Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
This copycat Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup has everything from the creamy broth to the pillowy gnocchi, chicken, and vegetables.
Serves6
Prep5 minutes to 10 minutes
Cook15 minutes
You might adore Olive Garden for the unlimited salad and garlic breadsticks (our copycat recipe is seriously legit!) or the ultra-comforting creamy pastas, but for me, it’s all about the luxuriously creamy chicken gnocchi soup.
Just thinking about it, I can smell the herb and black pepper-flecked broth and feel the warm, satisfying comfort it brings to my belly. But there’s one thing better than the chain’s iconic soup, and that’s how surprisingly easy it is to whip up at home.
Between the creamy broth, pillowy gnocchi, tender vegetables, and juicy chicken, this soup (which is one of our very best copycat recipes) really does taste like the real deal. The best part is that our version of Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup will be on your table in about 20 minutes.
Key Ingredients in Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
A few smart grocery store shortcuts are the key to making this weeknight-friendly meal so easy to pull off. Here are some key ingredients you’ll need:
- Cooked, shredded chicken: Rotisserie chicken is easy and convenient, but you can also make the shredded chicken ahead of time during meal prep, either poached on the stovetop, baked in the oven, cooked in the slow cooker, or pressure-cooked in the Instant Pot.
- Refrigerated potato gnocchi: Use fresh (not frozen) gnocchi from the refrigerator section at your grocery store. Refrigerated gnocchi cooks quickly and has the best texture. You can also use shelf-stable gnocchi (it may take longer to cook, so just follow the instructions on the package).
- Shredded carrots: A bag of pre-shredded carrots is a great shortcut.
- Baby spinach: A bag of fresh baby spinach is easy to add in at the end of cooking. You can also use regular fresh spinach, roughly chopped.
What to Serve with Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
There’s nothing better than homemade breadsticks or garlic bread and a crisp salad with soup. Here are a few recipes to try:
Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
This copycat Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup has everything from the creamy broth to the pillowy gnocchi, chicken, and vegetables.
Prep time 5 minutes to 10 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
Serves 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons
olive oil
- 1
large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup
shredded carrots
- 2 stalks
celery, diced
- 4 cloves
garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups
low-sodium chicken broth (32 ounces)
- 2 cups
cooked, shredded chicken
- 1 tablespoon
fresh thyme leaves
- 1 pound
refrigerated potato gnocchi (not frozen)
- 1 (5-ounce) bag
baby spinach
- 1 1/2 cups
half-and-half
Instructions
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add chopped large yellow onion, 1 cup shredded carrots, 2 stalks diced celery, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 2 cups cooked shredded chicken, and 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1 pound refrigerated potato gnocchi, 1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach, and 1 1/2 cups half-and-half, and cook until the gnocchi is cooked through and the spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes more. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up for 4 days.