Published: Last Updated: by Marye 1662 words. | About 9 minutes to read this article.
Hey y'all, I've got a super cozy chicken gnocchi soup recipe here that's just like what they serve up at Olive Garden, but you can make it right in your own kitchen. Best of all, it's all done with a slow cooker! It's full of those yummy herbs and chunky chicken pieces that'll warm you right up. No need to head out to the restaurant when you can whip this up at home. Trust me, your family is gonna be asking for seconds before you know it!
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 8 hours hrs
Total Time 8 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
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Get ready to bring a little piece of Olive Garden right into your cozy kitchen with our down-home version of their classic creamy soup! This recipe's a real keeper, y'all – it's packed with all those warm herbal flavors and hearty chicken bits that make your heart smile.
Table of Contents
- 🗝️ Key takeaways
- 🧾 Ingredients
- 📖Variations
- 🔪 Slow cooker chicken gnocchi soup instructions
- 🍴 Equipment
- 🥫 How to store leftovers
- Expert tip:
- 💭 Things to know
- 👩🍳 FAQs
- 📚 Related recipes
- 🍽️ Serve creamy chicken gnocchi soup with...
- 📞 The last word
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Slow cooker chicken gnocchi soup is an easy soup recipe with so much flavor—the whole family will love it!
- Serve this comforting soup by itself as an easy dinner recipe or with an Italian salad and a big chunk of crusty bread.
- Don’t stir cornstarch directly into hot soup or it will clump up! You've gotta mix it with cream first to make a luscious, smooth soup.
This creamy chicken gnocchi soup recipe is one of my favorite Olive Garden copycat recipes.
Pillowy gnocchi, flavorful chicken, and tender veggies simmer in a creamy broth to create a delicious soup that rivals the restaurant version!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖Variations
- You can use skinless chicken thighs instead of skinless chicken breasts.
- This is a great recipe to use up leftover rotisserie chicken! Just wait to add the shredded chicken 'til you’ve added the cornstarch slurry and gnocchi.
- I get store-bought gnocchi because it’s convenient, but you’re welcome to whip up homemade gnocchi from scratch!
- Kale is a great substitute for baby spinach. It will just need an extra 1-2 minutes of cooking time to soften and wilt in the soup.
- If you don’t have fresh garlic, substitute it with two teaspoons of garlic powder.
- For a lighter soup, swap out the regular half-and-half with fat-free half-and-half, evaporated milk, or whole milk.
- Or use heavy cream if you want an extra rich, creamy soup.
🔪 Slow cooker chicken gnocchi soup instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size. No slow cooker? Check out these slow cooker substitutes!
Cook chicken, carrots, celery, garlic, stock, and seasonings in a crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.
Mix two tablespoons cornstarch with light cream in a small bowl.
Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and stir the cornstarch slurry into the hot soup.
Add the potato gnocchi.
Shred the chicken and return it to the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on high heat until the soup thickens.
Stir in the fresh spinach.
Do a taste test and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
🍴 Equipment
- Slow cooker
🥫 How to store leftovers
Refrigerate leftover chicken gnocchi soup in an airtight container for up to four days. Leftover soup makes the best easy lunch or dinner the next day.
However, I don’t recommend freezing this soup. Freezing and thawing can cause the creamy broth to separate and change the texture of the gnocchi.
Add a little bit of cream before reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop to thin out the soup. Simply heat 'til it's warm again, and enjoy!
Expert tip:
Never add cornstarch directly to hot homemade soup—it will make your broth clumpy! Make sure you mix it into the cold half-and-half first before stirring it into the soup.
💭 Things to know
- Spray the bottom of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray before adding chicken so it doesn’t stick and burn.
- You can add uncooked chicken directly to the slow cooker or sear it on the stovetop over medium heat first. Searing the chicken first will improve the texture of the meat, but it isn’t a necessary step.
- Check chicken with an instant-read thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature of the meat is 165F. This means it's fully cooked.
- The easiest way to shred cooked chicken is on a cutting board with two forks. Some people use a handheld mixer, but I don't think it's necessary.
- Add a diced onion or one teaspoon of onion powder, a teaspoon of poultry seasoning, or ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg for more depth of flavor.
- You can make homemade Italian seasoning with dried basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, parsley, sage, savory, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
👩🍳 FAQs
Can I use frozen spinach?
You can, but you’ll need to thaw and drain the excess liquid first. For the best results, stick with fresh spinach.
How do I make potato gnocchi from scratch?
If you can’t find dried gnocchi in grocery stores nearby, you can make fresh potato gnocchi with boiled and mashed potatoes, all-purpose flour, egg, and salt.
The key to tender gnocchi is gently kneading the dough for only 3-4 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. Roll out the dough into ½ thick ropes and cut each rope into 1-inch pieces.
