I’m so excited to share my Chicken And Gnocchi Soup recipe with you! This is a cozy, creamy bowl that combines tender chicken, soft potato gnocchi, and bright vegetables – perfect for nights when you want comfort food that’s easy to make.
Level: Easy
Total Time: 40 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Course: Soup, Main Dish
Cuisine: American / Comfort Food
I make this soup when I want something warm and satisfying without a lot of fuss. The base is a simple sauté of onion, celery, carrots and garlic, then we add cooked chicken, chicken broth, and little potato gnocchi that puff up and soak in the flavor. A splash of half-and-half makes the broth creamy without being heavy. It’s forgiving, uses leftover or quickly baked chicken, and comes together in under an hour.
This recipe is friendly for cooks of any level — no fancy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients — and it’s a great way to use leftover chicken or chicken tenders you bake specifically for the soup.
How to Make Chicken And Gnocchi Soup
This soup is built in a few simple stages:
• Sauté the vegetables until soft and fragrant.
• Add chicken and broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
• Drop in gnocchi and cook until they float (that means they’re done).
• Stir in baby spinach and a splash of half-and-half to make it creamy.
• Optionally thicken with a cornstarch slurry if you like a slightly thicker broth.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, shredded (or finely diced)
- 1 pound cooked chicken breast, cubed (leftover, rotisserie, or baked)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 (16-ounce) package mini potato gnocchi (fresh or refrigerated)
- 1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach leaves
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thicker soup)
- 2 tablespoons cold water (optional, for cornstarch slurry)
- 2 cups half-and-half cream
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Heat the pot: Place a large soup pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Cook the vegetables: Add the diced onion, celery, shredded carrots, and minced garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are tender — about 5 minutes.
- Add chicken and broth: Stir in the cubed cooked chicken and pour in the chicken broth. Increase heat to bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Cook the gnocchi: Add the gnocchi to the simmering soup. Stir gently and cook until the gnocchi begin to float to the surface, about 3–4 minutes (floating means they’re done).
- Wilt the spinach: Add the baby spinach and stir until it wilts, about 2–3 minutes.
- Make it creamy: If you want a slightly thicker, creamier soup, whisk the cornstarch into the cold water until smooth, then stir that slurry into the soup. Next, pour in the half-and-half and cook for about 3–5 minutes until the soup warms and thickens a bit. If you skipped cornstarch, just stir in the half-and-half and heat through.
- Season and serve: Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot in bowls.
Process Details
• Why sauté the veg first? Cooking onion, celery and carrots in oil softens them and releases natural sweetness — that’s the flavor base for the whole soup.
• Gnocchi timing: Fresh or refrigerated gnocchi cook quickly. They float when cooked through; don’t boil them too long or they’ll get mushy.
• Cream vs. half-and-half: Half-and-half gives creaminess without the heaviness of heavy cream. If you prefer richer, use heavy cream but add a little less.
• Thickening: The cornstarch slurry is optional. It gives a slightly thicker, more velvety broth. Mix cornstarch with cold water first so it blends smoothly into hot soup without lumps.
• Using leftover chicken: This recipe shines with cooked chicken — rotisserie is an easy shortcut. If you cook raw chicken especially for the soup, I recommend baking or poaching it until just done, then cubing.
Tips for Success
• Don’t overcook gnocchi. They take only a few minutes — remove from heat once most float.
• Taste before salting. If your chicken broth is salty, add salt slowly.
• Make it ahead: Cook the soup without adding gnocchi; store and reheat later, then add fresh gnocchi at serving time so they stay pillowy.
• Veg swaps: If you don’t have spinach, chopped kale or Swiss chard works — add a little earlier so it softens.
• Stir gently. Gnocchi are delicate; stir carefully to avoid breaking them up.
Serving Ideas
• Ladle into bowls and finish with a grind of black pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
• Add a sprinkle of grated Parmesan or a few torn basil leaves on top.
• Serve with crusty bread or garlic toast for dipping.
• For a lighter meal, pair with a crisp green salad.
Storage & Freezing
• Refrigerator: Cool the soup to room temperature, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days. If possible, remove or avoid cooking the gnocchi until reheating (they can get softer the longer they sit).
• Freezing: Cream-based soups can separate when frozen and reheated, so I don’t recommend freezing once the half-and-half is added. You can freeze the broth and chicken before adding dairy or gnocchi; thaw and finish on the stove with fresh half-and-half and gnocchi.
• Reheating: Heat gently over medium-low heat and stir often. If the soup seems separated after reheating, whisk a small splash of warmed half-and-half in a separate bowl and stir it back in.
Nutrition Info (Approximate per Serving)
• Calories: ~398
• Protein: 30 g
• Carbohydrates: 24 g
• Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: ~10 g
• Cholesterol: ~112 mg
• Sodium: ~839 mg
• Fiber: ~2 g
• Calcium: ~162 mg
• Iron: ~2 mg
•Potassium: ~696 mg
(Nutrition values are estimates and will vary with specific ingredients and brands.)
My Chicken And Gnocchi Soup is simple, comforting, and perfect whenever you want a warm, satisfying bowl with minimal fuss. It’s flexible – use leftover chicken, swap greens, or skip the cornstarch — and it always feels a little special because of the soft gnocchi. I hope you enjoy making it as much as I do. Once you try it, this easy classic will likely become a go-to for chilly evenings and busy weeknights alike.
