This Chicken Gnocchi Soup is cozy, creamy, and full of flavor. If you’ve ever had this favorite from Olive Garden – you know how delicious it is. This homemade version has the same great flavors, with tender potato gnocchi, juicy chicken, and lots of veggies all smothered in the rich and creamy broth.
This is the kid of soup that warms you up from the inside out, and now you can make it right at home, whenever the craving hits. Everything comes together in less than 30 minutes with a few basic ingredients. It’s hearty enough to be a full meal, or serve it with some breadsticks, and salad just like you’d get at Olive Garden.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Creamy and Comforting: This is the perfect cozy soup to warm you up on a chilly day. It’s got a creamy and hearty broth, and is loaded with chicken, veggies, and gnocchi.
- Better than Takeout: This soup tastes just like Olive Garden, but now you can make it any time at home!
- Quick and Easy: Ready in less than 30 minutes, you’ll have dinner on the table in no time.
How to pronounce gnocchi?
Gnocchi is a small dumpling made from potato, semolina flour, or all purpose flour and is served in place of a pasta noodle with sauce. The word should be pronounced Nyoh-Kee, or Nyah-Kee. The gn sound is like the “nyuh” is ny in canyon.
Ingredients Needed
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Unsalted Butter: For sautéing the vegetables, and adding richness to the soup
- Carrots: I like using shredded carrots, but diced works too. Adds flavor and color, we make a mirepoix with carrots, onion, and celery sauteed in butter to soften them
- Yellow Onion: Adds such a nice flavor to the base of the soup
- Celery: Adds nice flavor and a slight crunch
- Garlic: For more flavor of course. I love using fresh minced, but pre-minced from the store works too
- All Purpose Flour: This gets mixed with the better to create a roux and thickens up to make our soup thick and creamy
- Chicken Broth: Creates a savory, flavorful base for the soup
- Milk + Cream: I like using a mix of milk with a little cream, so its not too heavy, but still nice and rich and creamy. You can substitute half and half.
- Italian Seasoning: We’re keeping this simple with an already mixed herb blend.
- Salt and Pepper: For flavor, taste it and add more as needed.
- Potato Gnocchi: This can be found in the pasta aisle of the store. It’s the star but if you don’t like gnocchi sub another noodle.
- Chicken: Already cooked, shredded or diced chicken. I love using leftover rotisserie chicken meat, or grilled chicken.
- Spinach: Use fresh spinach as it won’t turn mushy. Its added add at the end for freshness, and color
How to make Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup?
Step 1: Cook the veggies. In a large pot, add the butter and heat until it is melted. Add in the carrots, celery, and onion and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until they start to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook it for another minute.
Step 2: Add the Flour. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat them, then cook for a couple minutes to cook the flour, and help it blend better.
Step 3: Add the liquid. Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring until its all mixed well, and the flour has blended in. Slowly pour in the milk, and heavy cream. Let the soup simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes, until thickened.
Step 4: Add in the Chicken and Gnocchi. Add the Seasonings, gnocchi, and chicken and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the gnocchi is soft. Cook the gnocchi as long as the package directions say.
Step 5: Add in the Spinach. Add the chopped spinach and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until its tender. Serve immediately.
Tips and Tricks:
- Mini Gnocchi: It’s best to use mini gnocchi if you can find them, but any will work. You can also use a different noodle if preferred, I love shells or tortellini too.
- Extra Veggies: Double the veggies, or add even more variety for flavor. Try peas, zucchini, mushrooms, or asparagus.
- Too Thick: If the soup thickens up too much, add a little more broth or milk to thin it out.
- Make it Lighter: Only use milk, instead of milk and cream to make the soup a little lighter. It will still be creamy, just not quite as thick and rich.
Storage Instructions
The soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. The gnocchi will absorb the liquid and turn a little softer the longer it sits in the fridge, so if you want to store it longer, only add cooked gnocchi to the portion you are eating. Reheat it over a low temperature on the stove, or in the microwave.
This soup should not be frozen as a the creamy broth and gnocchi don’t freeze well.
This Chicken Gnocchi Soup is super hearty, and creamy just like the version you love from Olive Garden. It’s quick enough for any day of the week, but comforting enough for Sunday dinner! Grab some crusty french bread, and you’ll have the perfect cozy autumn meal.
My husband said that this might be the best soup he’s ever had, and even my picky kids oved the gnocchi and chicken from the soup! It’s a comforting meal the whole family will love!
