Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Butter, aromatics soften till just tender, garlic wakes kitchen. Flour stirs in, makes roux. Chicken chunks tumble with Italian herbs, nutmeg for warm depth. Broth simmers low, rich base building flavors slowly. Gnocchi browned crisp separately, adds texture contrast in final bowl. Cheese melts in, seasoning tweaks with salt and pepper, cream joins for velvet touch. Spinach wilts bright green, lemon zest freshens. Hearty, layered soup balancing creamy and chewy surprises.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
28 min
Total:
48 min
Servings:
6 servings
#soup
#Italian American
#comfort food
#chicken
#gnocchi
#creamy
Caught in the middle of thick and thin. Creamy but still chewable bites. Soft chicken chunks swimming with tender veggies and crispy gnocchi edges. The garlic and carrot scent fills air, slowly building a warm cozy taste already. Learned patience here, that roux needs about a minute to lose raw flour smell but not brown or soup flops. Gnocchi always tossed in separate pan, trust me, boiled gnocchi side soaked loses that golden snap and makes soup mushy. Bright lemon zest thrown in last second wakes up the bowl, like a light step in a heavy coat. Using nutmeg tiny pinch, more than once missed this and soup felt flat. Chicken? Perfect for leftovers or quick grill smash, the seasoning layers lit things up. Like a warm hug, but with a kick in texture—each spoon a little surprise. Cream and broth combo avoids cloying heaviness so easy to sip yet filling. Sounds like a contradiction but somehow makes sense, if you pay attention to each step and smell the aromas as they build.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded (sub grilled if needed)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (mix oregano, basil, thyme)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound potato gnocchi
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 cup whole milk (sub half and half or light cream for thicker)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
About the ingredients
Butter’s your flavor base, doesn’t brown fast—low and slow. Onion, carrot, celery, garlic combo classic, diced uniform for even cooking. Flour roux thickens—must sprinkle, not dump in lumps. Chicken used shredded leftovers here; juicy raw chicken can swap but cook in broth first fully. Italian seasoning homemade mix better than store blend—balance oregano, thyme, and basil—avoid overpowering sage or rosemary unless you want to punch up. Nutmeg here is subtle, can omit but loses gentle warmth hit. Chicken broth ideally homemade or low sodium to control salt progress. Gnocchi store-bought works fine, but pan seared golden is must; no soggy pillows allowed. Parmesan saltiness built in; taste before salting more. Milk and cream combo controls richness, heavy cream increases thickness. Fresh spinach only, frozen packs too watery. Lemon zest adds fresh brightness last minute. Olive oil high heat for gnocchi, butter burns too fast. White pepper gentler than black, keeps final flavor clean. Substitutions: kale for spinach, half and half for milk and cream mixed, store grilled chicken. Salt carefully—broth and cheese both salty.
Method
- Melt butter medium heat in big heavy pot. Toss onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in. Hear the gentle sizzle. Look for onions turning translucent but still holding structure, carrots softening but some bite remains. 5-6 minutes slow coaxing.
- Sprinkle flour evenly over veggies. Stir fast, forms rough paste roux—keeps soup thick, no lumps. Let toast just a minute until flour scent disappears, no browning. This step builds base texture and keeps future liquid silky, not grainy.
- Add chicken chunks, Italian seasoning, and a light dust of nutmeg—keeps warmth subtle but noticeable. Pour chicken broth steady while stirring brakes roux. No rush, stop lumps. Bring to low simmer, little bubbles gently breaking top, for 9-11 minutes. Developing deep flavor meld.
- While broth simmers, heat olive oil in large skill. Dump gnocchi in single layer. Let brown undisturbed 2-3 minutes till golden crust forms, flip, and crisp other sides. This step adds crunch contrast to soft soup lumps. Set browned gnocchi aside, don’t overcrowd pan or will steam, lose color.
- Once broth simmering and thickened slightly, stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, and white pepper. Cheese melts into broth sticky creaminess. Pour in milk and cream, return soup to faint simmer—watch carefully, curdling hates heat spikes. Lower flame if needed.
- Add fresh baby spinach leaves. They wilt fast, watch for deep green but still pop of springy texture. Toss browned gnocchi in last. Lemon zest drops last minute aroma lift; the tiny oils in the peel brighten heavy cream base.
