Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup is thick, creamy, and oh, so comforting!! Enjoy a bowl of this restaurant favorite for a delicious Italian dinner tonight!

We love making copycat versions of our favorite restaurant recipes at home. It saves money, plus, homemade meals always tastes the best!  Olive Garden soups are easy to make and will give you a delicious Italian dinner on the table in very little time!

Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Not only is this dish made entirely from fresh ingredients, but anyone can throw it together no matter how skilled they are in the kitchen.

My Zuppa Toscana is another delicious Olive Garden copycat soup that can be made on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot.

Or, try a tortellini alfredo soup that is just as hearty and creamy – perfect for a warm bowl of comfort food! 

And if you can’t get enough Olive Garden, check out our copycat recipes here.

How to Make Olive Garden Gnocchi Soup

First, measure and prep all of your ingredients so everything is ready when you need it.

Brown the chicken until it is cooked through, then transfer to a plate and saute the veggies in the leftover oil and butter.

Stir in the flour and seasoning, then the broth and milk, and simmer all together with the gnocchi until the tiny dumplings float to the top.

Finally, chop up the chicken into bite sized pieces. Stir into the pot with the spinach and cream until heated through.

Tips and Tricks

• Choose the right cookware. A Dutch oven is ideal for this chicken and gnocchi soup recipe, but a large stockpot will get the job done as well. Because this yields so many servings, I recommend a 4-quart capacity at minimum but larger is better.
• Adjust the consistency. I used two packages of the dumplings for a heartier bowl, but feel free to reduce the amount to one package so it comes out thinner. 
• Use pre-cooked chicken. You could easily throw in some leftovers or rotisserie meat to save some time. Simply omit the olive oil and begin by cooking the onions in the 2 tablespoons of butter before proceeding as instructed.
• Play with spices. While Italian seasoning is quick and easy, you can use any combination of dried basil, oregano, rosemary, and/or thyme for better control over the flavor.

Olive Garden Gnocchi Soup FAQ

What should I serve with Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup?

You can’t go wrong with a big bowl of salad for the table – it tastes just like the restaurant version!

Otherwise, this dish is quite filling on its own and doesn’t need more than some crusty bread or breadsticks for mopping up every last drop.

Can I save leftovers?

Yes! Once cooled, transfer the leftover soup to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove with additional milk or broth as needed.

I don’t recommend freezing this soup, since cream based soups don’t tend to hold up well once frozen and thawed.

What else can I add to chicken and gnocchi soup recipe?

It’s easy to sneak in other vegetables like celery, peas, or even zucchini. You could also replace the poultry with Italian sausage for a more savory flavor.

Also, small cut pastas like orzo, shells, and orecchiette are a great substitute if you can’t get your hands on the dumplings. Check the package instructions for cooking times and adjust accordingly.

Enjoy!

With love from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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Other Easy Chicken Recipes

Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

Donna Elick

Olive Garden chicken and gnocchi soup is thick, creamy, and oh so comforting. Enjoy a bowl of this home cooked version for dinner tonight!

5 stars from 1 review

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 55 mins

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Method Stovetop

Servings 10 1 cup servings

Equipment

• dutch oven
• box grater

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 tablespoons salted butter
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 pound chicken breast , or chicken tenderloin
• ▢ 1 cup yellow onion, diced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ▢ 4 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 2 cups milk
• ▢ 32 ounces Gnocchi, (2 packages) or 1 package for a thinner soup
• ▢ 2 cups baby spinach leaves, rinsed and pat dry
• ▢ 1 cup grated carrots
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
• ▢ fresh parsley for garnish, optional

Instructions

 

• Add butter and olive oil to a large stockpot or Dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Add chicken and brown well on each side. Reduce heat and cook several minutes longer, if needed, to cook chicken all the way through (165°F internal temperature). Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
• To the same pot, add onion and saute until onions are soft and translucent. Add additional olive oil if needed for cooking, but there will likely be enough leftover from cooking the chicken.
• Add carrots to the cooked onion and saute 2-3 minutes.
• Add the flour, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to the onions and carrots and saute for 1-2 minutes to brown the flour.
• Slowly pour in chicken broth, stirring to combine the flour mixture evenly into the broth. Add milk and heat mixture, stirring frequently, until soup comes to a simmer and begins to thicken just slightly.
• Add gnocchi and simmer about 10 minutes longer until gnocchi is soft and floats to the top of the pot.
• Stir in spinach, chicken (cut into pieces), and heavy cream. Heat all of the ingredients through and serve.
• Garnish with chopped Italian parsley, if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 373cal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 886mg | Sugar: 5g | Fiber: 3g | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 4mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally published August 2021

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