This Chicken Gnocchi Soup is pure comfort in a bowl! Made with rotisserie chicken and dried potato gnocchi, it comes together easily to make a flavorful dish that will warm you on even the coldest of days.
With carrots, celery, spinach, and onions, our Chicken & Gnocchi Soup is a complete meal on its own, though we’ll never say no to a light side salad or crusty bread. This recipe is sure to become a weeknight staple! (And bonus: it’s 1000x better than the Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup!) 😉
If you love gnocchi, be sure to try our Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina next. Or check out all of our easy soup recipes, including our Chicken Tortellini Soup or this Greek Lemon Chicken Soup.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll start by cooking a mix of onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil and butter for richness. Fresh garlic adds depth, while a combination of rosemary, thyme, curry, salt, and pepper brings warmth and flavor. (I add curry powder to lots of soups, including this cauliflower and white bean soup and this potato, leek, and watercress soup!)
To thicken the soup, a little all-purpose flour does the trick, followed by a pour of reduced-sodium chicken broth to create a flavorful base. Shredded rotisserie chicken makes this soup easy and hearty, while a Parmesan rind (if you have one) infuses even more savory goodness as it simmers.
The star of the show—soft, pillowy potato gnocchi—cooks right in the broth, soaking up all the flavors. A splash of whole milk (or coconut milk for a dairy-free twist) adds creaminess, and baby spinach gives a fresh pop of color. Serve it all up with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano on top and a crusty baguette on the side.
How To Make Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Sauté the mirepoix. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery in a mixture of olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Season with Kosher salt and pepper, cooking 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, fresh herbs, and curry powder, then cook 1 minute more.
- Stir in the flour. Reduce the heat to medium, then add flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour has absorbed all the liquid, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add chicken, broth, and simmer. Whisk in chicken broth. Add shredded chicken and a Parmesan rind (if using). Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Add gnocchi, spinach, and milk, and serve. Carefully lower the potato gnocchi into the soup along with baby spinach and milk. Stir well, then cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the gnocchi begin to float to the top. Serve immediately with freshly shaved Parmesan (the heat will cause it to soften and melt a bit), cracked black pepper, and baguette. That’s it!
A Few Substitutions
- Chicken: If you don’t want to use rotisserie chicken, you can use ¾ lb of cooked chicken breasts. This should yield about 2 cups of shredded chicken.
- Vegetables: Try adding chopped kale, frozen peas, mushrooms, or tomatoes.
Ari’s Best Tips!
- Adding a parmesan rind is optional, but will add an additional cheese flavor throughout the soup. Next time you buy fresh Parmigiano Reggiano, save the rind in the freezer to use in future soups and stews!
- You can also find fresh parmesan rinds in the cheese department of many grocery stores. They’re usually very inexpensive.
- Be sure to use low-sodium chicken broth to ensure the soup isn’t too salty.
- Some recipes call for a cornstarch slurry to thicken the soup, but we prefer flour. You can use whichever you like.
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
- To make-ahead: If you want to make the soup ahead of time, you can do so up to the point of adding the spinach, gnocchi, and milk. When you are ready to serve, reheat the soup and bring it to a simmer. Stir in the spinach, potato gnocchi, and milk, then cook until the gnocchi float.
- Leftovers and storage: This chicken & gnocchi soup can be store in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 3-4 days (making it perfect for a meal prepped lunch!).
- To freeze: While you can freeze this soup for up to 3 months, the consistency may not be quite the same when reheated due to the presence of dairy products.
How To Serve
While this dish is a complete meal on it’s own, you could also pair it with a simple salad like our Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad or Arugula Salad and some crusty baguette.
For dessert, why not try one of our Italian-inspired sweets like Cannoli Cream Parfaits or Almond Ricotta Cake.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you don’t have or don’t prefer to use curry powder, you can omit it.
- To add a bit of spice, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to your chicken and gnocchi soup.
- Feel free to substitute coconut milk for whole milk in this recipe. Or use heavy cream for an even thicker, richer soup.
Tender gnocchi and spinach, lots of pulled chicken, and a rich, creamy broth. This is total comfort food in a bowl and perfect for cool nights. Definitely going to be on repeat this fall and winter!
If you make this easy Chicken Gnocchi Soup recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
And make sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow along on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Facebook for more Well Seasoned recipes! Don’t forget to tag us on social channels when you make a recipe at #wellseasonedstudio and upload your photos below! We love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Tell Us What You Think!
If you make this recipe, don’t forget to leave a review and rating—we value your feedback and it helps us keep creating (and sharing!) free recipes. Your support means the world!
Rate this Recipe
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup (with Secret Ingredient!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, diced, about 1½ cups
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced into ¼-inch cubes, about 1½ cups
- 2 celery stalks, diced into ¼-inch pieces
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 springs rosemary leaves finely chopped, about 1 Tbsp
- 2 tsp thyme leaves
- ½ tsp curry powder
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, white meat only
- 1 Parmesan rind, optional
- 16 oz (1lb) dried potato gnocchi
- 5 oz fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup whole milk or coconut milk
- ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly shaved, for serving
- Baguette, for serving
Instructions
- Make the broth. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 diced onion, 2 diced carrots, and 2 diced celery stalks, then season with ½ tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add 4 cloves chopped garlic, 1 Tbsp chopped rosemary, 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, and ½ tsp curry powder, then cook about 1 minute more.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add ¼ cup flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour has absorbed all the liquid, about 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk in 4 cups chicken broth. Continue to stir until the flour has fully dissolved and no lumps remain. Add 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken and a Parmesan rind (if using). Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Add the Gnocchi. Carefully lower 16oz potato gnocchi into the soup along with 5oz baby spinach and 1 cup of milk. Stir well, then cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the gnocchi begin to float to the top. Remove the Parmesan rind. Taste, adjust seasoning as needed (often I’ll add at least another ½ tsp Kosher salt), then serve immediately with freshly shaved Parmesan, lots of cracked black pepper, and baguette.
Notes
- Note: Nutrition facts exclude baguette. A Parmesan rind is optional but adds great flavor (freeze rinds for future soups). Fresh thyme makes a nice garnish.
- Make ahead: Make the soup up to adding the spinach, gnocchi, and milk. Reheat, bring to a simmer, then add and cook until gnocchi float.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers up to 3–4 days.
- Freezing: Can be frozen up to 3 months, though texture may change due to the dairy.
Nutrition
Photography by: Megan McKeehan
Hi! Question on the nutrition facts- is that per serving or for the whole pot of soup? If it’s per serving, how big is a serving? This looks incredible and I want to make it tonight! 😋 thanks!
Hi Gabriella, the nutrition facts are per serving (and there are roughly 8 servings total). This assumes about 1½ cups of soup per person, but certainly you can adjust and serve more or less as desired. The nutrition facts do not include baguette, if you choose to serve with bread. xo, Ari
This was delicious!!! Wow. Flavor on point. For people nervous about the curry powder, it doesn’t taste like curry. Just gives it a warmth to the taste. Grocery store was out of gnocchi, so just added cooked pasta to the bottom of the bowl and topped with this. Served with garlic bread for dipping. Saving this for sure!
I love that you enjoyed it with pasta! A perfect substitution for gnocchi. And thanks for the confirmation about the curry powder. It’s definitely not overwhelming, just adds the slightest bit of warmth. Thanks, Lynne! Ari
Hi! Made this for the family and got rave reviews! Didn’t have curry so replaced with Shwarma seasoning. Perfect fall dinner with homemade sourdough and simple Italian salad. Thanks!
It is total comfort food. Thanks for sharing your substitution with the curry powder! xo, Ari
Saw this on IG and it looked too good not to try. I am not a skilled chef but found this recipe super easy to follow. My wife and I both loved it, and she was super happy not to be in charge of dinner for the evening. We left the milk out due to dietary restrictions and still found the flavor to be fantastic. Will definitely make this again. Thank you, Ari!
Thanks for the review, so glad you and your wife enjoyed it! xo, Ari
This was fabulous! Everyone in the family loved it and requested I make it a second time!
That sounds like such a win! Really glad you enjoyed! xo, Ari
Absolutely amazing fall soup recipe. I will be putting this on the rotation! Super easy and quick to make, and tons of leftovers.
