Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup: A Heartwarming Homestyle Recipe

Creamy chicken gnocchi brings comfort straight to your dinner table with its rich, velvety embrace.

Soft potato dumplings mingle beautifully with tender, succulent meat in this soul-warming dish.

The recipe enhances simple ingredients into a luxurious meal that feels like a warm hug.

Silky sauce envelops each morsel, creating layers of flavor that dance across your palate.

Mediterranean influences shine through in this elegant yet approachable culinary creation.

Hearty enough for family dinners and sophisticated enough for weekend gatherings, this meal satisfies both hunger and heart.

Prepare to fall in love with a dish that promises pure, unapologetic deliciousness.

Why Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Is Comfort in a Bowl

• Savor Creamy Comfort: This recipe delivers a luxurious, velvety soup that wraps you in warmth with its rich, smooth texture and hearty ingredients.
• Technique-Packed Simplicity: Mastering multiple cooking methods like sautéing, blending, and simmering creates complex flavors without requiring advanced culinary skills.
• Quick Weeknight Winner: From start to finish, this one-pot meal comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy families craving a delicious, satisfying dinner.
• Nutrient-Dense Deliciousness: Packed with vegetables, lean protein, and soft potato gnocchi, this dish offers a balanced meal that feels indulgent yet nutritionally wholesome.

What Goes Into Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

• Chicken Stock: Provides the flavorful liquid base for the soup, choosing low-sodium for better control of salt content.
• Potatoes: Adds thickness and texture to the soup, selecting waxy varieties for best results.
• Leeks: Offers a mild onion-like flavor, choosing fresh and crisp leeks for maximum taste.
• Celery: Brings depth and aromatic quality to the soup base, picking crisp and bright green stalks.
• Carrots: Adds natural sweetness and color, selecting fresh and vibrant orange carrots.
• Bay Leaf: Provides subtle herbal undertones, using whole dried leaf for authentic flavor.

• Butter: Creates rich, smooth base for sautéing, choosing unsalted for precise seasoning.
• Olive Oil: Helps prevent butter from burning and adds extra flavor, selecting extra virgin variety.
• Garlic: Adds intense aromatic flavor, picking fresh cloves for best taste.
• Thyme: Introduces earthy herb notes, using fresh or dried herbs.
• Salt, Pepper: Enhance overall seasoning, selecting kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

• Gnocchi: Provides soft, pillowy pasta base, choosing fresh or vacuum-sealed package.
• Half and Half Cream: Creates creamy texture, selecting pasteurized fresh cream.
• Cooked Chicken: Adds protein and substance, using pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken.
• Nutmeg: Introduces warm, subtle spice, using freshly grated for best flavor.
• Spinach: Offers fresh green color and nutrients, selecting fresh baby spinach leaves.

How to Cook Chicken Gnocchi in No Time

Step 1: Create Flavorful Soup Base

• Grab a medium soup pot
• Add chicken stock
• Toss in diced potatoes
• Mix in half the leeks
• Add half the celery
• Include carrots
• Drop in bay leaf
• Bring to boil
• Reduce to fast simmer
• Cook until potatoes become tender (about 15 minutes)

Step 2: Sauté Aromatic Vegetables

• Heat butter and olive oil in sauté pan
• Set pan to medium heat
• Add remaining leeks
• Introduce remaining celery
• Sprinkle in garlic
• Shake in thyme
• Season with salt and pepper
• Stir for 3 minutes
• Mix in remaining shredded carrots
• Remove from heat

Step 3: Cook Pillowy Gnocchi

• Fill saucepan with salted water
• Bring water to rolling boil
• Carefully drop gnocchi into water
• Cook for 3 minutes
• Extract gnocchi with slotted spoon
• Set aside
• Keep cooking water nearby

Step 4: Transform Soup Texture

• Remove bay leaf from soup base
• Use immersion blender
• Puree soup until completely smooth

Step 5: Merge Delicious Components

• Fold sautéed vegetables into pureed soup
• Add gnocchi
• Pour in half and half cream
• Introduce cooked chicken
• Sprinkle pinch of nutmeg
• Simmer on medium heat
• Wait until gnocchi become tender
• Mix in half of chopped spinach
• Reserve remaining spinach for garnish

Tips for Creamy, Well-Balanced Gnocchi Soup

• Choose Fresh Ingredients: Select high-quality, fresh vegetables and herbs to enhance the soup's overall flavor and nutritional value.
• Master the Potato Puree: Blend the soup base thoroughly to create a silky, smooth texture without any lumps for a professional-looking dish.
• Control Gnocchi Cooking: Watch gnocchi carefully while boiling to prevent overcooking; they should be tender but not mushy or falling apart.
• Balance Cream Consistency: Add half and half gradually to achieve the perfect creamy texture without making the soup too heavy or thin.
• Layer Flavor Strategically: Sauté vegetables first to develop deeper, more complex taste before incorporating them into the soup base.

