Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup is a comforting soup you can make in the comfort of your home with the familiarity of a restaurant classic. Shredded chicken, vegetables and herbs are mixed in a creamy broth alongside pillowy soft potato gnocchi. Serve this delicious soup with crusty bread to soak up all of those delicious juices. 

COPYCAT OLIVE GARDEN CHICKEN GNOCCHI SOUP

If you have been to Olive Garden you might know how delicious olive garden’s chicken gnocchi soup is.

When the cooler months roll around I am always excited to sit down with a warm bowl of this soup and garlic bread.

Today I am sharing a homemade version of this Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup.

You can make this at home, control the ingredients you put it in it and even have leftovers throughout the week. 

This is hands down one of my favorite soup recipes and one your whole family will love. 

I often will make this on rotation along with this Potato Leek Soup, Chicken Tortellini Soup, Vegetable Barley Soup and this Creamy Cauliflower Soup. 

There is something about gnocchi that I just love.

I add it to soups like this Easy Gnocchi Soup as well as other meal like this One Pot French Onion Gnocchi and this Brown Butter Gnocchi.

When making this soup you can skip the cream if you want but it helps create an extra cream soup so I suggest using it.

You also can change up ingredients like using kale instead of spinach, vegetable broth instead of chicken broth or using pre-shredded chicken instead of raw chicken breasts. 

Why You Will Love This Creamy Gnocchi Soup:

• A great copycat recipe: This is one of those delicious olive garden copycat recipes along with their zuppa toscana. I think it tastes just as good as the chicken gnocchi soup we all love from the Olive Garden. The nice thing is when you make it at home you know exactly what is in it. 
• Easy to make Chicken gnocchi soup does not require too much hands on preparation, just sauté a few vegetables, add the remaining ingredients to the pot then let the soup simmer and bubble on the stove top.
• Healthy bowl of soup: I love a filling soup and this is just that! It is a filling and substantial bowl of soup, packed full of chicken, fresh vegetables and gnocchi, which make it a well balanced and healthy one pot dinner. My whole family loved this soup!

Recipe Ingredients:

• Butter: Butter is used to sauté the vegetables in the soup, you can use salted or unsalted butter. You also can use olive oil if you want to avoid butter.
• Vegetables: I use a combination of fresh garlic, sweet onion, celery and carrots to form the base flavors for the soup.
• Flour: The flour helps to thicken the soup but you can skip it if you want to. 
• Chicken Broth: Low sodium chicken broth or chicken stock flavors the soup, you could replace with vegetable broth. You can also make your own homemade chicken broth. 
• Seasoning: I season and flavor the soup with salt, black pepper, dried thyme, Italian seasoning, dried basil, mustard powder and red pepper flakes (optional and you can leave out if your prefer it less spicy).
• Chicken: I use boneless skinless chicken breasts in the soup. You can also use pre-cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken. I suggest you add pre-cooked chicken in with the gnocchi. 
• Gnocchi: For ease I’ve used store bought potato dumpling {gnocchi} but you can make your own gnocchi and add to the soup if you prefer.
• Greens: I add roughly chopped fresh spinach to the soup, feel free to swap for another leafy green.
• Cream: For a creamy soup I add 2 cups of heavy cream or you can also use half and half. For a less creamy soup just leave this out. 

How to Make Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Step 1. Saute the Vegetables: Start by heating a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and heat until it melts stirring the whole time. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Now add the onions, celery and carrots and saute until soft, about 4-5 minutes.

Step 2. Add the Flour: Now add the flour and stir well. Cook the vegetables with the flour, stirring constantly until the flour begins to brown.

Step 3. Add the Broth: Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring as you add it in (you want to add the broth slowly to help create a thicker soup).

Step 4. Season the Soup: Add the salt, pepper, thyme, Italian seasoning, basil, mustard powder and crushed red pepper and stir well.

Step 5. Add the Chicken: Add the chicken breasts in to the pot (if using pre-cooked chicken you can skip this step and add it with the gnocchi). Bring the broth to a gentle simmer then turn to low heat and cook until the chicken is cooked through or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, this will take around 8-10 minutes. 