Can I cook Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup in an instant pot?
Absolutely! You can easily translate the slow cooker version into an instant pot recipe. Add the chicken, veggies, seasonings, and chicken stock to your pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
Remove the chicken, shred it, and add it back to the pot. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and gnocchi, then use the saute function to simmer the soup for 20-30 minutes until it thickens up. Add in the spinach and stir to combine.
Can I freeze chicken gnocchi soup?
I don’t recommend it. Creamy soups like this one tend to split after freezing and thawing. The texture of the potato gnocchi will change, too.
What sides taste good with soup?
Soup is delicious with rustic Italian bread, focaccia bread, garlic bread, or garlic breadsticks. You can also serve it with side dishes like bruschetta, a caprese salad, or roasted vegetables such as asparagus, zucchini, bell peppers, or broccoli. Scroll down for more ideas!
- Creamy Chicken Gnocchi is an easy recipe (and a one-pot meal) made with six simple ingredients that’s on the dinner table in just 30 minutes!
- A spinoff of our favorite Crockpot Angel Chicken recipe, Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup is one of my favorite slow cooker soups.
- You can make Grilled Chicken Alfredo that beats Olive Garden's version with my easy, budget-friendly recipe—it's a staple in my house!
- Crockpot Ranch Chicken Tacos
- Rump Roast in a Crock Pot
- Copycat Wendy's Chili
- Crockpot Creamy Chicken Nachos
🍽️ Serve creamy chicken gnocchi soup with...
Air Fryer Garlic Bread is buttery and crisp on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, and cooks in 5 minutes!
Italian Green Bean Salad features tomatoes, baby potatoes, and red onion marinated in a zesty Italian dressing—a refreshing side dish for this rich ‘n creamy soup!
The buttery crust, tangy lemon filling, and airy meringue of Old Fashioned Lemon Meringue Pie make it the perfect palate cleanser after a hearty meal.
📞 The last word
This is a breeze to make, thanks to your trusty slow cooker. No need to dress up and head out to the restaurant; you can whip up this belly-warming delight in your very own home. It's sure to be a hit with everyone at the table, making mealtime a moment to look forward to.
Y'all are gonna love it, I promise!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
5 from 1 vote
Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
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Hey y'all, I've got a super cozy chicken gnocchi soup recipe here that's just like what they serve up at Olive Garden, but you can make it right in your own kitchen. Best of all, it's all done with a slow cooker! It's full of those yummy herbs and chunky chicken pieces that'll warm you right up. No need to head out to the restaurant when you can whip this up at home. Trust me, your family is gonna be asking for seconds before you know it!
Course Main Dish,Slow Cooker
Cuisine Italian American
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours hours
Total Time: 8 hours hours 5 minutes minutes
Servings:8
Calories:335
Author:Marye Audet-White
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breast, skinless boneless. Or thighs
- 1 cups carrots, shredded
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup half-and-half cream
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 pound potato gnocchi
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
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Instructions
Spray 6-quart slow cooker with no-stick cooking spray.
Place chicken breasts in the bottom.
Add carrots, celery, garlic, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, pepper, and salt.
Pour in the chicken stock, cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the chicken is tender and registers 165℉ with an instant-read thermometer.
Remove the chicken from the crockpot.
Mix the cornstarch and cream and stir it into the hot soup until completely mixed in.
Add the gnocchi.
Shred chicken with two forks and return to the slow cooker.
Replace the cover.
Turn the temperature to high and cook for 30 minutes, or until gnocchi is cooked through and soup has thickened slightly.
Stir in the spinach.
Taste, adjust seasonings, and serve.
Notes
Storage:
Let leftover chicken gnocchi soup come to room temperature then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to four days.
I don’t recommend freezing this soup. Freezing and thawing can cause the creamy broth to separate and change the texture of the gnocchi.
Tips:
- Never add cornstarch directly to hot homemade soup—it will make your broth clumpy! Make sure you mix it into the cold half-and-half first before stirring it into the soup.Spray the bottom of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray before adding chicken so it doesn’t stick and burn.
- Check chicken with an instant-read thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature of the meat is 165F.
- You can make homemade Italian seasoning with dried basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, parsley, sage, savory, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 581mg | Potassium: 733mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3236IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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About Marye
Meet Marye Audet, a wizard in the kitchen and a storyteller at heart. Marye is like your eccentric but fun aunt who knows all the secret recipes and isn't afraid to spill them. She's been around the culinary block more than once, turning simple ingredients into mouthwatering masterpieces. With a sprinkle of humor and a dash of wit, she makes cooking feel like a piece of cake (which she can also teach you to bake perfectly). When she's not conjuring up delicious dishes, you might find her sharing laughs with her family, reading by the fire, or scribbling down her next big recipe idea. Marye believes that a good meal and a hearty laugh are the best parts of life. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.
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