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Creamy Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Creamy garlic chicken gnocchi soup with pillowy potato gnocchi in a velvety cream broth. Cook the onions and garlic first, simmer until gnocchi float, then wilt spinach and finish with parmesan and nutmeg.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 760
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and pasta
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast, cooked and shredded Use pre-cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie works).
  • 16 oz potato gnocchi Potato gnocchi, preferably refrigerated or shelf-stable package.
Soup base
  • 3 cup baby spinach Baby spinach leaves.
  • 1 onion, diced Yellow or sweet onion, diced small for even sauté.
  • 6 garlic, minced Fresh minced garlic.
  • 4 cup chicken broth Low-sodium if you want better salt control.
  • 2 cup heavy cream Heavy cream for a thick, velvety broth.
  • 3 tbsp butter Unsalted butter recommended.
Seasoning and finishing
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated Plus extra for serving.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg Use freshly grated if possible.
  • 0.1 fresh basil and extra parmesan for serving Fresh basil for topping.
  • 0.1 salt and pepper to taste Season to preference.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté aromatics and build the broth
  1. Melt butter in a large pot, then sauté the diced onion for 4 minutes until softened and glossy.
  2. Add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.
Simmer and cook the gnocchi
  1. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer, then stir in the heavy cream until smooth and creamy.
  2. Add the potato gnocchi and cook for 3-4 minutes until the gnocchi float and are cooked through.
Finish with chicken, spinach, and cheese
  1. Stir in the shredded chicken and baby spinach and cook for 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
  2. Stir in the grated parmesan and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve
  1. Ladle into bowls and top with extra parmesan and fresh basil.

Notes

Pro tip: If your gnocchi are fresh, reduce simmer time by 1 minute so they don’t over-soften. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream if needed. Freezing is not recommended because cream can separate when thawed. Dietary swap: use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter broth while keeping the creamy texture.