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Marry Me Chicken Gnocchi Soup. The perfect warm bowl of soup we’re all craving right now. It’s made with Italian spices, chicken, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and pillowy potato gnocchi, then finished with fresh parmesan and served with crusty bread. Comforting, cozy, and so delicious—this is one of those all-in-one dinners everyone at the table will love.Â
I got home from New York Friday night, and let me tell you, it feels like fall here in the mountains. The leaves have turned the prettiest shades of yellow and orange, the air is chilly, and the peaks are dusted in snow. It’s so cozy, and I’m embracing it fully. My mind has been spinning with fall recipes—everything from pumpkin cookies to hearty chili to slow-roasted meats. Fall cooking (and baking!) really is my favorite.
I actually made this soup a couple of weeks ago, but this feels like the perfect week to finally share it.
If you’re not familiar with Marry Me Chicken, it’s a dish made with chicken simmered in a creamy Italian sauce with sun-dried tomatoes. Everyone’s version online is a little different, but the flavors are always cozy and so good. I make it a lot on busy nights, and for months now I’ve been wanting to turn it into a soup.
And of course, I had to add gnocchi—because it’s been way too long since I cooked with it. My mom and I were so excited about this one. It’s soup season, and this recipe is the perfect way to celebrate it!
The Details to Making the Perfect Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- oil packed sun-dried tomatoesÂ
- shallots
- garlic
- Italian seasoningÂ
- smoked paprika
- chili flakes
- tomato paste
- chicken
- broth
- salt and black pepperÂ
- cream cheese
- heavy cream or whole milk
- spinach
- potato gnocchi
- parmesan cheeseÂ
- fresh basil or parsley
Special Tools
I like to use a Dutch oven. Mine is cast iron, but any soup pot works well here! Nothing fancy about this recipe.
Steps
Step 1: Drain the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
Take the jar of sun-dried tomatoes and drain a few tablespoons of the oil into your Dutch oven. I love using the oil from the jar—it’s seasoned and works perfectly for Italian recipes.
Step 2: Get cooking
To the oil, add the shallots, garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, and chili flakes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it thickens slightly.
Now add the chicken and toss it with all those spices. At this point, your kitchen will smell amazing!
Step 3: Add the broth and cook the chicken
Pour in the broth and let the chicken cook for about 20 minutes. Once tender, shred the chicken directly into the soup.
Step 4: Finish the soup
Mix in the cream cheese and milk until creamy. Add the spinach (or kale), the sun-dried tomatoes, and the gnocchi. Cook until the soup is hot and steamy and the gnocchi float to the top. Stir in some parmesan too!
Serving
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh basil and extra parmesan. I love serving this with a crusty piece of bread on the side—it’s perfect for dipping. Add a simple side salad for color and you’ve got the easiest cozy dinner.
For leftovers, remove the gnocchi from the broth before refrigerating so they don’t soak up all the liquid. Just add them back in when reheating.
That’s it! A simple, warming soup that’s perfect for these busy fall days.
Looking for other easy fall night dinners?? Here are my favorites:Â
Cozy Wild Rice and Orzo Chicken Soup
Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup with Salty Lime Chips
One Pot Chicken and Sage Dumplings
Lastly, if you make this Marry Me Chicken Gnocchi Soup, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Marry Me Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, oil drained
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- chili flakes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 pound chicken breasts or thighs
- salt and black pepper
- 4-6 cups broth
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup heavy cream or whole milk
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1 pound fresh potato gnocchi
- fresh basil or parsley, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Drain 3 tablespoons of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar into a large Dutch oven. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and set aside.2. Set the pot over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Mix in the tomato paste. Season with chili flakes. Cook until the tomato paste thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and toss with the spices. 3. Add 4 cups of broth. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Shred using 2 forks. 4. Whip the cream cheese up in a bowl, then add it to the soup with the milk. Stir in the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan, and gnocchi. Cook until warmed throughout, about 5 minutes. If the soup is too thick, add additional broth.5. Serve the soup topped with parmesan and basil. Enjoy warm, preferably with a crusty piece of bread.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Looks fantastic! One question – can you use rotisserie chicken?
Thanks so much, Chris! Totally, rotisserie chicken will work nicely for you. I hope you love this soup!
What a delicious soup! I followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect! Thank you 🙂
Hey Bec,
Wonderful! I am so glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it. Have the best week!
Hey I’m getting ready to make this tomorrow but just realized it calls for a dutch oven. What if you don’t have one? What is the alternative? I have a crock pot however.
Hi Cassandra,
Any large soup pot will also work nicely for you. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if I can help in any other way!
Might be one of the best soups I’ve ever tried to make! I mistakenly put the sun-dried tomatoes in at the beginning but it still turned out DELICIOUS! Paired it with a fresh baked sourdough loaf. Yum yum yum
Hey Emily,
Love to hear this! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and taking the time to comment. Have a wonderful Sunday!
2 Tbsp of Italian seasoning is too much IMO
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Tracie! You can certainly reduce that to your liking:)
It’s a cold May day here in PA and my 3 year old requested this soup. It was our go to all winter! It’s the only way he will eat spinach nowadays. Thank you!
Hey Mina,
Love to hear this! Thanks for making this recipe and your feedback. Have a wonderful weekend!
This was delicious! Kid-friendly too, I just left out the pepper flakes.
Hey Anna,
Awesome! I appreciate you making this soup and your comment, so glad it was enjoyed!
Have a great Sunday!
Delicious and easy. I cooked my gnocchi separately which works if you’re planning to use for more than one meal.
Hey Shaley,
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment! So glad it was enjoyed!
Have the best weekend!
Can you freeze this soup?
Hey Michelle,
Totally, I would just wait to add the gnocchi:) I hope you love this recipe!
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi, I’m not a great chef and relatively new to cooking. I was wondering if the chicken should be cooked at all before the end of step 2?
Hey Holden,
It will cook slightly, but you are going to finish cooking the chicken in step 3. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
I am planning on making this for a lunch the next day. Is there a step you recommend stopping at or is it fine to compete them all the day before?
Hey Jen,
You can complete the recipe, I would store the gnocchi separately. I hope you love this recipe!
Amazing!
Added mushrooms and red bell pepper and skipped the dairy but still has an amazing creamy, rich flavor!
Hey Heather,
Happy Friday!! So kind of you to try this recipe and leave feedback, I’m glad it was a hit!
I’m making this tonight – is there a substitute for cream cheese you’d recommend?
Hi Lindsay,
You could omit it, creme fraiche would also be a nice option here. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
I hope you love this dish!
This soup is very tasty! Great for a snowy day.
Hey Jennifer,
Wonderful! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed!
Have a great weekend!
I’m planning to make this next week but have two quick questions!
What do you mean by whip the cream cheese? Like in a stand mixer? Or will a bowl and spoon work okay just to break it up and soften it?
Also, do the gnocchi really just need 5min to cook like it says in step 4?
Hi Aven,
Thanks so much for choosing to make this recipe!
Yes, you can just whip the cream cheese in a bowl with a spoon. The gnocchi is fresh gnocchi, so yes, it will cook in 5 minutes.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!