The Ultimate Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Healthy and easy, this Ultimate Chicken Gnocchi Soup is the perfect comfort food. Loaded with veggies and packed with flavor, this creamy soup recipe will become a family favorite.
A few weeks ago was a stressful time for our family, and when I am stressed out, I do one of three things (or even a combo of them):
- I instantly shut down and don’t want to talk to anyone for about two hours so I can process
- I cook
- I clean. Not like surface cleaning, but like using an old toothbrush, q-tips, and rubbing alcohol on the remote cleaning.
On this random day, I chose option two, cooking.
For me, there is very little that can calm my brain, and slow my racing heart more than cooking. The systematic chopping, dicing, peeling, and sauteing, lulls me into a rhythm that focuses me on the task at hand.
Throwing veggies in a hot pan with some butter and olive oil doesn’t take a lot of brain power, but it also doesn’t let your mind wander too far. Those veggies need stirring, and in the meantime, you need to be assembling your other ingredients.
Focus Sarah, breathe. Right now, this moment, we’re making soup. We’re not thinking about scary things or what might be. We’re making soup.
As I stood over the stove, adding stuff, tasting, and adding more ingredients, my shoulders relaxed, my jaw unclenched a bit, and I was able to be present in a really simple task for a blissful 30 minutes.
t was one of those soups that fill your belly but also gives you a hug from the inside. I took my mom a mug, and she too loved it.
When we first got the news about her cancer, she went through a period of barely eating due to stress. The day after I made this soup, I asked what she wanted for lunch. She sighed and said “nothing, I’m not hungry”. I told her I had some leftover soup, and she said “maybe I’ll try a few bites”.
The mug was empty when I returned.
Chicken Gnocchi Soup wasn’t just something that made us full, it was a warm bowl of hope that made us whole.
At least for the afternoon.
Making this recipe or others?
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Chicken Gnocchi Soup is the ultimate healthy comfort food. Loaded with vegetables and packed with flavor, Chicken Gnocchi Soup is your new favorite food.
- 7 carrots peeled and chopped
- 6 stalks of celery cut down the middle and chopped
- 1 small onion diced
- 4 cloves of garlic chopped or pressed
- 3 tsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp dried tarragon double or triple if using fresh
- 1 tsp dried parsley double or triple if using fresh
- 1 tsp dried thyme double or triple if using fresh
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Few gentle shakes of red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup chicken awesome way to use leftovers from a roasted chicken. Or fresh is great too!
- 2 cups half and half*
- 8 cups chicken broth an excellent time to use homemade
- 1 package of shelf-stable gnocchi or three cups of homemade.
- In a heavy pan (like a dutch oven), combine butter and olive oil over medium heat. Once butter is melted, add carrots, celery, and onions, stirring to combine. After about 10 minutes of cooking, add the garlic. If using raw diced chicken, add here. Cook for 5-10 more minutes.
- Sprinkle flour over the veg and chicken, and gently stir to combine. Slowly add the half and half, stirring to combine. Add the chicken broth and parsley, tarragon, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Crank the heat up to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Stirring constantly, cook on medium-high for 2-4 minutes. Once the mixture seems to thicken up and looks a bit cloudy, add the gnocchi, and reduce heat to medium-low. You'll need to keep an eye on it and stir occasionally. If using already cooked chicken, add that now.
- The soup is ready when the (raw) chicken is cooked through, and your kitchen smells like happiness.
Through blogging over the years, I have learned that half and half seems to be an American ingredient. It is basically a mixture of heavy cream and milk. If you can't find it in stores near you, simply use 1 cup heavy cream, and 1 cup of your preferred milk.
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I’m with herb.. I see what you did there 🙂 haha! Me as well!
I hope you are all coping ok with your mothers illness. I hope she heals quickly and is not in a lot of pain.
If I wanted (needed. Let’s be honest I wouldn’t do this by choice…) it to be dairy free would you suggest using 2 cups of milk of choice (likely almond. Or cashew perhaps).
I was just wondering this same thing. I was thinking maybe coconut milk so it adds the creaminess that half and half would have.
Sigh, I feel your pain girl.
I would absolutely use cashew milk. To me it is creamier than almond. If you really wanted your soup to be thicker and creamy, I would do cashew milk and add some cashew cream. Base recipe for cashew cream is here (leave out the spices, garlic, nutritional yeast. Basically, just do the cashews and water): https://sustainablecooks.com/vegan-cheese-sauce/
I made this tonight and it. Was. Awesome. Tons of leftovers too!
Thanks for letting me know!!
I finally got a chance to make this soup and it was fantastic! I normally don’t cook any “creamy” types of soup, but apparently I should because it was a big hit with the family! My family loves your tomato soup recipe as well. Now I just have to try the lentil soup 🙂 I normally make India dal with red lentils but I bought brown lentils specifically to try your recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Awww, so glad to hear that Jean. I love when people love making (and eating) our recipes.
Could you make this in the instant pot? We loved your instant pot lentil and chicken pot pie recipes….
That is definitely on my list of things to tackle because it would be awesome!
My husband loves gnocchi! I would love to try it in my Instant Pot
Soup is my go-to, but my husband doesn’t care for soup.
Your husband is insane. 🙂
I’ll admit… the only reason I tried this is because of Bennett’s picture. Yummy!
Thinking of making this for a ringette tournament potluck.
Any thoughts/tips on how to do this (either reheat or cook) in an instant pot or slow cooker? Reheat is preferable…
I was going to attempt it in the instant pot this weekend but I don’t have any actual experience with it.
I made a bunch for a church soup supper. I made it on the stove and then transported and heated it in the crockpot. I know that’s not the answer you’re looking for, but I don’t want to give you inaccurate advice.
Best soup ever. The weather finally turned in GA and this was the first soup of the season. My husband and I will definitely make it again!
I’m so glad you all liked it! Soup weather is the best kind of weather, and I do love a hearty dish for celebrating!
Made this tonight and it was my very favorite kind of recipe: dead easy, so damn satisfying, and sneakily healthy. My picky kids were too busy gobbling down gnocchi to notice the veggies. I’ll happily eat leftovers the rest of the week.
Who-hoo mom win!! I prefer this soup the next day (well all soups), so enjoy those leftovers friend.
This is so good! It has lots of taste, texture and so easy to make!
So glad you liked it Jean! It’s one of our favorites and is so filling.
Do you have a recipe for homemade gnocchi?
I’m so sorry but I don’t!
This was so good! My teenage son claimed the leftovers and requested that it show up often. Thanks Sarah!
Jess, so glad to hear it was a hit and actually fed a teen enough to have leftovers!
Thank you for this recipe! It sounded great and given that I’m on day 5 of a cold that can last 7-14 days (thanks dr!) is just what I needed.
I used almond milk—it worked well! And cauliflower gnocchi from TJ’s—also just as yummy!
Didn’t have tarragon and may have doubled the smoked paprika, but it was sooo sooo good.
I have a bag of TJ’s gnocchi in my freezer right now and have been dying to try it in this recipe. You’ve inspired me!