Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe

This copycat version of the Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup is phenomenal.

It’s loaded with carrots, celery, spinach, and tender chicken all wrapped up in a rich and creamy broth.

But while all those ingredients make for an incredible tasting soup, the star of the dish is the gnocchi.

These soft, pillowy chunks of heaven make this soup melt-in-your mouth good.

And while you might think it’s as hard to make as it is to spell, think again! This recipe is so easy, you’ll have it on the dinner table in less than 30 minutes.

Recreate this Olive Garden favorite in the comfort of your home. But first…

What Is Gnocchi?

Gnocchi is a classic Italian pasta made from wheat flour, eggs, cornmeal, breadcrumbs, and potatoes. You can also season it with herbs and vegetables.

These tiny dumplings have a soft, dough-like consistency and pair perfectly with chicken soup. 

This chicken gnocchi soup requires potato gnocchi, which you can make with flour, potatoes, and eggs.

Their soft and chewy texture is the most ideal partner with the soup’s thick and creamy base.

While it’s surely fun and fulfilling to make your own, you can also use the store-bought kind for this recipe.

Some supermarkets have fresh gnocchi available – I like to use this for my chicken soup.

But pre-packaged gnocchi is also available in various sections in the supermarket.

Some will have it in the refrigerated or frozen section. Others have dried gnocchi stored together with other kinds of pasta.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup Ingredients

This Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup may be a knockoff, but it tastes just as good as the original.

That’s largely because you’ll use fresh ingredients to make it. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Potato gnocchi. If you bought the large kind, cut them in half to make bite-sized pieces.

• Cooked chicken breast. Rotisserie is perfect for this recipe because it’s packed with a lot of flavors. However, to make it yourself, dice the chicken beforehand to cook it faster. You can also get pre-shredded chicken to make your life easier, although that will cost more.

• Butter and flour. The combination of these two will create a roux that will thicken the soup.

• Onion and garlic. The flavor base of every good soup.

• Celery, carrots, and spinach. These are the veggies Olive Garden uses for their chicken gnocchi soup, but add whatever you want!

• Thyme. This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon. If you’re not a fan of the earthy taste it brings, it’s okay to use less of it.

• Half-and-half. You can use milk as an alternative, but your soup won’t be as creamy.

• Chicken broth. Try to use chicken stock if you have it because it just tastes so much better.

• Salt and pepper to taste. If you use low-sodium chicken broth, you may want to add additional salt once you finish cooking the soup.

How to Make Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This recipe is just as mouth-watering as the original, so I highly suggest you try it. There’s nothing like having a big bowl of chicken gnocchi soup in the fall.

Now, let’s talk about how to make it.

1. Saute. Warm the butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Once the butter melts, increase the temperature to medium-high.

Saute the celery, garlic, and onions until they become soft.

2. Make a roux. Add the flour. Stir for about 1 minute to form a roux.

3. Add the liquid ingredients. Pour the chicken broth and half-and-half into the pot slowly. Stir gently until the broth begins to thicken.

4. Add the other ingredients. Add the carrots, thyme, spinach, chicken, and gnocchi. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the chicken and gnocchi are cooked.

Season with salt and pepper.

5. Serve and enjoy. Serve in large bowls, and don’t burn your tongue!

Tips and Tricks

Incorporate these tips for the best copycat chicken gnocchi soup:

• Don’t precook the gnocchi. Just cook it in the soup’s broth when the recipe calls for it.

• Make it thicker. As written, the recipe yields a thick and creamy soup. It’s still not thick enough for some people’s tastes, though. If that sounds like you, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water. Stir well to combine, then add the mixture to the soup to thicken it.

• Make it thinner. Alternatively, if the soup is too thick for you, add a little broth or water to thin it.

• Customize it. This recipe is about as close to the original Olive Garden one that you’re likely to get. However, that doesn’t mean you have to stick strictly to it. Add extra veggies and herbs to make the soup your own.

• Season at the end. Don’t just add salt and pepper all willy nilly. That way lies madness (and far too much salt!). Taste the soup first, then season it to suit your tastes.

How to Store Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Store leftover chicken gnocchi soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It should remain fresh for up to 3 days.

Reheat it on the stove over medium heat. You may want to add a bit of extra milk, as well. (The gnocchi, like pasta, are bad to absorb broth.)

Can You Freeze Chicken Gnocchi Soup?

You sure can! If you freeze it in an air-tight container, it can last for two months.

However, since it’s a cream-based soup, know that the consistency might change after you freeze and reheat it. But it will still be delicious! 

If you’re only keeping it for a few days, it’s better to refrigerate the soup using the storage methods mentioned above.

Can you use a Crockpot?

You can make this soup in a Crockpot, but you’ll need to switch things up a little. Here’s how to make slow cooker soup:

1. Cook the vegetables separately. Then, place them along with the chicken in the Crockpot. 
2. Add all the ingredients except for the spinach, gnocchi, and half-and-half. 
3. Let it cook for 4 hours on low heat.
4. Add the gnocchi in the last hour. 
5. Add the spinach and half-and-half right before you serve the soup. The spinach will wilt quickly, so you won’t need to wait long.
6. Serve in large bowls and enjoy!

Pro-tip: If the soup turns out too thin, thicken it with a bit of cornstarch and water. Add the mixture into the soup and stir until thick.

More Soup Recipes You’ll Flip For

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Paula Deen’s Crockpot Potato Soup
Butternut Squash Soup
Creamy Pumpkin Soup