More Soup Recipes
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 4 TBS butter
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 3/4 cup shredded carrots (freshly shredded is best)
- 3/4 cup diced celery
- 1 TBS minced garlic (fresh if you can)
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 16 oz mini gnocchi (found in the pasta aisle)
- 2 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken works great)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp pepper (to taste)
- 1 1/2 cups spinach (roughly chopped)
Instructions
- In a large pot melt the butter over medium high heat. 4 TBS butter
- Add in the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook for about 5 minutes until the onion starts to get translucent and the vegetables all start to get tender. 1 cup diced yellow onion, 3/4 cup shredded carrots, 3/4 cup diced celery,
- Add in the garlic and cook it for another 1 to 2 minutes. 1 TBS minced garlic
- Add in the flour and stir together to create a roux (a thickener), cook for about 1-2 minutes, until the veggies are evenly coated in it. 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring it all together until the flour is blended in to it. 2 cups chicken broth
- Slowly pour in the milk, and heavy cream. 2 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Lower the temperature to medium low, and let it come to a boil and cook until thickened, for about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add in the gnocchi, chicken, italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. (Or until the gnocchi pops to the top and is tender – according to the package directions.) 16 oz mini gnocchi, 2 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper,
- Add in the chopped spinach and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until it is tender. Serve immediately. 1 1/2 cups spinach
Video
Notes
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- Mini Gnocchi: It’s best to use mini gnocchi if you can find them, but any will work. You can also use a different noodle if preferred, I love shells or tortellini too.
-
- Extra Veggies: Double the veggies, or add even more variety for flavor. Try peas, zucchini, mushrooms, or asparagus.
-
- Too Thick: If the soup thickens up too much, add a little more broth or milk to thin it out.
-
- Make it Lighter: Only use milk, instead of milk and cream to make the soup a little lighter. It will still be creamy, just not quite as thick and rich.
- Storage Instructions: The soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. The gnocchi will absorb the liquid and turn a little softer the longer it sits in the fridge, so if you want to store it longer, only add cooked gnocchi to the portion you are eating. Reheat it over a low temperature on the stove, or in the microwave. Do not freeze.
Nutrition
This soup was originally made in partnership with Collective Bias and the National Milk Life Campaign. All opinions are my own. The recipe was first posted on November 18, 2017. The photos and blog text were updated for clarity on September 8, 2025.
Kierstin says
This was delicious! My husband loves Gnocchi and I was excited to try this recipe.
Ashley says
I love this recipe, gave it a try months ago just to try something new. My kids(toddlers) are picky eaters and wont easily eat vegetables, they gobble this soup up and always ask for seconds. It’s easy to make and easy to make substitutions, for example, I use tortellini instead of gnocchi. I just wanted to say thank you for sharing this recipe, it reignited my love for cooking. I stopped getting creative in the kitchen and wasnt excited by many recipes I found, until I came across this recipe. It’s a must make every few weeks, and I find myself having cravings for it quite a bit.
Aimee says
Thanks so much for letting me know! That makes me so happy! 🙂
Victoria Godfrey says
My husband and I’s new favorite soup recipe! Simple but so yummy! It was also very filling. LOVED it!
Aimee says
Yay! So glad you loved it
Tatiana says
I will keep in mind this soup next time i cook for my kids. They like milk, they like gnocchi , the soup look creamy and delicious!
Ellen says
I hope your kids love it like we do.
Jenn says
Helloooo comfort food! I could live inside this bowl of deliciousness!
Ellen says
Thank you, comfort food to the highest!
Sasha @ Just Coffee Maker says
Delicious! I did substitute evaporated milk for the cream, but that is just personal preference. I love the celery ‘heart’ in the soup ladle picture — not sure if that was styled or just a happy accident, but it made me smile.
Jennifer Seme says
It’s fantastic!!!
Klynn says
How many people does the feed? Looks delicious!
Aimee says
I’d guess 6-8! Hope you try it!
Janet says
I just noticed in the instructions you say to add chopped spinach, but it’s not listed in the ingredients – how much? Thank you! Looking forward to making this!
Aimee says
So sorry, not sure how I forget those, I’m working on updating the recipe, but for now it’s 1 TBS minced garlic, and about 1.5 cups spinach, chopped! Hope you love it!
Janet says
How much garlic is needed? Not listed in ingredients, but in the instructions it says to add garlic in after the onions. Thank you.
Larry says
It says 1 TBS minced garlic.
Amy says
This soup looks really scrumptious! I love how creamy it is! #client