When it comes to hearty soups, clam and corn chowders usually steal the spotlight. But let’s not overlook the amazing chicken chowder served up at Olive Garden, packed with veggies and pillowy gnocchi.
Gnocchi is like a hidden gem in your pantry, perfect as the main event in a dish or as a delightful addition to soups. Think of it as a shortcut to the comfort of chicken and dumplings, but faster! For an extra special touch, why not whip up your own chicken stock to elevate this recipe to new heights?
Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 medium carrot julienned or shredded
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 cups half-and-half
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 1 16-ounce package fresh gnocchi
- 2 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add onions, celery, and carrots, and cook until they soften, which takes about 5 minutes. Toss in the minced garlic and cook until it smells amazing, around 1 minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze the pot, scraping up any tasty bits stuck to the bottom with a wooden spoon. Toss in the thyme sprigs and bring everything to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes, allowing all those wonderful flavors to mingle. Stir in the half-and-half and let the soup gently simmer again. Fish out the thyme sprigs and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the shredded chicken and gnocchi to the pot and let them simmer until the gnocchi are tender, following the package directions. Toss in the spinach and cook until it just wilts. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve up a comforting bowl of goodness!