Reheat Chicken Gnocchi Without Losing Texture

• Refrigeration: Transfer leftover Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Delight into an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking. Seal tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Chilling quickly helps maintain food safety and preserves the dish's delicious flavor.
• Reheating: Gently warm the leftovers in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add a splash of chicken stock or half and half to restore the creamy consistency. Heat until the gnocchi and chicken are warmed through, approximately 5-7 minutes. Avoid boiling to prevent the cream from separating and the gnocchi from becoming tough.
• Freezing: While possible, cream-based dishes can slightly separate when frozen.

Sides to Serve with Creamy Gnocchi

• Pair with Crisp White Wine: Select a light, refreshing Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc to complement the creamy texture and cut through the richness of the chicken gnocchi soup.
• Serve Alongside Crusty Artisan Bread: Choose a rustic sourdough or herbed focaccia to soak up the velvety soup base and add a delightful textural contrast.
• Garnish with Fresh Herb Salad: Create a small side salad with mixed greens, fresh parsley, chives, and a light lemon vinaigrette to balance the soup's creamy profile and add a bright, zesty element.
• Finish with Sparkling Citrus Water: Prepare a refreshing citrus-infused sparkling water with lemon or orange slices to cleanse the palate and provide a light, crisp accompaniment to the hearty dish.

Flavor Variations for Chicken Gnocchi

• Rustic Italian Herb Gnocchi: Replace thyme with rosemary and basil, add sun-dried tomatoes, and sprinkle fresh parmesan cheese for an authentic Mediterranean flavor profile.
• Spicy Southwest Chicken Gnocchi: Incorporate chili powder, cumin, and diced green chilies. Top with fresh cilantro and serve with a side of lime wedges for a zesty southwestern kick.
• Creamy Mushroom Gnocchi Upgrade: Replace chicken with sautéed wild mushrooms like shiitake and cremini. Add a splash of white wine during vegetable sautéing and garnish with truffle oil for an earthy, luxurious version.
• Lighter Veggie Gnocchi Bowl: Swap half and half with coconut milk, use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock, and add extra vegetables like zucchini and bell peppers for a nutritious, plant-based alternative.

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Delight Recipe

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4.8 from 27 reviews

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Delight brings Italian comfort to your dinner table with pillowy potato dumplings nestled in a rich, velvety sauce. Savory chicken and fresh herbs mingle seamlessly, promising a luxurious meal that will transport you straight to a charming countryside kitchen.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh gnocchi
• 1 pound cooked diced chicken meat
• 1 pound yellow potatoes, peeled and diced into half-inch pieces

Vegetables and Aromatics:

• 1 cup leeks, divided (whites only, cleaned of sand and diced small)
• ½ cup diced celery, divided
• ¾ cup fresh carrots, peeled, shredded and divided (shredded on large holes of a box grater)
• 1 cup chopped fresh baby spinach, divided (one cup measured after chopping)
• 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced fine

Liquids, Seasonings, and Fats:

• 6 cups chicken stock or broth
• 2 cups half and half cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dry thyme
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon white pepper
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

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Instructions

1. In a large soup pot, merge chicken stock, diced potatoes, half the leeks, half the celery, carrots, and bay leaf. Bring liquid to a robust boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for approximately 15 minutes until potatoes reach tender consistency.
2. Simultaneously, warm butter and olive oil in a separate sauté pan over medium heat. Introduce remaining leeks, celery, minced garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes, then fold in remaining shredded carrots and remove from heat.
3. Fill another saucepan with salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Carefully drop gnocchi into water and cook for precisely 3 minutes. Extract gnocchi using a slotted spoon, placing them on a clean plate while preserving the cooking liquid.
4. Discard bay leaf from potato mixture and transform the soup base into a silky purée using an immersion blender until achieving a smooth, uniform texture.
5. Gently incorporate sautéed vegetables into the puréed soup base. Add gnocchi, half and half cream (120 milliliters), cooked chicken, and a delicate pinch of nutmeg. Allow mixture to simmer over medium heat until gnocchi become perfectly tender.
6. Fold in half the chopped spinach, letting it wilt slightly. Garnish with remaining fresh spinach before serving this luxurious, creamy chicken gnocchi soup.

Notes

• Prep work is key to creating a smooth, flavorful soup with tender vegetables and perfectly cooked gnocchi.
• Use fresh, high-quality ingredients like homemade chicken stock and fresh herbs to elevate the dish’s depth of flavor.
• Immersion blender technique transforms the soup base into a silky, creamy foundation that binds all ingredients beautifully.
• Sautéing vegetables before adding to the soup intensifies their natural sweetness and adds layers of complex taste.
• Cooking gnocchi separately ensures they remain light and fluffy, preventing them from becoming soggy in the soup.
• Garnish with remaining fresh spinach just before serving to add a bright, fresh element and boost nutritional value.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Lunch
• Method: Sautéing
• Cuisine: Italian-American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 425 kcal
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 680 mg
• Fat: 22 g
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Trans Fat: 0.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 35 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 28 g
• Cholesterol: 95 mg