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.
Ingredients
Scale
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
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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