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Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Chicken gnocchi soup with poached chicken breast, pillowy potato gnocchi, carrots, and spinach in a creamy half-and-half broth.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts halved horizontally
  • 1 (16 oz) package shelf-stable potato gnocchi
  • 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
  • 3 cups fresh baby spinach roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan for serving

Instructions

  • Soften the vegetables: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook 6-7 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is translucent and the carrots have lost their crunch.
  • Add the garlic and flour: Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for another minute, until it coats everything and smells toasty instead of raw.
  • Pour in the broth: Add the chicken broth in a slow stream, whisking as you go so the flour doesn't clump. Stir in the thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
  • Poach the chicken: Slide the halved chicken breasts into the pot, bring it to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook 10-12 minutes, until the thickest piece reads 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Move the chicken to a cutting board.
  • Cook the gnocchi: Bring the pot back to a simmer, add the gnocchi, and cook 3-4 minutes, until they float and are tender all the way through. While they cook, shred the chicken with two forks.
  • Finish with the half-and-half and spinach: Turn the heat to low. Stir in the half-and-half, the shredded chicken, and the spinach. Cook 2-3 minutes, just until the spinach wilts and the soup is steaming. Keep it under a boil once the dairy is in or it can curdle.
  • Serve: Ladle into bowls and top each one with grated parmesan.

Notes

Halve the chicken breasts horizontally so they poach evenly, and cook them to an internal temperature of 165°F. Add the gnocchi in the last 4 minutes so they stay pillowy instead of dissolving, and keep the soup below a boil once the half-and-half goes in so the dairy doesn't curdle.