Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup (Copycat)

Are you looking for a hearty, comforting meal full of flavor? Then look no further than this homemade chicken and gnocchi soup. 

It’s delicious, for sure. But that’s not all it has going for it. 

Chicken and gnocchi soup tender has chicken pieces, soft gnocchi, and flavorful veggies. But the best part?

Best part? It’s effortless to make.

In fact, pulling together this rustic yet luxurious dish is simpler than ever. It uses easy, budget-friendly, delicious ingredients that don’t break the bank.

So settle in and take this chicken and gnocchi soup recipe for a test drive.

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup 

Do you guys love the Olive Garden as much as I do? 

If so, you’re probably familiar with their delectable chicken and gnocchi soup. It’s a staple on their soup menu. 

Don’t get me wrong, it is delicious. But who wants to pay Olive Garden prices for soup?! I know I don’t. 

So, I save money and whip up my version at home. 

With this recipe, you can get close to the original, too. The broth is thick, creamy, and rich. And it’s full of tasty veggies, tender chicken, and garlicky goodness. 

You can serve it alone, with a side salad, or as a starter for a larger meal. It tastes great no matter what you pair it with, so you do you! 

Whip up this chicken and gnocchi soup, and enjoy it however you like. 

Ingredients 

Here’s what you need: 

• Olive Oil- Use the oil in this recipe to saute your veggies. I prefer olive oil. It’s a fantastic source of healthy fats and tastes fantastic.

• Veggies- The recipe calls for onion, celery, baby spinach leaves, and carrots. They add texture, flavor, color, and heartiness to the soup. 

• The Seasonings- Minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Simple and delicious. 

• Chicken- Start with cooked and cubed chicken breast. You don’t want raw or frozen chicken. It takes far too long to cook. 

• Chicken Broth- Chicken broth makes up most of the soup liquids. (You know, it’s soupiness.) You can add regular, homemade, or low-sodium chicken broth. 

• Mini Potato Gnocchi- If you enjoy making gnocchi, go for it! Whip it up yourself and add it to the recipe. I always save time and use store-bought gnocchi instead.

• Half-and-Half- Half-and-Half helps thicken the otherwise thin broth of the soup. It also gives the soup its rich creaminess. 

• Cornstarch and Cold Water (Optional)– Cornstarch is a thickening agent when added to soups. This one is no exception. Add the cornstarch and water mixture if you want a really thick soup.

How to Make Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

As far as soups go, this one isn’t difficult to make. There are six steps in the complete step-by-step recipe below. 

But you can break this recipe down into just three: 

1. Saute the veggies. Add oil to your pot, then saute the veggies over medium heat for about 5 minutes. 

2. Add the other chicken, broth, gnocchi, and spinach. Next, add the other ingredients in the order listed. First, the chicken and the chicken broth. 

Then, bring the mixture to a simmer before adding the gnocchi. Cook until the gnocchi rises to the top, then add the spinach leaves. 

Cook for another 3 minutes. 

3. Add the half-and-half. If you’re also adding cornstarch and water, mix it in a separate bowl. Then, add it along with the half-and-half.

4. Finish cooking, then season, serve, and enjoy! After you’ve added the last ingredients, let the soup cook for another 5 minutes. It should thicken. 

Then, season it with salt and pepper. 

Ladle it into individual serving bowls, add your desired toppings, and enjoy. It’s that simple. Be sure to check out the full recipe below. 

How to Store Chicken and Gnocchi Soup 

Here are the steps for storing, freezing, and reheating this soup: 

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should last for about 4 to 5 days.Store them upright to keep the container from leaking.

• Freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months. Again, place them in an airtight – and freezer-safe – container first. 

• Reheat the soup on the stove rather than the microwave. It maintains its texture better on the stove. Reheating chilled soup should only take10-15 minutes. Frozen leftovers will take longer. 

Tips for the Best Soup

Here are a few final tips before we get to the step-by-step recipe: 

• No need to make homemade gnocchi. You can find gnocchi in most grocery stores.Just look for it on the pasta aisle at your local grocery store. 

• Stir the soup regularly. This does more than mix all of the ingredients. It also ensures the soup doesn’t stick, scorch, or burn. It also keeps the sauce from separating, which you don’t want to happen.

• Don’t simmer the soup for too long. The longer it simmers, the thicker it gets. And while you want the soup to be thick, you don’t want it too thick. 

• Is your soup too thin? Let it simmer for longer. You can use the cornstarch method on the recipe card. You can also add a little extra flour or substitute heavy cream for half-and-half. 

• Cut the veggies as uniformly as possible. The closer they are to the same size, the more evenly they cook. 

• Add some extra veggies! Frozen peas and frozen corn are popular options. 

• Don’t use full-size gnocchi. Mini gnocchi is the best option for this recipe. Regular-sized gnocchi is just too big and throws off the overall balance of the soup.

• Use fresh spinach. Frozen spinach leaves get mushy. Fresh spinach is the only way to go. 

• Experiment with meat, too. Try turkey, beef, or Italian sausage if chicken isn’t your thing.

Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup (Copycat)

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

398

kcal

Chicken and gnocchi soup will be your favorite no-fuss meal! It’s creamy, full of veggies, and absolutely delicious. Ideal for weeknights, potlucks, and more!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 small onion, diced

• 3 stalks celery, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 carrots, shredded

• 1 pound cooked chicken breast, cubed

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 1 (16-ounce) package of mini potato gnocchi

• 1 (6-ounce) bag of baby spinach leaves

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)

• 2 tablespoons cold water (optional)

• 2 cups half-and-half cream

• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Add oil to a large pot. Heat over medium heat.
• Add the carrots, celery, onions, and garlic. Cook in the oil for 5 minutes until the onion is slightly see-through. Then, add the cubed chicken and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
• Add the gnocchi, stirring for 3 to 4 minutes or until the gnocchi starts floating.
• Add the spinach and continue to cook for another 3 minutes, stirring regularly. The spinach should be wilted by the end of the 3 minutes.
• (Optional) Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water in a small cup or bowl. Then, add this mixture and the half-and-half into the soup. Stir until everything is well mixed.
• If you aren’t adding the cornstarch, only add the half-and-half.
• Cook for another 5 minutes or so until the soup thickens. Then, season with salt and pepper. Transfer to individual serving bowls, and enjoy!

NaTaya Hastings

NaTaya Hastings is a food and recipe writer for Insanely Good Recipes. She’s an educator, boy mom, dog mom, and whatever-stray-enters-the-yard mom. As a result, she's constantly cooking for both humans and animals.

Luckily, she enjoys it!

Though born, raised, and still living in Alabama, her specialty is NOT down-home Southern cooking. Instead, she loves to experiment with Asian, Mexican, Italian, and other ethnic cuisines. She has two mottos when it comes to cooking. “The more spice, the better!” and “There’s no such thing as too much garlic!”

She’s also pretty good with desserts. Especially the easy, no-bake ones.

Her favorite things are cuddling with her four giant dogs, traveling, reading, writing, and hanging out in nature. She’s also pretty excellent at Dominoes.

See Full Bio

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