Thank you, Chelsea! The leftovers are the best part! -Ari
I have made this soup 4 times and it is amazing. I used GF flour and almond milk; another batch I used regular milk—both were amazing. I do not have curry powder so I have not used it yet. The texture and combo of flavors is perfect.
Thanks for providing the adjustments you made, I’m sure that will be really helpful to folks with dietary restrictions. LOVE this soup, it’s so cozy! xo, Ari
Very nice winter soup! I used the coconut milk and it was fantastic. Can’t wait to have it for leftovers tomorrow.
Thanks so much, Darcy! Coconut milk for the win! xo, Ari
Ari, your Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup is delicious and beats the OG chicken gnocchi soup hands down! Thanks for another easy tasty recipe. As a previous reviewer mentioned, the small amount of curry powder only adds a lovely warmth to the soup. I will definitely be making this again.
Thank you, Ann! Truly so flavorful — and yes, the curry powder adds just the tiniest bit of warmth in the background. Yum! xo, Ari
Best soup I’ve made in years. Huge hit with the family!
Love to hear this, Maggie! xo, Ari
Hi!
If you’re using Chicken breasts for this recipe, would you cook it beforehand and then add it in later? Or would you cook it and keep cooking it with the vegetables?
Hi Savindi! I would recommend cutting the chicken breasts into ½-inch bite-size pieces, seasoning with kosher salt and black pepper, and then browning in the pan *before* you sauté the vegetables. Remove with a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate, then proceed with the recipe as written. Return the chicken to the pot where it instructs to add the rotisserie chicken, then simmer as directed. The rest of the recipe can be followed as written. Enjoy and report back! xo, Ari
Hello, the recipe was lovely. The only issue was that the parm reg rind did not blend/dissolve into the soup and somewhat hard. I did cut the rind up into small pieces. Other than that, very nice.
Hi Craig! The Parmesan rind will not dissolve but rather is there to add a nutty Parmesan flavor that infuses into the soup. I’ll add a note right now to the instructions in case that’s not clear. You can simply remove it before serving or leave it in there, whichever you prefer. I’m glad you enjoyed the soup! Best, Ari
I made this last night following the recipe exactly and it was delicious! It’s definitely going in the rotation. Perfect 3 season comfort food. It thickened up overnight so next time I’ll add a cup of chicken broth or milk or half cup each on the front end. Easy and tasty – winner!
Thank you so much! I think this is reliably the most popular soup recipe on the site–I’m thrilled you all love it as much as my family does. Thanks, SG! xo, Ari
Although I’m sure the recipe was fine as written, I did add a few ingredients. I tripled the curry powder and you won’t taste curry, so don’t be afraid of it. I didn’t have milk so I used Half and Half. I added a few drops of hot sauce. I used mini gnocchi that I ordered from Amazon. The one extra ingredient I added was a cup of Pinot Grigio and I thought it enhanced an already perfect recipe. This was wonderful soup! I will be exploring many more recipes from this website because I think the recipes are creative and different. I love that!
Sounds like you made it your own–I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing, Karen! Cheers, Ari
This soup recipe is definitely one of my all-time favorites and adding a cup of wine doesn’t make it “mine”. ( You know the old saying “ I cook with wine and sometimes I put it in the food”) It is absolutely YOUR recipe and it is wonderful! I only just discovered your website but I can’t wait to make more of your creations. I’m an enthusiastic home cook who looks for inspiration – thank you for sharing!
Love love love. Thanks, Karen! Cheers, Ari
If you’re a fan of the Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup, this recipe is as good, if not better. I didn’t even need to add more salt because it was flavorful. I did make it twice and I learned a few things from my first time:
-make sure to chop the vegetables very small (I used a veggie chopper and used the smallest squares)
-I didn’t use a Parmesan rind the first time and the difference was real!
– if you’re using rotisserie chicken, I recommend dicing it instead of shredding otherwise you might end up with a bunch of stringy chicken when the soup is done (I also added the chicken a little bit later)
This soup is always a winner! Thanks so much for providing your feedback and I’m glad you’re making it your own. Funnily enough, I actually prefer it with shredded rotisserie chicken, not cubed. To each their own! 😊 Hope you continue to enjoy it, Joanna! Cheers, Ari