This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Cold winter nights call for something warm, creamy, and easy enough for a weeknight. This soup has tender chicken, plenty of vegetables, pillowy potato gnocchi, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan all simmered together in one cozy pot.
The broth is rich without feeling overly heavy, with Italian herbs, garlic, and a little paprika bringing plenty of flavor. Add crusty bread for dipping and you’ve got the kind of simple December dinner everyone can get excited about.
Half Baked Harvest At Home
20+ new recipes for wholesome comfort food made with everyday ingredients. Pre-order today! HBH At Home will be released on Tuesday, February 23rd!
When it snows all week in December it’s hard not to crave the most comforting foods. For me, that means roasted vegetables, chicken and rice, slow-simmered short ribs, and soup. Lots of soup. My favorite is probably a good broccoli cheddar, but chicken gnocchi soup is high on my list.
I made my very first gnocchi soup recipe two years ago around this time. I’ve made it multiple times since, we love the recipe! It’s a very creamy, white Italian-style gnocchi soup.
So today, I’m sharing a very creamy red version with chicken for protein. This has similar flavors to a really great sun-dried tomato chicken pasta, but in soup!
It’s full of yumminess!
Here are the steps:
In a dutch oven or large pot, start out by cooking up that onion, then add the veggies, chicken, herbs, and spices. Cooking the spices before adding in the liquid will help to intensify the flavors.
Once that’s all cooked up, stir in a pat of butter and some flour. I wanted to create a creamy soup, and the butter-flour roux helped to achieve that. In the end, you get a gnocchi soup that’s incredibly creamy. It’s fit for some of the coldest nights of the year.
Next, stir in a little chicken broth and simmer everything together to allow the chicken to cook and the flavors to mend together.
At this point, simply finish the soup with a splash of creamy milk and parmesan cheese. Then add the gnocchi and simmer for a few minutes until the gnocchi is soft.
Easy, EASY. Indulgent, but just right for this time of year, and so delicious.
As with most soups, I always recommend serving with a side of crusty bread for dipping into that creamy broth. Then add a nice side salad for color and you’ll have the perfect easy dinner.
If you’re planning to enjoy this soup leftover, be sure to first remove the gnocchi from the broth before placing in the refrigerator. That way the gnocchi won’t soak up all the broth. Then just add the gnocchi back in before serving.
FAQ
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Yes. The recipe already allows either boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Thighs will give the soup a slightly richer flavor and especially tender texture.
How do I know when the gnocchi is done?
The gnocchi should be soft and tender when you bite into one. Avoid simmering it much longer once it reaches that point, since it can become overly soft and continue absorbing broth.
Why did my chicken gnocchi soup get so thick?
The flour and potato gnocchi both help thicken the broth, and the gnocchi can absorb more liquid as the soup sits. Stir in some of the additional broth allowed in the recipe until the consistency is creamy but still spoonable.
What’s the best way to store leftover gnocchi soup?
If you know you’ll have leftovers, remove and store the gnocchi separately from the broth when practical so it doesn’t soak up too much liquid. Reheat the soup gently, add broth if it has thickened, then return the gnocchi before serving.
Looking for other easy winter night dinners?? Here are my favorites:
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 Creamy Gnocchi Chicken 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!
Creamy Gnocchi Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 6 carrots, chopped
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (see note)
- 1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 pinch chili flakes
- 1 pinch each kosher salt and black pepper
- 4-6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 4-6 cups baby spinach
- 1 1/2 cups canned coconut milk, heavy cream, or whole milk
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1 pound fresh potato gnocchi
Instructions
- 1. In a large soup pot set over medium heat, combine the olive oil and onion. Cook 5 minutes, until fragrant. Add the carrots and celery. Cook another 3 minutes.2. Stir in the butter and flour, cook 1 minute. Add the chicken, garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, thyme, and a pinch each of chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat in spices. Add 4 cups broth. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. 3. Pull the chicken out and shred using 2 forks. Add back to the soup. 4. Stir in the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, cream/milk, 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. Enjoy warm, preferably with a crusty piece of bread.
