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.
If you have been to Olive Garden you might know how delicious olive garden’s chicken gnocchi soup is.
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.
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.
- 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.
- Hearty 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.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s an overview of the simple ingredients we’re using. Jump to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and printable instructions.
- Vegetables: A classic mirepoix of finely chopped fresh garlic, sweet yellow onion, celery, and carrots forms the aromatic base of the soup, adding depth and flavor.
- Seasoning: The soup is seasoned with salt, black pepper, dried thyme, Italian seasoning, dried basil, mustard powder, and optional red pepper flakes.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are cooked directly in the soup for convenience. You can also use shredded rotisserie chicken or any pre-cooked chicken—just add it when you stir in the gnocchi.
- Gnocchi: I use store-bought potato gnocchi for ease and convenience, but homemade gnocchi works beautifully if you prefer a from-scratch version.
- Greens: Fresh spinach is stirred in at the end for a boost of color and nutrients. You can substitute with kale, Swiss chard, or another leafy green of your choice.
- Cream: To make the soup rich and creamy, I add 2 cups of heavy cream. For a lighter option, use half-and-half or omit the cream entirely for a broth-based soup.
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.
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.
Storage Tips
Let this olive garden’s chicken gnocchi soup come to room temperature before storing. Pour it into an airtight container, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop, simmering and stirring until fully heated through. Alternatively warm the soup up in the microwave to 2 minutes.
This chicken soup recipes freezes well. After you cool the soup put it into a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. When ready to use the soup defrost it in the fridge overnight before reheating the soup.
Recipe FAQ
Take your 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.
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.
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.
Other Soup Recipes to Try:
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Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 garlic cloves,, minced
- 1/2 of a small sweet onion,, diced
- 2 stalks of celery,, chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots or matchstick carrots
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes {optional}
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts,, cooked and diced
- 16 ounces potato gnocchi
- 2 cups fresh spinach – roughly chopped
- 2 cups cream or half and half
Instructions
- Heat 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 two minutes.
Add the onions, celery and carrots and saute until soft, about 4-5 minutes. - Add the flour and stir well. Cook the vegetables with the flour, stirring constantly until the flour begins to brown.
- Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring as you add them in {you want to add these slowly to help create a thicker soup}.
- Add the salt, pepper, thyme, Italian seasoning, basil, mustard powder and crushed red pepper and stir well.
- Add the chicken breasts in to the pot {if using pre-cooked chicken you can skip this step}.
- Bring the broth to a gently simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F {about 8-10 minutes}. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken and dice it. Add it back into the pot and stir.
- Continue to simmer the soup for another 4-5 minutes to thicken it. Add the 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}.
- 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.
- Garnish with fresh thyme and parsley. Serve with crusty bread. Store the soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Feel free to use leftover chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken if you have it.
- If you have sliced carrots you will want to make sure they are thinly sliced so they cook through.
- Storing leftovers: Let this olive garden’s chicken gnocchi soup come to room temperature before storing. Pour it into an airtight container, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop, simmering and stirring until fully heated through. Alternatively warm the soup up in the microwave to 2 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So good!
My family loved this!
This worked exactly as written, thanks!