Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Creamy chicken gnocchi soup that feels cozy without turning into a project.
When you want dinner to feel warm and calming but you do not have the energy for a big recipe, this chicken gnocchi soup is a solid move. It uses affordable, familiar ingredients and comes together in one pot with very little fuss. The broth is creamy and soothing, the gnocchi makes it filling, and the chicken gives it enough protein to count as a real dinner. It is not fancy, and that is the point: you get a comforting bowl fast, with leftovers that reheat well for lunch tomorrow. Expect a cozy, homey soup rather than restaurant-style richness, and that is exactly what makes it useful on a tired night.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 unit yellow onion — diced
- 2 unit carrots — thinly sliced
- 2 unit celery stalks — thinly sliced
- 3 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast — cut into bite-size pieces
- 4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 16 oz potato gnocchi
- 2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 cup baby spinach
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese — optional but good
Method
- 1 Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- 2 Add the chicken, broth, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the chicken is cooked through.
- 3 Whisk the flour into the milk until smooth, then stir it into the pot. Add the gnocchi and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, just until the gnocchi float and the soup thickens slightly.
- 4 Stir in the spinach and parmesan, if using, and cook for 1 minute until the spinach wilts. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, then serve hot.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Skip the chicken and use 2 cup canned white beans instead. Replace chicken broth with vegetable broth and keep the rest the same.
- Faster swap — Use shredded rotisserie chicken and pre-sliced mirepoix. Add the chicken with the gnocchi just to warm through so dinner is ready faster.
- Ingredient substitutions — Use kale instead of spinach, half-and-half instead of milk for a richer bowl, or frozen peas if you are out of leafy greens.
Notes
For a slightly lighter soup, use 1 1/2 cup milk and add an extra 1 cup broth. The soup thickens as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating. Keep the simmer gentle so the milk stays smooth.
Equipment that helps
- Large pot — Gives you enough room to simmer the soup and stir the gnocchi without spilling.
- Whisk — Helps the flour blend smoothly into the milk so the soup thickens without lumps.
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