Copycat Olive Garden Chicken & Gnocchi Soup
If you are like me, you love flavorful, hearty cream soups. Olive Garden's Chicken & Gnocchi soup is always what I look forward to when we make a trip to the restaurant. Along with their Zuppa Toscana soup, it is amazing. It's one of my family's requested starters. Olive Garden’s Chicken & Gnocchi soup is a universal soup that appeals to the masses.
This is not a difficult recipe to make and is great for that cool, fall night. Once prepped it comes together quickly. And, as the holidays approach, you may have already stocked up on many of the needed ingredients to do your holiday cooking.
I home tested this recipe a number of times to get it right and I have it as close to the real deal as you can get. Since my brother is a big eater and enjoys eating out more than I do, I had him try it recently and he said “It tastes just like it”. With him, when I start getting a head nod as he is eating I already know it’s good. When I get the small head tilt sideways I know I'm in trouble and it’s back to the drawing board. So take your time, prepare everything, then, sit and enjoy it with your family.
About the Recipe
This Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi soup is a comforting soup full of rich flavor that brings that restaurant flavor right to your kitchen. This recipe uses a base of onions, celery, carrots and garlic and combined with tender chicken and pillowy potato gnocchi and a smooth, silky sauce infused with thyme and baby spinach leaves makes it hearty and satisfying and you can make it in roughly 30 minutes. This makes it great for a quick family weeknight meal or as part of a multiple course dinner for friends. By using a few shortcuts, if you like, this soup is easy to make and tastes great. To slide right through making this soup, have all your ingredients prepped and ready to add to the pot.
About the Ingredients
Butter and Olive oil
Combining these two gives the soup a rich, flavorful starting point and gives you a higher smoke point to saute the aromatics.
Mirepoix (celery, carrots and onions)
This is the traditional vegetable base for your soup making it sweet and savory and adds depth to the broth. You can save time, if you wish, by purchasing pre-diced celery and onions and I like to use shredded carrots.
Garlic
Adds that sharp, pungent flavor that balances the creamy dairy. You can add more or less garlic to your taste.
All-purpose Flour
Adding this over your cooked aromatics soaks up the butter and oil and helps you form that creamy texture of a typical cream soup once the rest of ingredients are added.
Unsalted Chicken Broth
This forms the liquid base for the soup. Whenever using broth from the can or carton always opt for unsalted as you want to manually control the salt.
Half-and-Half
This, along with the flour helps you develop the creaminess of the soup. I misread the recipe once and used heavy cream and the soup was way too thick.
Thyme
Thyme adds that earthy flavor you will notice in the first taste. It is a pleasant flavor that fits right in with the chicken and vegetables you are using in the soup.
Salt and pepper
As with every dish add these to taste. Observe your use of salt adding in stages and tasting as the sauce thickens you can easily over salt the soup.
Cooked chicken
You can either cook your own chicken taking the time to oven roast one but this is time consuming. Just use a rotisserie chicken from the store. Allow it to cool a bit and clean the whole chicken. You should have plenty of meat for your soup and some leftovers for a nice sandwich.
Potato Gnocchi
Potato gnocchi is soft and pillowy dumplings that cook in the broth and absorb the flavors. If you aren't aware, they are usually found in the pasta aisle, boxed and usually next to the pasta on the top shelf. You can also use fresh/refrigerated if you like. If using boxed, two sizes are usually available. I find the minis are easier to eat with this soup but it's to your preference.
Baby Spinach
Adding the spinach at the very end gives the soup a nice color contrast and adds nutrition. I’m not a cooked spinach fan (sorry spinach council) but the amount you are adding, the flavor won't be as noticeable as if you are eating a bowl of it.
Making the Recipe
Using a large pot or dutch oven, place your burner on medium-heat and melt the butter with the olive oil. Once heated add the Diced celery, onions and carrots. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables soften. Stir in the minced garlic and thyme and cook for another minute until the garlic and thyme are fragrant. We don't want these ingredients to brown or burn.
Sprinkle the flour over the cooked vegetables and stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes to absorb the oil and butter and cook out the raw flour taste.
Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring or whisking the ingredients to prevent lumps from forming. Now add the half-and-half and some of the salt ( salt in stages) and add the pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer (do not allow it to boil! It may cause the dairy to separate and lose the creamy texture) Stir for a 1-2 minutes and the sauce will begin to thicken.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in your chicken and gnocchi and simmer for 4-6 minutes. Taste your broth and at this point adjust salt to taste. When the gnocchi is cooked it is normal for it to float to the top. It should now be tender and the soup ready to eat.
Stir in the baby spinach leaves in whole and allow them to wilt in the soup. Now again, taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Simmer the soup to your desired creaminess. Remove the soup from the heat and serve with a slice of crusted bread.
Tips for Success
Salt in stages: Always salt any recipe where there will be an evaporation (reduction) of liquids, in stages. What starts out seeming not salty enough can quickly become over salted
Whisk cream in slowly: Using lower heat. This prevents curdling and a ruined soup. Keep the soup on a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil) when adding in the half-and-half.
Don't add too much thyme: A little bit of thyme goes a long way. A teaspoon of it doesn’t seem like a lot, but it works. As usual you can taste and add a bit, but a teaspoon should be sufficient.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my soup become too thick?
You either added too much flour, too much half-and-half, accidentally used heavy cream or you simply kept the soup on the heat too long. To remedy this, place the pot on low heat and add in some warm chicken stock until you attain the desired thickness and taste the soup for needed seasoning. Then immediately remove from the heat.
Why did my gnocchi get mushy or sink to the bottom?
Most likely you cooked it in the soup mixture to long. Gnocchi usually take 3-4 minutes to cook and begin to float. If you cook longer they will absorb too much liquid, become gummy and sink. Once they float they are done.
What's the best way to reheat leftovers?
It is best to rewarm individual portions in a small pot on low heat on the stove-top. Overnight, the gnocchi will absorb more of the broth. Splash in some chicken stock to get that creamy texture of the soup back.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a small pot and you may add a splash of chicken stock (or water if you do not have stock) to get the soup to desired creaminess.
Freezing: Cream based soups do not freeze well as the dairy can separate upon thawing. If you are planning to freeze it to save for another day you can make the soup base minus the half-and-half, gnocchi and spinach and then add it to the soup after thawing and reheating.
What to serve with the soup?
This soup goes well with crusted toasted bread, crostini or warm breadsticks and adding a nice salad, such as caesar salad, turns the whole thing into a meal in itself.
Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients (soup base)
1 tbsp Classic Olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup yellow onion
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
3/4 cup carrots, finely diced or pre-shredded
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 cups (1 quart) unsalted chicken broth
1 1/2 to 2 cups half-and-half
1 tsp dried thyme (fresh if you have it)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Ingredients (add-ins)
2 cups of cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded (rotisserie chicken from the grocery store works)
1 16 oz package potato gnocchi (standard package size)
2 cups fresh baby spinach (stems trimmed)
The Recipe
Build the base
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-heat.
Add the celery, onions and carrots and cook for 5-6 minutes until they soften.
Add the minced garlic and thyme and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Build the soup
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir continuously for 1-2 minutes to allow the oil and butter to be absorbed and to cook out the raw flour taste.
Slowly pour in the chicken broth stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
Now add some salt and the pepper and stir.
Lower the heat and slowly pour in the half-and-half bringing the liquids to a gentle simmer. (do not allow it to boil)
Simmer the soup and allow it to begin to thicken. Check your seasoning and add to taste.
Cook the chicken and gnocchi
Add the cooked chicken and potato gnocchi directly into the simmering soup.
Simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until the gnocchi float to the top and are soft and tender.
Taste the broth and again adjust the seasonings if needed.
Finish the soup
1. Stir in the fresh baby spinach and remove the pot from the heat. The spinach will wilt in the hot soup.
2. Remove the soup and turn off the heat
3. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve immediately with some crusty bread.
Estimated Nutrition (Per 1-Cup Serving)
Calories: 230 kcal
Saturated Fat: 5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 35mg–45mg
Sodium: 650mg
Total Carbohydrates: 22g
Dietary Fiber: 1.5g
Total Sugars: 3g
Protein: 12g