Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
Creamy, comforting, and absolutely bursting with lemon-garlic flavor, this chicken and gnocchi soup is Italian nonna meets cozy weeknight hero. One pot, 30 minutes, and a swirl of garlic-knot-inspired browned butter? Say less.
What you’ll love about this cozy soup recipe:
- Done in 30 minutes, with minimal prep thanks to store-bought gnocchi and mirepoix (a fancy way to say chopped carrot, celery, and onion.)
- Great for leftovers. It might even better the next day.
- One pot = minimal cleanup. Because nobody has time for a sink full of dishes on a Tuesday night.
Soups That Eat Like a Meal: Chicken and Gnocchi Edition
Welcome to Soups That Eat Like a Meal — my unapologetically cozy corner of the internet for everyone who agrees that soup is a love language. These are soups with substance. You can serve them with crusty bread or a side sald if you want, but they’re meant to be hearty enough that you don’t have to. If you like your dinner to be comforting and luxurious, but with a minimal amount of effort, you’re in the right place.
This edition? A creamy, lemon-garlic chicken and gnocchi situation that tastes like it simmered all Sunday, but can came together during while you watch an episode of your favorite sitcom. It’s inspired by the Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup that everyone loves os much, but with a brighter, more lemon-forward spin.
If you really want to feel like an overachiever, you can make what I’m calling “garlic knot butter” to swirl into it.
That drizzle of browned butter with garlic, parsley, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and Parmesan is totally optional, but well worth the 5 minutes it takes to make. It adds so much flavor and really takes this chicken gnocchi soup to new heights.
If you’re anything like me, this soup might just become your new favorite.
Homemade chicken gnocchi soup Ingredients
Boneless, skinless chicken. I love using chicken thighs for the most intense chicken flavor, but you can use breasts or even a shredded rotisserie chicken if you prefer.
Pre-chopped mirepoix. This blend of onion, carrot, and celery is the base of so many delicious meals. Look for it in the produce section at Trader Joe’s or your favorite supermarket. If you can’t find it prochooped, you can dice 1 small onion, 2 carrots, and 2 ribs of celery. It’s the same, but less convenient.
Low Sodium chicken broth or chicken stock.
Gnocchi. Look for it in the pasta aisle.
Half and half. This gives the soup so much flavor and a gorgeous velvety texture, but won’t way you down like heavy cream does (plus it’s cheaper!)
Garlic, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, and fresh lemon juice.
For the garlic knot butter, you’ll also need butter, lemon zest, fresh parsley, and red pepper flakes.
Frequently asked questions
Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or microwave it for 2-3 minutes. I don’t recommend freezing this soup, since the cream can separate.
Yes! I’m all about making this soup even easier. Shredded or chopped rotisserie chicken totally works, and it means you can skip right to step 2!
Gnocchi is a little potato dumpling and it. is. delicious. It’s sold a few different ways, but for this recipe I recommend the shelf stable kind. It typically comes in a clear, vacuum pack in the pasta aisle. You can also use refrigerated gnocchi, but skip the frozen gnocchi for this recipe because it gets too mushy.
Chop up 1 small onion, 2 carrots, and 2 stalks of celery. Don’t worry about the measurements being exact!
Other weeknight recipes you might like:
- Skillet French onion chicken breasts
- 30-Minute Tortellini Vegetable Soup
- Spicy Broccoli and 3 Cheese Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Miso Potato Soup with Crispy Chickpeas
Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-size pieces
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups pre-chopped mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery mix)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 16 oz shelf-stable gnocchi
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ½ lemon
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
For the garlic butter (optional, but recommended)
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lemon zesteed
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat the 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Season 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Cook until golden and cooked through, 6–7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Add 2 cups pre-chopped mirepoix to the same pot and cook 4–5 minutes, until softened. Stir 3 cloves garlic and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning ; cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth and 1 cup water.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat.
- Stir in 16 oz shelf-stable gnocchi and cook 3–4 minutes, until it's tender and starts to float.
- Return the cooked chicken to the pot. Stir in 1 cup half-and-half and 2 cups baby spinach, and cook until warmed through and spinach wilts.
- Stir in the juice from ½ lemon and adjust seasoning to taste.
For the Butter
- Melt 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter in a small pan over medium heat until it begins to bubble and foam.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the 1 Tablespoon minced garlic . Stir for 30 seconds, then transfer to a small dish.
- Stir in the 1 Tablespoon olive oil, zest from 1 lemon, ¼ cup parsley, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 pinch red pepper flakes.
To serve
- Serve the soup hot, topped with Grated Parmesan cheese and garlic-butter, if desired.
