Description
Olive Garden-inspired chicken gnocchi soup delivers comfort in a hearty bowl packed with tender potatoes and delicate gnocchi. Home cooks can quickly prepare this creamy Italian-style soup that warms hearts and satisfies hunger with simple ingredients and minimal cooking time.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 4 cups chicken broth
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
Staples and Seasonings:
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) olive oil
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 package (16 ounces/454 grams) potato gnocchi
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a spacious pot over medium-high heat, creating a fragrant base for the soup.
- Gently sauté diced onions, minced garlic, julienned carrots, and chopped celery until vegetables become translucent and tender, releasing their aromatic essence, approximately 5-6 minutes.
- Pour in rich chicken broth and velvety heavy cream, complementing with Italian seasoning, a whisper of nutmeg, and balanced salt and pepper. Allow mixture to reach a gentle, rolling simmer.
- Introduce shredded chicken and pillowy gnocchi, letting them dance in the simmering liquid for 4-6 minutes until gnocchi achieves a perfectly soft texture.
- Incorporate fresh spinach leaves, allowing them to wilt gracefully into the soup for 1-2 minutes, transforming the dish with a vibrant green touch.
- Taste and recalibrate seasoning, ensuring a harmonious blend of flavors that tantalize the palate.
- Ladle the steaming soup into waiting bowls, accompanied by rustic crusty bread or crisp crackers for a complete, comforting meal.
Notes
- Optimize vegetable texture by cutting them uniformly for consistent cooking and appealing presentation.
- Use rotisserie chicken for faster preparation and deeper flavor complexity without extra cooking time.
- Substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk for lighter version, reducing overall calorie content.
- Enhance gluten-free adaptability by selecting potato-based gnocchi or making homemade gluten-free gnocchi variant.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg