
• Cook gnocchi according to package instructions and drain.
• Add chicken, gnocchi, spinach, thyme, and parsley to soup base and stir gently. When soup is heated through, serve with Parmesan cheese on top.

Notes

Vegetarian adaptation: I enjoy a vegetarian version of this soup by substituting vegetable broth for the chicken broth and omitting the chicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 19g | Sodium: 888mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Net Carbs: 37g

Pin Share

📌 Pin this recipe

🗂️ Use leftovers in these recipes