Olive Garden’s Chicken Gnocchi soup is one of the most popular soup recipes. This Olive Garden copycat recipe is a rich soup with roasted tender chicken, soft pillowy gnocchi, shredded carrots, celery, and fresh spinach in a warm bowl of goodness. Hands down, this is one of my favorite Olive Garden copycat recipes. You can prepare this comforting soup for the whole family. If you love gnocchi, you will love this soup.
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Easy copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi soup recipe
This is an Olive Garden favorite, but this soup is so good you will want to make a double batch every time you make it.
The Chicken and Gnocchi soup will taste like you spent hours at the stove, making your family a delightful chicken and potato gnocchi soup. You can make this soup in about 30 minutes.
Everyone Loves Chicken and Gnocchi soup
Why does everyone love this recipe? I think this is one of those chicken soup recipes everyone loves because it is made with tender gnocchi, juicy chicken, fresh carrots and celery, and a perfectly seasoned chicken broth. To accompany this soup, make salad and breadsticks with this classic Olive Garden dish.
Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup Ingredients
I love this easy gnocchi soup, which uses simple ingredients. In no time at all, your entire family will fall in love with this soup that you made in the comfort of your own home. Go to the recipe card for the exact quantities and steps to make this recipe.
- Butter – you can use either salted butter or unsalted butter
- Olive oil – is used to saute the onions and celery
- White onion – I like the white onion for this recipe. It tends to be a bit sweeter and has less heat than yellow onion.
- Celery – fresh celery adds a beautiful earthy flavor
- Fresh garlic – to make the best soup, use fresh garlic so the flavor sings through
- All-purpose flour – this is used to make a roux, the base of your creamy soup.
- Half and half—I recommend using half and half instead of whole milk; it reheats better. If you want something completely decadent, swap the half-and-half for heavy cream.
- Low-sodium chicken broth – I would use it if you have homemade broth.
- Dried thyme – adds a beautiful earthy flavor
- Dried parsley flakes – add a lovely pop of color to your recipe
- Ground Nutmeg – enhances the flavor of your soup
- Shredded carrots – you can purchase carrot matchsticks to make this easy
- Cooked chicken breast – If you have leftover rotisserie chicken, I suggest this. The Olive Garden does not use this, but it is an opportunity to drive up the flavor. Also, this recipe can be made with cooked chicken thighs.
- Potato Gnocchi – My keto friends will swap out the gnocchi for cauliflower gnocchi. Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi is a favorite. If you can find it, some people love this with mini gnocchi.
- Spinach – regular spinach is fine, but I prefer fresh baby spinach.
Should you use store-bought or homemade gnocchi?
Store-bought gnocchi is perfect for this recipe. You can take the extra step in preparing homemade gnocchi, but premade potato gnocchi works well. Gnocchi can be found in a couple of different places in your supermarket, and you do have options to purchase them.
- Many local stores sell shelf-stable potato gnocchi in the pasta aisles. I have purchased this at Walmart and Kroger, and I have been told that some dollar stores carry gnocchi.
- I have seen fluffy gnocchi sold in the fresh sections of higher-end grocery stores, where you would pick up a prepared meal.
- I have even found it available in the grocery store’s frozen section.
Either type of gnocchi will work well. Your family will love this. Have a hard time finding gnocchi? Make your homemade potato gnocchi.
How to make Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi
It is straightforward to make this Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi soup recipe. You will find that all of the ingredients are very common in your average grocery store.
First, you will sauté the vegetables in butter over medium-high heat. Then, add some flour and cook that through. You will then add the half-and-half and chicken broth. Bring it to a low boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Cooked chicken and gnocchi are added to your seasoned broth and vegetables. Adjust your seasoning, and you will be ready to serve this soup in less than an hour.
Can you use a Crockpot for this recipe?
Yes, you can. I like to saute the vegetables first before I prepare the soup. You don’t need to do that if you like.
