Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup (Copycat Recipe)
Inspired by Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup, this rich and creamy soup is a perfect cool weather meal. Serve garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and toasted garlic bread.
Servings per Recipe: 6 servings
Calories per Serving: 387
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Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup celery
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1½ cups half and half
- 1½ cups milk
- 28 ounces chicken broth
- 1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast
- 1 pound potato gnocchi
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Chop 1 cup fresh spinach and ½ cup celery, mince 2 garlic cloves, and dice 1 onion and 1 red bell pepper.
- Start the soup base by melting 4 tablespoons butter in a large soup pan. Sauté onion, pepper, garlic, and celery in butter until translucent and tender.
- Add 4 tablespoons flour and stir until vegetables are coated with flour. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add 1½ cups milk and 1½ cups half and half. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until mixture starts to thicken.
- Add 28 ounces chicken broth and again cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until mixture thickens to desired consistency (soup should be chowder-like in consistency).
- Cook 1 pound potato gnocchi according to package instructions and drain.
- Add 1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast, cooked gnocchi, spinach, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, and ½ teaspoon dried parsley to soup base and stir gently over low heat.
- When soup is heated through, salt and pepper to taste and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish.
Notes
Vegetarian adaptation: Substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth and omit the chicken.
Slow cooker version: Sauté the aromatics in a skillet until tender, add flour and stir for about one minute. Transfer to the slow cooker and add broth, chicken, thyme, and parsley. Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours. Add the milk and half & half to the slow cooker and continue cooking on low until heated through. Cook gnocchi as directed on package, then add to slow cooker. Stir gently, season with salt and pepper, and serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.
Instant Pot version: Sauté the aromatics on sauté mode until tender, then add flour and stir for about one minute. Add broth, chicken, thyme, and parsley. Seal and cook on manual pressure for 5 minutes. Natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then release pressure. Switch back to Sauté mode and add the milk and half & half and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until heated through. Turn to Keep Warm mode. Cook gnocchi as directed on package, then add to soup. Stir gently, season with salt and pepper, and serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 387cal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 19g | Sodium: 888mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g
