This Olive Garden Copycat Chicken Gnocchi Soup is the ultimate comfort food. It features pillowy potato dumplings, tender shredded chicken, and fresh spinach swimming in a thick, velvety broth infused with thyme and garlic. By making it at home, you get to control the consistency and load it up with as much gnocchi and chicken as you want—all in about 30 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients
The Base & Veggies:
¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium white onion, finely diced
½ cup celery, finely diced
1 cup carrots, matchstick or shredded (pre-shredded saves a lot of time)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
¼ cup all-purpose flour (for thickening)
The Liquids & Seasoning:
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ cups heavy cream (or half-and-half for a slightly lighter soup)
½ tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
The Bulk:
1 (16 oz) package potato gnocchi
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed (a store-bought rotisserie chicken is perfect here)
2 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
Instructions
1.Sauté the Aromatics:Cooking in butter and oil creates a rich flavor base..Heat the butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the diced onion and celery. Cook for 4–5 minutes until the onions are translucent and the celery has softened.
2.Add Garlic, Carrots, and Herbs:Stir in the minced garlic, shredded carrots, and dried thyme. Sauté for 1 minute until the garlic is highly fragrant.
3.Make the Roux:This is the secret to a thick, creamy soup..Sprinkle the flour evenly over the sautéed vegetables in the pot. Stir constantly and cook for 1–2 minutes. The flour should coat the vegetables and turn slightly golden—this cooks out the raw flour taste.
4.Build the Broth:Whisk constantly to prevent lumps..Slowly pour in the chicken broth, about half a cup at a time, whisking continuously as you pour. This ensures the flour mixture dissolves smoothly into the liquid. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 5 minutes until it begins to thicken slightly.
5.Cook the Gnocchi:Gnocchi are done as soon as they float to the surface..Add the potato gnocchi to the simmering broth. Cook for 3–4 minutes. You will know they are ready when they puff up and float to the top of the soup.
6.Add the Cream, Chicken, and Spinach:Do not let the soup boil once the dairy is added..Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, cooked shredded chicken, and fresh spinach. Let the soup simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until the chicken is heated through and the spinach has completely wilted. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
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