If you have ever ordered the chicken gnocchi soup at a certain famous Italian-inspired chain and scraped the bowl, this recipe is for you. It recreates that silky, garlicky, herb-scented bowl at home with real cream, fresh spinach, and shelf-stable potato gnocchi that cook right in the broth, no separate pot required.
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The magic is in the layering: butter and aromatics build the base, a quick flour-and-milk slurry thickens the broth without lumps, and the gnocchi release just enough starch to make everything velvety. Rotisserie chicken keeps the active time down to about 15 minutes, so this lands on the table on a weeknight without a trip to the store.
One pot, one ladle, and a pile of crusty bread for dipping. This is the kind of soup that tastes like it simmered all afternoon but is finished before your bread is even toasted.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Butter gives the base its nutty richness. Swap in olive oil for a dairy-free version, or use salted butter and cut the added salt by half.
1 tablespoon olive oil
The oil keeps the butter from browning too fast. Any neutral oil works, but a fruity extra-virgin adds the best flavor here.
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
Yellow onion melts into the broth and sweetens as it cooks. Sweet onion is a milder substitute; avoid red onion, which turns the soup an unappealing pink.
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
Carrots add sweetness and body. Buy whole carrots rather than baby carrots, which are watery and cook unevenly in soup.
3 garlic cloves, minced
Fresh garlic is non-negotiable for that signature flavor. If you only have garlic powder, use 3/4 teaspoon and add it with the flour instead of the aromatics.
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Flour thickens the broth into a silky cream base. For gluten-free, substitute an equal amount of cornstarch and whisk it into the cold milk before adding.
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Low-sodium broth lets you control the salt. Better Than Bouillon chicken base whisked into 4 cups of water is an excellent, deeper-flavored swap.
2 cups whole milk
Whole milk keeps the soup rich without being heavy. For an even creamier bowl, replace 1/2 cup of the milk with heavy cream.
3 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 12 ounces)
Rotisserie chicken is the ultimate shortcut. If cooking from raw, poach 2 boneless breasts in the broth for 15 minutes, then shred.
16 ounces potato gnocchi (shelf-stable or frozen)
Shelf-stable gnocchi hold their shape best in soup. If using frozen, do not thaw; add 2 extra minutes of simmering time.
3 cups baby spinach, packed
Spinach wilts in seconds and adds color and iron. Kale works but needs 5 minutes of simmering; frozen spinach should be squeezed dry first.
1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus salt to taste
The dried herb blend is the flavor backbone. Poultry seasoning or 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme and rosemary can stand in.
Tips & Tricks
Do not boil after the gnocchi go in
A gentle simmer keeps the gnocchi intact; a rolling boil turns them gummy and breaks them apart, so drop the heat to low the moment they float.
Add the spinach off the heat
Residual heat wilts the spinach perfectly in 60 seconds while keeping its bright green color instead of turning it army-green.
Season at the end, not the start
Broth, rotisserie chicken, and gnocchi all carry salt, so taste and adjust only after everything is combined.
- Whisk the flour into cold milk, not hot broth: Adding flour directly to a hot pot creates lumps that never smooth out. Whisking it into cold milk first guarantees a silky, lump-free base.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Sauté the aromatics
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat (about 350°F / 175°C) and cook the onion and carrot for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the edges are just golden. Add the garlic and cook 45 seconds more until fragrant, being careful not to brown it.
2. Build the roux
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 60 seconds until the mixture looks like wet sand and smells nutty. This step is what thickens the soup and eliminates any raw flour taste.
3. Whisk in the liquid
Whisk the cold milk into the pot in a slow stream, then add the broth, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Whisk constantly for 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth with no visible flour pockets, then bring it to a gentle simmer at 200°F / 93°C, small bubbles breaking at the edges.
4. Simmer the base
Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the broth thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and the carrots are fork-tender.
5. Add the chicken
Stir in the shredded chicken and simmer for 3 minutes until it is heated through and registers 165°F / 74°C on an instant-read thermometer. Taste the broth now and add salt in 1/4 teaspoon increments.
6. Cook the gnocchi
Add the gnocchi and simmer gently at 190°F / 88°C for 4 minutes. They are done when they float to the surface, look puffed, and taste tender with no chalky center; do not let the pot boil hard or they will break apart.
7. Wilt the spinach
Turn off the heat, stir in the spinach, and cover the pot for 60 seconds. The leaves should collapse and turn deep, glossy green; stir once to distribute them evenly.
