Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)

We are in the thick of soup season here in the Midwest. I am a year-round soup lover, so when cooler days come around, I celebrate. Because the whole family loves sitting down and enjoying a cozy, comforting bowl of soup and call it dinner. Depending on the type of soup we are having, I like to pair it with a hearty bread. For example, this broccoli cheddar cornbread is a great pairing for this slow cooker chicken tortilla soup and my thyme and rosemary focaccia and tomato basil soup is a match made in heaven! 

We are, overall, a soup-loving family, and everyone loves a steaming bowl of homemade soup. When Ms. A was little, a bowl of soup and bread was all she wanted at restaurants. How convenient! Two of her (and Dr. A’s)  favorite soups used to be the Minestrone soup and Chicken Gnocchi soup from Olive Garden (before mama started making them at home...😂)!

🔍Recipe at a glance

⏱️ Total Time: 30 minutes
👨‍🍳 Skill Level: Easy
🍽️ Servings: 6
🍴 Cuisine: Italian-American
🏪 Style: Olive Garden Copycat
📅 Perfect for: Weeknight dinners, meal prep, soup season

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🍲What is Chicken Gnocchi Soup?

It is a creamy Italian-American soup featuring tender chicken, soft potato gnocchi dumplings, fresh vegetables, and spinach in a rich, herb-infused broth. Made famous by Olive Garden as one of their signature soups, this comforting dish has become a restaurant favorite across America.

What makes this soup special:

• Soft gnocchi - Soft potato dumplings that soak up the creamy broth
• Tender chicken - Shredded or diced for every spoonful
• Creamy base - Made with cream and milk for rich, velvety texture
• Fresh vegetables - Carrots, celery, and onions (the holy trinity!)
• Spinach - Adds color, nutrition, and freshness
• Aromatic herbs - Thyme, rosemary, and garlic for authentic Italian flavor

Unlike traditional chicken soup, this version is thicker, creamier, and more indulgent - think chicken noodle soup's fancier Italian cousin!

📋Recipe Ingredients

This chicken gnocchi soup has everything that I love and you will love too! This soup is a case where the bland, otherwise unsightly shredded chicken takes up a whole new level of flavor and tenderness.

• Chicken: You need cooked chicken for this recipe. I have included instructions to cook chicken in a skillet, a pressure cooker, or an Instant Pot below. You can also use store-bought rotisserie chicken in this recipe.
• Gnocchi: Use traditional, shelf-stable (not refrigerated) potato gnocchi for this recipe Over the Christmas break, I found a star and tree-shaped potato gnocchi. So fun!
• Aromatics and herbs: Use a lot of garlic. This garlic press comes in handy for this recipe. In addition to garlic, onion, celery, rosemary, and thyme, give this soup its classic, herbaceous, fragrant flavor.
• Liquids: Use a combination of low-sodium chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream to achieve the consistency you like. You can also use half and half instead of using milk and heavy cream.
• Vegetables: The recipe calls for shredded carrots and chopped spinach. You can use a box grater or a food processor to shred peeled carrots. You can also buy pre-shredded carrots to save time.

Don't forget to check the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and step by step recipe details.

📖Substitutions, Additions and Variations

• Chicken: use store-bought rotisserie chicken in place of cooking chicken at home.
• Kale: you can swap kale for spinach. Just chop it finer and cook the soup a bit longer after adding the kale as compared to spinach so that kale turns soft and tender.
• Baby Spinach: if you use baby spinach, you do not need to chop it.
• Broth: Chicken broth is the obvious choice, and, as in this butternut squash soup recipe, I always recommend using low-sodium broth. You can use bone broth or a vegetable broth. Adding a tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon (Roasted Chicken) mixed with water will also work.
• No heavy cream: Want to keep the soup lighter? Swap heavy cream with milk. The soup will be lighter in consistency.
• Dark Meat: use chicken thighs in place of chicken breasts for deeper chicken flavor.

🍗How to cook chicken (3 easy methods)

You need cooked chicken for this recipe (diced or shredded). Here you have my two favorite ways to do it:

Skillet/pan method:

This works great for making diced chicken (for these tandoori chicken quesadillas) and shredded too. Set a heavy 12-inch skillet on medium high heat (cast iron or safe non-stick works great). Take about 1.5-2 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (3 medium-sized breasts) and season one side with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. If you know which recipe you will use the cooked chicken in, you can use that type of seasoning. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and add the chicken breasts, seasoned side down. Season the side that’s on top. Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes without stirring.

After that, flip the breasts, add ½ cup of broth or water, and cook, covered, for another 8 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 165°F in the center of the breast. At this point, turn the heat off and let it sit, covered, until cool enough to handle. Shred with two forks or dice using a sharp knife.

Instant Pot/Pressure cooker method

Hands down the best method if you need shredded chicken but does not work for making diced chicken. Add 1 cup water or broth to your Instant Pot or pressure cooker along with seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder etc…). For this chicken gnocchi soup, I highly recommend using rosemary and thyme. Give it a mix and place chicken (3 breasts, 1.5-2 lbs) in the pot. Lock the lid and set to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. For traditional pressure cookers this means cooking for 10 minutes after the full pressure is attained (the cooker “whistles”). After 10 minutes, turn the heat off and let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes and then manually release the pressure. Carefully open the lid and then shred the chicken (broth and all) using two forks, a hand mixer or a stand mixer. 

😎Why This Recipe is Better Than Olive Garden

This homemade version has some serious advantages:

• Fresher ingredients - You control the quality of chicken, vegetables, and herbs
• More chicken - Load it up with as much chicken as you want
• Adjust the creaminess - Make it lighter or richer to your preference
• Leftovers! - Make a big batch and enjoy it all week
• Budget-friendly - Costs a fraction of eating out
• Customizable - Add more garlic, use kale instead of spinach, make it your own
• Ready in 30 minutes - Faster than delivery!

Plus, you can make it in your pajamas. Can't do that at Olive Garden. 😉

💡Vaishali's Tips!

Chicken Tips:

• Season chicken well before cooking for maximum flavor
• Don't overcook the chicken or it will be dry and tough
• Use chicken thighs for extra juicy, flavorful meat

Cream & Dairy Tips:

• Don't let the soup boil or keep stirring once cream is added or it may separate
• Use full-fat dairy for the creamiest results

Flavor Tips:

• Don't skimp on the garlic - it's essential!
• Fresh thyme and rosemary make a huge difference
• Use low-sodium broth so you can control the salt

❓FAQs

🫙Storage, freezing, reheating and make-ahead instructions

• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days. The soup will thicken as the gnocchi absorb liquid.
• Freezer: Not recommended. this soup and any cream-based soups, in general, don't freeze well.
• Reheating:
  • Stovetop (best): Heat gently over medium-low, stirring frequently. Add milk or broth to thin if needed.
  • Microwave: Heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between, until hot. Add liquid if too thick.
• Make-Ahead Strategy:
  • Make soup base (without gnocchi, cream, spinach) up to 2 days ahead
  • When ready to serve, reheat base, add gnocchi, cook until tender
  • Stir in cream and spinach, serve immediately