Simply place all of the vegetables, except the kale, chicken, seasonings, and stock, into the crockpot. Cook on low for 4 hours. Shred the chicken, add the remaining ingredients, and cook for another hour.
If the soup is too thin, make a cornstarch slurry of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with two tablespoons of water. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the soup, turn the crockpot on high, and stir until the soup has thickened.
How to Store and Reheat Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Refrigerate any leftover soup for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat – this creamy soup is best reheated in a large pot on the stove over low heat. This way the creamy broth won’t break down.
Can you freeze copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup?
Yes, you can freeze this soup. The soup stays well in the freezer for several months when stored in an airtight container. Thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight.
More Olive Garden Recipes
- Asiago Tortelloni Alfredo with Grilled Chicken
- Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara
- Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
- Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo
- Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
- Olive Garden Dressing
- Olive Garden Minestrone Soup
- Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli Soup
- Olive Garden Salad Recipe
- Zuppa Toscana
Popular Soup Recipes
Love soup? Check out these soup recipes and try one of my great dessert recipes to complete your meal.
Look at more of my copycat Olive Garden recipes to make your favorites at home.
Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 quart half-and-half
- 28 ounces chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1 cup carrots finely shredded
- 1 cup spinach leaves coarsely chopped
- 1 cup chicken breast cooked, and diced
- 16 ounces package ready-to-use gnocchi
Instructions
- Melt the butter and olive oil in a large pot or a Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion becomes translucent.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the half-and-half. Simmer until thickened.
- Whisk in the chicken broth. Simmer until thickened again. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, thyme, parsley, nutmeg (if using), shredded carrots, spinach, chicken, and gnocchi.
- Simmer until the soup is heated through. Before serving, season with additional salt, if necessary.
Video
Notes
- You can use leftover roitisserie chicken for extra flavor
- You may want to use less thyme than suggested
- Some gnocchi is very large, you can cut these pieces in half
- You may want to add additional salt to the final soup, this soup does not have a lot of salt in it, especially if you use low-sodium chicken broth
Laura
Great recipe! I added much more salt and a hefty amount of chicken bouillon powder. I otherwise followed the recipe to a T. Watch the video it’s helpful. Before adding spinach, simmer everything for 20 mins and then spinach at the end. Tastes great and full of flavor ☺️
Terri
Absolutely delicious! Definitely will make again!
Deborah Mothershed
My first time and loved it!! Thank you!!
Kathy
Absolutely amazing. I made this for New Years eve and made a replica of the breadsticks. Tasted very flavorful!
Connie N.
This soup is absolutely amazing! I used the rotisserie chicken from our market, and actually used 2 cups of meat! Also used 3 chicken bouillon cubes as I was sautéing the onion and broth and butter. Everyone loved this soup, and it is just as tasty the next day! Thanks for sharing! 😋
Bobbie
This is soooo delicious! My family and I will make this over and over!
Bobbie
I meant delicious!
Cal Abriola
The Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup is absolutely perfect. I couldn’t believe how good it was. I can’t believe how stupid I was in letting my friends know I was making it-now I have to share and there won’t be any left. I will make some more tomorrow. They will think I am a really great cook. The gnocchi I found had to be boiled for about 5 minutes, couldn’t find ready made, but I don’t care I will make this all year long. Your recipe is right on the mark. Thank you so much Stephanie.
Judy Ashdown
Hi, Just signed up for newsletter after making the olive garden gnocchi chicken soup
it was great. I also live in Canada and could only get this when I went to Florida,’
omg better than the OG version thanks so much look forward to all your suggestions.
Thank Judy
Stephanie
I am glad you enjoyed the soup.
cynthia
just an amazing soup..much better than the olive garden lunch promo…$$$$ of bout 40bucks
Eleyn Isaak
I don’t have half and half. I have Table Cream, 2% milk, and Mocha Mix. Will any of these work?
Stephanie
I would use table cream, and if the soup is too rich, I would add more chicken stock.
Christina Jordan
If you only have 8 servings then they would be about 1577 calories per serving based on calories of all ingredients for 8 servings. Not sure if the # of servings accurate as listed.