8. Finish and serve
Ladle into warm bowls, top with grated Parmesan and a crack of black pepper, and serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping. The soup is at its silkiest within 20 minutes of finishing.
Delicious Variations
Mushroom and Thyme Version
Sauté 8 ounces of sliced cremini mushrooms with the onion for a deeper, earthier bowl that is naturally vegetarian if you swap in vegetable broth.
Spicy Sausage Swap
Brown 12 ounces of crumbled hot Italian sausage first and use its rendered fat instead of the butter for a spicier, heartier take.
Lemon-Dill Lightened Up
Skip the flour, use 1 cup of milk plus 1 cup of broth, and finish with the zest of 1 lemon and 2 tablespoons of fresh dill for a brighter, brothy version.
How to Store Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The gnocchi will absorb broth as it sits, so keep a splash of extra broth on hand to loosen it when reheating.
Freezer
Freeze the soup base without the gnocchi or spinach for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then add fresh gnocchi and spinach when reheating for the best texture.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat (about 250°F / 120°C) for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often and adding broth or milk as needed. Avoid boiling, which will break down the gnocchi.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use frozen gnocchi in this soup?
Yes, frozen gnocchi work well, but add them straight from the freezer without thawing and simmer for 6 minutes instead of 4. Wait until they float and taste one to confirm it is tender all the way through.
Q: Why did my chicken gnocchi soup turn out gummy?
Gummy soup almost always comes from boiling the gnocchi too hard or too long, which releases excess starch. Keep the pot at a gentle simmer and pull the gnocchi as soon as they float, about 4 minutes for shelf-stable ones.
Q: Is chicken gnocchi soup the same as chicken and dumplings?
No, they are different dishes: gnocchi are potato-flour dumplings that cook in minutes, while Southern chicken and dumplings use rolled biscuit or flat noodle dough that simmers much longer. This soup is creamier and herbier than the classic.
Q: Can I make chicken gnocchi soup without cream or milk?
Yes, you can replace the milk with an equal amount of extra chicken broth and thicken the soup with an extra tablespoon of flour or a cornstarch slurry. It will be brothy rather than creamy, so finish with a knob of butter for richness.
Q: How do I keep the gnocchi from getting mushy in leftovers?
Cook the gnocchi separately and add it to individual bowls if you plan on having leftovers. Stored together, the gnocchi keep absorbing broth and soften overnight, so reheating with a splash of fresh broth helps restore the texture.
If you make this Chicken Gnocchi Soup, I would love to hear how it turned out. Snap a photo of your steaming bowl, tag me on social media, and leave a star rating below. It helps other home cooks find this recipe, and it tells me which soups to develop next.
Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup is a rich, herb-flecked one-pot dinner with pillowy gnocchi, tender chicken, and spinach ready in under an hour.
🧂 Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 12 ounces)
- 16 ounces potato gnocchi (shelf-stable or frozen)
- 3 cups baby spinach, packed
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus salt to taste
📋 Instructions
- 1Sauté the aromatics — Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat (about 350°F / 175°C) and cook the onion and carrot for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the edges are just golden. Add the garlic and cook 45 seconds more until fragrant, being careful not to brown it.
- 2Build the roux — Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 60 seconds until the mixture looks like wet sand and smells nutty. This step is what thickens the soup and eliminates any raw flour taste.
- 3Whisk in the liquid — Whisk the cold milk into the pot in a slow stream, then add the broth, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Whisk constantly for 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth with no visible flour pockets, then bring it to a gentle simmer at 200°F / 93°C, small bubbles breaking at the edges.
- 4Simmer the base — Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the broth thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and the carrots are fork-tender.
- 5Add the chicken — Stir in the shredded chicken and simmer for 3 minutes until it is heated through and registers 165°F / 74°C on an instant-read thermometer. Taste the broth now and add salt in 1/4 teaspoon increments.
- 6Cook the gnocchi — Add the gnocchi and simmer gently at 190°F / 88°C for 4 minutes. They are done when they float to the surface, look puffed, and taste tender with no chalky center; do not let the pot boil hard or they will break apart.
- 7Wilt the spinach — Turn off the heat, stir in the spinach, and cover the pot for 60 seconds. The leaves should collapse and turn deep, glossy green; stir once to distribute them evenly.
- 8Finish and serve — Ladle into warm bowls, top with grated Parmesan and a crack of black pepper, and serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping. The soup is at its silkiest within 20 minutes of finishing.