- Serve immediately. Soup thickens on standing; reheat gently to keep gnocchi textures intact. No microwave blasts or bacon fat ruin textures here. If too thick next day, splash broth or milk while warming up.
- If fresh spinach scarce, kale works but add early and cook longer to soften. Shredded rotisserie chicken slot in effortlessly; if raw chicken used, cook first in broth till opaque. Gnocchi can be store-bought or homemade, pan-searing huge upgrade over boiling.
- Watch broth carefully when adding dairy, temperature tweaks everything. Thick heavy cream is your safety valve for richness if milk looks weak. Salt gradually to avoid over-salting earlier. Lemon is variable; zest freshens but avoid pith bitterness.
Cooking tips
Butter melts not browns in medium heat pot. Add all aromatics at once, stir often until onions clear but not mushy—soft but toothsome. Flour added in small parts, stirring constantly—this creates shiny roux that thickens soup smoothly, no flour clumps if patient. Chicken and spices thrown in post roux, stirring into paste, releasing savory base flavors. Broth comes in slow to break roux, stirring till smooth. Simmer is gently bubbling, not boil—prevents dairy separation later. Meanwhile gnocchi browning step crucial—nonstick skillet or cast iron best. Let gnocchi sit-on-sides golden-brown before flip, no stirring too early or loses crust. Parmesan cheese melts in warm liquid, salt and white pepper added after so flavors don’t mutate too early. Adding milk and cream carefully watching heat, need low simmer to avoid curdling. Spinach tossed in just before serving, wilt time varies but leaves should turn bright dark green but not soggy. Gnocchi added last for crunch retention. Final lemon zest rains aroma, best fresh grated just before eating. Soup best eaten hot; reheating slow to protect textures. If soup thickens next day, thinning with broth or milk recommended. Always taste adjusting salt last.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Butter melts slow medium heat, don’t rush color. Onions clear but hold shape. Dice uniform for even softening. Carrots soften but keep bite, garlic smell wakes the pot early. Timing here controls aroma and texture balance.
- 💡 Flour sprinkled, never dumped. Stir fast, roux forms rough paste—break lumps immediately or end with grainy clumps. Toast roux like one minute, smell change is subtle. No browning allowed or soup flavors shift bitter.
- 💡 Chicken shredded works best. Raw chicken must cook fully in broth till opaque, no guessing. Italian seasoning mix made fresh outshines store blends. Nutmeg tiny but gives depth, skip or soup tastes flat. Go light, overpower can sting.
- 💡 Gnocchi browned in hot olive oil pan separate from soup. Don’t crowd or steam messes crust. Golden spots flip carefully, no stirring early. Adds crunch contrast to soft soup. Pan searing is quick textural upgrade better than boiling.
- 💡 Add cheese off heat or melting slow in warm base. Salt gradually, Parmesan already salty. White pepper gentle finish but clean flavor line. Milk and cream combined hold richer texture but need low simmer, watch closely or curdle starts quietly.
- 💡 Spinach tossed last, watch wilt fast. Bright green, still springy bite desired. Kale substitute works but add early longer cook, rough texture and stronger flavor. Lemon zest grated fresh last second gives punch brightens creamy heaviness.
- 💡 Reheating soup slow low heat saves gnocchi texture from soggy. Microwave ruins crust, avoid shock heat. If next day too thick, splash broth or milk before warming. Thickness builds on standing; thin carefully not to water down flavor.
Common questions
Can I use raw chicken chunks?
Cook raw chicken fully in broth till no pink inside, slow simmer. Don’t dump uncooked or broth won’t flavor right. Shredded cooked best save time. Raw works if careful with temp and timing.
What if gnocchi sticks or soggy?
Pan heat key, hot olive oil, don’t crowd. Let sit for crust before moving. Overcrowding steam kills crispness. Soggy gnocchi comes from boiling then pouring into soup directly, skips browned layer.
How to avoid curdling dairy?
Keep simmer low, no high boil after milk and cream join. Add cold cream slowly, reduce flame quick. Watch bubbles closely. Too hot triggers separation. Alternative sub half and half mixes thickness but safer heat tolerance.
Storage tips?
Cool fast, store airtight fridge 3-4 days max. Texture changes over time, gnocchi absorbs broth making soften. Reheat on low, add splash broth or milk. Freeze not recommended, cream may separate. Thaw slowly, stir gently if reheated.