Stephanie
The nutritional information is calories per serving.
Trish R
Yes, the nutritional info does give calories per serving; however it omits the amount per serving. Usually recipes will indicate how many servings and the amount per serving. So will I consume 1577 calories in one cup of soup or two?
Stephanie
I really appreciate your comment, and I need to discuss with the software author that it doesn’t allow me to write in the portion amount. So the pot of soup is say 10 servings. So that means the soup is 10 equal servings, and the calories divide out among the 10 servings. I am sorry this doesn’t give me a spot to put this in.
Jill Roland
This is great soup, I make my own gnocchi, it’s really easy and takes hardly anytime. So, I would not buy the gnocchi. After the potatoes are boiled off, just smash them down, add flour and salt and pepper, roll them out and cut, I just throw them in with the already cooking soup, you do not have to boil them separately.
scott
A FRIEND OF MINE USED A CROCK POT.CAN U USE A CROCK POT FOR THIS SOUP ?
Stephanie
I think you could but I would saute the vegetables first, I wouldn’t add the gnocchi until maybe an hour before serving it.
Nadia Hamdan
You are amazing . please can you. Make a SWISSROL CAKE. with no crack please. Please . nobody made it without crack and moist .
Stephanie
Well I think if you put the seam side down, the crack would not show on that Swiss roll. I will keep your suggestion in mind!
Nancy Robinson
It is so easy to make gnocchi use potato flakes hungry jack make the potatoes only use less milk and eggs and seasonings and flour to make a dough that is not tacky roll into a rope and cut into little pillows and dent center if wanted use fork tines to make lines and throw into soup
Stephanie
That is downright brilliant. I will have to give that a try!
A. Gonzales
My son try this soup when traveling in USA, we don’t have Olive Garden in Toronto… so I try your recipe, we have repeated it a lot of times, always enjoyed . Made it in special ocasions when friends are coming …Wow! People were always so pleased. Thank you!
Ashleigh
Do you use ground thyme or thyme leaves ??
Stephanie
I use thyme leaves.
Stephanie
I have use thyme leaves.
Liz
I didn’t precook the gnocchi and it made the soup too thick. The gnocchi sucked all the moisture out of the soup.
Sonya Ray
I love it excepy mine came out a little bland. Should I up the garlic or the salt? Please give suggestions!
Sonya
I meant to say except.
Victoria
Mine did as well! I’m not sure what to add but its definitely missing something to make it taste just like Olive Garden.
Michelle
I found that if I amp up the flavor of the chicken it takes away that blandness. I used chicken bullion powder to add a kick to the chicken. I also recommend to ease up in the thyme. 1/2 tsp is super powerful.
Julie
Yes! Adding chicken bullion was exactly what it needed. I think my chicken broth wasn’t strong enough. Chicken stock would have been better, At first it was still too milky tasting and we added a little oregano and some garlic powder trying t fix that, but it was still missing something.Adding the chicken bullion was what really gave it the flavor it was missing!
Tommy
My wife and I have made this soup many times. We do not use store brand stock. We make our own by boiling the chicken with onion, celery, onion and garlic powders etc…also we precook the gnocchi. That homemade chicken stock can really add alot of flavor.
Sin
I sauté the chicken cubes with pepper and Tony chacherie’s (heavy handed on both). I also use some dried Italian seasoning in the pot towards the end
Gayle
Hi Stephanie, reading the comme ts I read that you should boil the Gnocchi before adding to the soup. Then I thought I read another comment that you don’t have to ptrcook the Gnocchi. Which one is it? Love your recipe. Thank you.
Stephanie
I don’t think you need to pre-cook the gnocchi per se. You can add it to the soup but you will need to cook the soup for long enough to cook the gnocchi.
Tommy
I precook it. It makes for a thinner soup. Also you can add more stock if you don’t preccok the gnocchi to compensate, however I don’t know the amount you would need to add sorry.