Step 6. Add the Gnocchi: Add the potato gnocchi in to the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the gnocchi is cooked through {follow package directions on cook time for your gnocchi}.

Step 7. Simmer the Soup:  Reduce the heat to low and add in the half and half and stir until combined. Add the spinach into the pot. Stir until the spinach is wilted. Taste and add more salt if needed. Garnish with fresh thyme and parsley. Serve with crusty bread. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. 

Can I Make This Chicken Gnocchi Soup in the Crockpot?

This recipe can be easily modified if you prefer to cook my Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup recipe in the Crockpot.

Use a regular pot to saute the vegetables, adding in the flour and also the chicken broth. This will take you up to the end of step 4 in the recipe card below.

Now pour everything into your Crockpot and add the salt, pepper, dried herbs, Italian seasoning, mustard powder and crushed red peppers.

Then add the raw chicken breasts to the pot, cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 hours.

Add the gnocchi for the last hour of cooking.

Once the chicken has cooked remove from the Crockpot and cut up. Return the chicken to the pot, along with the cream and spinach and cook for another 20 minutes to warm through before serving with a garnish of fresh herbs.

Ways to Modify Chicken Gnocchi Soup

• Gnocchi: For easy I’ve used a pack of store-bought gnocchi, but you can also use your favorite homemade gnocchi recipe.
• Pasta: I used pillowy gnocchi in the soup, but you could swap the gnocchi for pasta if you prefer.
• Chicken Thighs: I’ve used chicken breast in the recipe, but you could also use skinless boneless chicken thighs.
• Pre-Cooked Chicken: I’ve used fresh chicken breasts in the soup. But you can use cooked chicken, rotisserie chicken, or leftover chicken from the weekend’s roast. If using pre-cooked chicken add it with the gnocchi towards the end of the cook to warm through.
• Leafy Greens: I added fresh spinach leaves to the soup, but you could swap spinach of kale, cavolo nero (black kale), chard or other similar greens.
• Fresh Herbs: I’ve added a garnish of fresh thyme and parsley to the soup, but you could also stir some fresh herbs like thyme, parsley or bay, through the soup while it’s cooking.
• Spices: Try spicing this soup up with turmeric, paprika, cayenne red pepper or za’atar.

Tips for Making This Soup

• Take Time Adding Broth: Take time adding the chicken broth to the soup, and stir gently into the flour to ensure no lumps form, as you want the flour to thicken the soup.
• Thinning the Soup: As the soup simmers in the pot it will reduce and continue to thicken. If you want the soup a little thinner then add some extra chicken broth or a splash of water.
• Cooking Gnoochi: You know the gnocchi is cooked through, when the it floats to the top of the soup.
• Check Seasoning: Always taste and check the soup for seasoning, adding a little more salt and pepper if required. Proper seasoning will make all the difference to the finished soup. I like to sometimes add paprika or crushed red pepper for more flavor. 
• Creamy: The cream is what makes this soup extra creamy. You could also sub the cream for a dollop of Greek yogurt to make a creamy broth or even whole milk.
• Tips on Chicken: You can use the chicken breasts like I have in the recipe. A great shortcut is to use precooked chicken, rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken thigh meat from these Air Fryer Chicken Thighs. 

Recipe FAQ

What to Serve With this Soup

• This creamy soup is the perfect pairing with crusty bread to soak up all of those juices, homemade pita chips or homemade tortilla chips. 
• Potatoes are also a great addition on the side of this soup. Try these Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes, Spicy Lebanese Potatoes or these Gouda Smashed Potatoes. 
• I also always love adding a salad alongside soups. Try this Lemon Arugula Pine Nut Salad, Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing or this Crunchy Kale Slaw. 

Other Soup Recipes to Try:

We love soup recipes and eat them so much throughout the year. If you like them too you have to check out these other filling soup recipes.

• LENTIL SWEET POTATO SOUP
• WHITE BEAN SOUP
• INSTANT POT BEEF STEW RECIPE
• LENTIL SWEET POTATO SOUP
• INSTANT POT BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP
• CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

If you try it, please leave me a star rating and comment below, and follow me on Instagram @acedarspoon for more delicious recipes!