Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
For the soup base
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 2 medium carrots finely diced or shredded
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups half-and-half
For the add-ins
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded or diced
- 1 package 16 oz shelf-stable potato gnocchi
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional, for serving
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until soft.
- Add the garlic. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Make the roux. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Build the broth. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add the cream and seasonings. Stir in the half-and-half, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper. Keep at a low simmer.
- Cook the gnocchi and chicken. Add both and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the gnocchi float and turn plump.
- Wilt the spinach. Stir in the spinach and cook for 1 minute.
- Taste and serve. Adjust the seasoning and top with Parmesan.
Notes
- Gnocchi texture: Add the gnocchi at the very end so they stay tender; they turn mushy if they sit in hot soup too long.
- Thickness: The soup thickens as it cools. Loosen leftovers with a splash of broth when reheating.
- Storage: Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For freezing, freeze the base before adding the dairy and gnocchi.
- Lighter swap: Whole milk works in place of half-and-half, though the broth will be a bit thinner.