Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
This easy chicken gnocchi soup with rotisserie chicken combines tender potato gnocchi, carrots, celery, and spinach in a creamy garlic and thyme broth. Make it in one pot with chicken broth and heavy cream for a cozy dinner without canned cream soup.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced, about 1 cup
- 2 medium carrots finely diced, about 1 cup
- 2 stalks celery finely diced, about ¾ cup
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth plus more as needed
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
- 1 package potato gnocchi 16 ounces, uncooked and suitable for boiling
- 3 cups cooked rotisserie chicken skin removed, shredded or chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach packed, roughly chopped
- Fine salt to taste
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan optional
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice optional, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the vegetables. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Lower the heat if they begin to brown quickly.
- Add garlic and thyme. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Stir in flour. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, until no dry flour remains.
- Add broth. Gradually stir in the first cup of broth, scraping the bottom of the pot and smoothing out flour lumps. Stir in the remaining 4 cups broth and the black pepper.
- Simmer the base. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the carrots are nearly tender. Allow more time if needed before adding the gnocchi.
- Cook the gnocchi. Add the gnocchi and stir gently. Simmer according to the package directions, usually about 3 to 5 minutes, until tender with no hard center.
- Finish the soup. Reduce the heat to low. Add the chicken, cream, and spinach. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring gently, until the spinach wilts and the soup is hot throughout. If using refrigerated leftover chicken, confirm it reaches 165°F.
- Season and serve. Remove from the heat. Stir in the optional Parmesan. Taste, then add salt, extra pepper, and optional lemon juice as needed. Thin with extra broth if desired and serve promptly.
Notes
Recipe Notes
- Gnocchi timing: Follow the package directions and taste for tenderness. Fresh, shelf-stable, frozen, and gluten-free gnocchi may need different cooking times.
- Chicken amount: Measure 3 cups of cooked meat. Rotisserie chicken sizes vary.
- Broth consistency: The soup thickens as it sits. Add broth a little at a time when serving or reheating.
- Cream swap: Substitute an equal amount of half-and-half for a less rich broth. Avoid hard boiling after adding it during the initial cooking.
- Salt: Add it at the end because broth, chicken, and Parmesan vary in saltiness.
- Doubling: Use a larger pot and allow more time to bring the broth to a simmer. Check gnocchi by tenderness rather than doubling their cooking time.
- Yield: Divide the finished soup into six equal portions. Volume changes with ingredient size and evaporation.
Estimated Nutrition per Serving
Serving size: One-sixth of the finished recipe.- Calories: Approximately 500
- Protein: 26 g
- Total carbohydrates: 38 g
- Total fat: 26 g
- Saturated fat: 13 g
- Dietary fiber: 3 g