Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe

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Olive Garden’s Chicken Gnocchi soup is one of the most popular soup recipes. This Olive Garden copycat recipe is a rich soup with roasted tender chicken, soft pillowy gnocchi, shredded carrots, celery, and fresh spinach in a warm bowl of goodness. Hands down, this is one of my favorite Olive Garden copycat recipes. You can prepare this comforting soup for the whole family. If you love gnocchi, you will love this soup.

Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe - CopyKat Recipes (1)

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Easy copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi soup recipe

This is an Olive Garden favorite, but this soup is so good you will want to make a double batch every time you make it.

The Chicken and Gnocchi soup will taste like you spent hours at the stove, making your family a delightful chicken and potato gnocchi soup. You can make this soup in about30 minutes.

Everyone Loves Chicken and Gnocchi soup

Why does everyone love this recipe? I think this is one of those chicken soup recipes everyone loves because it is made with tender gnocchi, juicy chicken, fresh carrots and celery, and a perfectly seasoned chicken broth. To accompany this soup, makesaladandbreadstickswith this classic Olive Garden dish.

Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup Ingredients

I love this easy gnocchi soup, which uses simple ingredients. In no time at all, your entire family will fall in love with this soup that you made in the comfort of your own home. Go to the recipe card for the exact quantities and steps to make this recipe.

Butter – you can use either salted butter or unsalted butter
Olive oil – is used to saute the onions and celery
White onion – I like the white onion for this recipe. It tends to be a bit sweeter and has less heat than yellow onion.
Celery – fresh celery adds a beautiful earthy flavor
Fresh garlic – to make the best soup, use fresh garlic so the flavor sings through
All-purpose flour – this is used to make a roux, the base of your creamy soup.
Half and half—I recommend using half and half instead of whole milk; it reheats better. If you want something completely decadent, swap the half-and-half for heavy cream.
Low-sodium chicken broth – I would use it if you have homemade broth.
Dried thyme – adds a beautiful earthy flavor
Dried parsley flakes – add a lovely pop of color to your recipe
Ground Nutmeg – enhances the flavor of your soup
Shredded carrots – you can purchase carrot matchsticks to make this easy
Cooked chicken breast – If you have leftover rotisserie chicken, I suggest this. The Olive Garden does not use this, but it is an opportunity to drive up the flavor. Also, this recipe can be made with cooked chicken thighs.
Potato Gnocchi – My keto friends will swap out the gnocchi for cauliflower gnocchi. Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi is a favorite. If you can find it, some people love this with mini gnocchi.
Spinach – regular spinach is fine, but I prefer fresh baby spinach.

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Should you use store-bought or homemade gnocchi?

Store-bought gnocchi is perfect for this recipe. You can take the extra step in preparing homemade gnocchi, but premade potato gnocchi works well. Gnocchi can be found in a couple of different places in your supermarket, and you do have options to purchase them.

Many local stores sell shelf-stable potato gnocchi in the pasta aisles. I have purchased this at Walmart and Kroger, and I have been told that some dollar stores carry gnocchi.
I have seen fluffy gnocchi sold in the fresh sections of higher-end grocery stores, where you would pick up a prepared meal.
I have even found it available in the grocery store’s frozen section.

Either type of gnocchi will work well. Your family will love this. Have a hard time finding gnocchi? Make your homemadepotato gnocchi.

How to make Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi

It is straightforward to make this Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi soup recipe. You will find that all of the ingredients are very common in your average grocery store.

First, you will sauté the vegetables in butter over medium-high heat. Then, add some flour and cook that through. You will then add the half-and-half and chicken broth. Bring it to a low boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

Can you use a Crockpot for this recipe?

Yes, you can. I like to saute the vegetables first before I prepare the soup. You don’t need to do that if you like.

Simply place all of the vegetables, except the kale, chicken, seasonings, and stock, into the crockpot. Cook on low for 4 hours. Shred the chicken, add the remaining ingredients, and cook for another hour.

If the soup is too thin, make a cornstarch slurry of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with two tablespoons of water. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the soup, turn the crockpot on high, and stir until the soup has thickened.

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How to Store and Reheat Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Refrigerate any leftover soup for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Reheat – this creamy soup is best reheated in a large pot on the stove over low heat. This way the creamy broth won’t break down.

Can you freeze copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup?

Yes, you can freeze this soup. The soup stays well in the freezer for several months when stored in an airtight container. Thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight.

Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe - CopyKat Recipes (5)

More Olive Garden Recipes

Asiago Tortelloni Alfredo with Grilled Chicken
Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara
Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo
Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
Olive Garden Dressing
Olive Garden Minestrone Soup
Olive Garden Pasta fa*gioli Soup
Olive Garden Salad Recipe
Zuppa Toscana

Popular Soup Recipes

Old Fashioned Potato Soup
Panera Autumn Squash Soup
Southwest Chicken Soup

Love soup? Check out these soup recipes and try one of my great dessert recipes to complete your meal.

Look at more of my copycat Olive Garden recipes to make your favorites at home.

Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Grab a large pot and make some of this delicious soup, it has pillowy soft potato gnocchi, tender chicken, carrots, and more.

4.97 from 498 votes

Ingredients

4 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart half-and-half
28 ounces chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
1 cup carrots finely shredded
1 cup spinach leaves coarsely chopped
1 cup chicken breast cooked, and diced
16 ounces package ready-to-use gnocchi

Instructions

Melt the butter and olive oil in a large pot or a Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion becomes translucent.
Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the half-and-half. Simmer until thickened.
Whisk in the chicken broth. Simmer until thickened again. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, thyme, parsley, nutmeg (if using), shredded carrots, spinach, chicken, and gnocchi.
Simmer until the soup is heated through. Before serving, season with additional salt, if necessary.

Video

Notes

You can use leftover roitisserie chicken for extra flavor
You may want to use less thyme than suggested
Some gnocchi is very large, you can cut these pieces in half
You may want to add additional salt to the final soup, this soup does not have a lot of salt in it, especially if you use low-sodium chicken broth

Nutrition

Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe - CopyKat Recipes (2024)