Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
This Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup delivers restaurant-quality comfort food with minimal effort. Inspired by Olive Garden's famous dish but designed for your slow cooker, this recipe combines tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, and fresh vegetables in a rich, creamy broth that rivals any restaurant version.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker/Crockpot
- Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs for more flavor
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 carrots peeled and diced
- 3 celery stalks diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth low sodium preferred
- 2 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 16 oz potato gnocchi refrigerated or shelf-stable
- 2 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream substitute half-and-half for lighter option
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- Dice all vegetables uniformly (about ½-inch pieces) to ensure even cooking. If time is short, prep the night before and refrigerate in an airtight container.
- Place chicken breasts at the bottom of your crockpot. Add diced onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic on top.
- Sprinkle Italian seasoning, thyme, salt, and pepper evenly across the ingredients.
- Pour chicken broth and water over the ingredients, then add the bay leaf. The liquid should just cover all ingredients.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- Once cooking time is complete, remove chicken breasts and shred with two forks.
- Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker and add potato gnocchi.
- Stir in chopped spinach, heavy cream, and the cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water).
- Cover and cook on high for an additional 20-30 minutes until the soup has thickened slightly and the gnocchi are tender.
- Just before serving, stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Serve hot, optionally garnished with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh cracked pepper.
Notes
- For best results, don't add the gnocchi until the final 30 minutes of cooking to prevent them from becoming mushy.
- The soup will thicken considerably when refrigerated - add a splash of broth when reheating.
- Grate your own Parmesan cheese for better melting instead of using pre-shredded.
- This soup tastes even better the next day as flavors continue to develop.
- For a dairy-free version, replace heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk and omit the Parmesan or use nutritional yeast.
- The soup will thicken considerably when refrigerated - add a splash of broth when reheating.
- Grate your own Parmesan cheese for better melting instead of using pre-shredded.
- This soup tastes even better the next day as flavors continue to develop.
- For a dairy-free version, replace heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk and omit the Parmesan or use nutritional yeast.
Nutrition
Calories: 425kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 29gFat: 19gSodium: 890mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3g
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