Notes
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.
if the gnocchi isnt cooked, do you cook it 1st then add or will it cook in the broth?
Hi Laura,
For this recipe you will want to use fresh gnocchi so it’s going to quickly cook in the broth. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Might be a silly question but are you suppose to put lid on the pan while chicken cooks for 20?
Hey Samantha,
Nope, no need to put the lid on while the chicken cooks;) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Love this recipe. Flavorful and hearty. Perfect winter soup.
Hey Brooke,
Happy Wednesday! ❄️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
My sister made this and it was delicious! I have the ingredients to try on my own. Do you think you could make it in a crock pot?
Hey Amanda,
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Sorry, I’ve not tested this in the crockpot, but you could certainly give it a try! xT
Delicious – made as recommended but added a tablespoon of French Dijon – so hearty!
Hey there,
Happy Sunday!!🪷 I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you making it! xT
My son made this last night for his family and invited me over to share. Wow! The depth of flavor, the comfort, the colors! I printed the recipe today so I can make it for a friend’s birthday next week. We love you, Tieghan!
Hey Marnie,
Happy Friday!!⛄️ Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a hit! xx
I have made so many of your recipes, Tiegan, and EVERY single one has been delicious. Last night I made your Gnocchi Chicken Soup for our neighborhood “soup night” and this one was a huge hit with everyone! No kidding, every bite had another “Yum!” comment attached to it! Not only is this soup creamy, hearty and delicious, it is also so colorful with the green spinach, carrots and sun-dried tomatoes. I know that I will make this soup again and again this winter. Thank you for another great recipe!
Hey Victoria,
Happy Friday!!⛄️ Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a hit! Thanks for your kind message! xx
Perfect Chicken Soup! The whole family loved it. So tasty and delicious. I used a full package of mini gnocchi from Trader Joe’s and will probably only use half next time. Didn’t diminish the flavor at all, just personal preference. I did not remove the gnocchi for leftovers and it did thicken up a bit but not enough to spend the time to remove them before storing. 🙂 Another hit, thank you Tieghen!
Hey Elaine,
Amazing!! I appreciate you making this dish and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a winner! xT
Made this last night for family dinner and although I really liked it, the rest of my family said it was ok. One comment I have is that 2 teaspoons dried thyme may have been too much. I didn’t have fresh and if I make this again, I will start with 1 teaspoon and add if needed.
Hey Molly,
Thanks for giving this dish a try and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear you didn’t love it! xT
I’ve made this twice. Made it again tonight! So good. My family hates gnocchi 😩 so I did fresh cheese tortellini from Trader Joe’s and it was the bomb. Tonight I’m giving them tortellini and adding Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi to my part. Yummy! Can’t wait!!!
Hey Tammy,
Happy Monday!!☃️ Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was a winner! xx
My New Year’s resolution was to make a new soup a week. After making this soup my family said no need to make any other soup. It was BOMB! I did cheat and made it with pre cooked rotisserie chicken. It was soooo good!
Hey Beatriz,
Happy Monday!!☃️ Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was a winner! xx
Just made this tonight. So easy, but so very delicious! This will for sure be a staple soup recipe for our family. Perfect creaminess and flavors, and love all the veggies in it. Thank you!
Hey there,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a hit!⛄️ xT
Delicious and easy, everyone in my family loved it!
Thanks so much Dawn, I love to hear that this recipe was a hit! xT
I made this for dinner last night without the sun-dried tomatoes, as I am not a fan. Very tasty.
I managed to make within an hour and 15 minutes after a workday for two people. Still have leftovers for today and tomorrow. I highly recommend!
Hey Maria,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great Thursday:)
Made this for dinner tonight and loved it! Your recipes are so good and easy!
Thanks so much Lori!! I love to hear that this soup was a hit, thanks for making it:) xx