Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
This homemade copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup is the ultimate comfort food! Loaded with tender chicken, pillowy potato gnocchi, carrots, celery, and fresh spinach, all in a creamy, seasoned broth. Quick, easy, and better than the restaurant version — this one-pot meal is perfect for cozy weeknights or family dinners.
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Large Pot
- Cutting board
- Chef’s Knife
- Mixing spoon
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie works great)
- 16 oz package potato gnocchi
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 5–7 minutes until softened.
- Add minced garlic, thyme, and basil. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Add shredded chicken and gnocchi. Cook 5–7 minutes until gnocchi float and are tender.
- Stir in spinach and heavy cream. Simmer gently 2–3 minutes until spinach wilts (do not boil).
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
Make it lighter by swapping heavy cream with half-and-half or evaporated milk, and try whole wheat gnocchi for extra fiber. You can also adapt this to a Crock Pot: cook chicken, broth, veggies, and spices low and slow, then finish with gnocchi, spinach, and cream. Leftovers keep up to 3 days in the fridge — add extra broth to thin when reheating.