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Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

A comforting creamy soup filled with tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, and fresh spinach, inspired by the popular restaurant dish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Base Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1 medium Yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 ribs Celery, diced
  • 1 large Carrot, diced or 2 small
  • 3-4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
  • 4 cups Chicken broth (low sodium preferred)
  • 1 cup Heavy cream (or half-and-half for lighter)
  • 2 cups Cooked chicken, shredded or diced (rotisserie works great)
  • 1 pound Potato gnocchi (shelf-stable or fresh)
  • 2-3 cups Baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • to taste Salt and black pepper
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated plus more for serving
  • 1 Lemon for finishing (zest and/or juice)
  • to taste Optional boosts: red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, parsley

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a large pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium.
  2. When shimmering, add onion, celery, and carrot. Cook for 5–7 minutes until softened and slightly translucent.
  3. Stir in garlic, thyme, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if using. Cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Sprinkle in flour and stir to coat the veggies. Cook for 1–2 minutes to remove raw flour taste.
  5. Slowly whisk in chicken broth to avoid lumps, then drop in the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  6. Pour in heavy cream, return to a simmer and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
  7. Add shredded chicken and gnocchi. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until gnocchi float and are tender.
  8. Stir in spinach until just wilted, then fold in Parmesan. If it gets too thick, loosen with a splash of broth or water.
  9. Fish out the bay leaf. Add lemon zest and a small squeeze of juice to brighten. Taste and adjust salt/pepper as needed.
  10. Ladle into bowls and top with extra Parmesan and cracked pepper.

Notes

Store in airtight containers for 3–4 days in the fridge. If reheating, add a splash of broth or milk to maintain consistency. For freezing, do not add gnocchi or spinach until reheating.