Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
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This creamy and hearty soup filled with bits of chicken, vegetables, and potato gnocchi is perfect for warming up on a cold day. This recipe originally published in April 2012.
One of my favorite places to eat lunch whenever I go home to my parents is the Olive Garden. We don’t have one near us so I only make it there about once a year but when I do go I enjoy it. My friend Christie and I love to go and get the soup, salad, and breadsticks. We sit and talk and laugh and enjoy a tasty lunch.
While they have several soups that I really enjoy my favorite in the winter is their Chicken and Gnocchi Soup. It’s a hearty, creamy soup that has chicken, potato gnocchi, and vegetables in it.
Since I can’t always get it I wanted to find a recipe so that I could make it at home. This Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup recipe is totally a winner! While it looks like there are a lot of ingredients in the soup, it’s really easy to make.
For the soup you will need:
- butter
- onions
- garlic
- flour
- half and half
- carrots
- chicken
- gnocchi
- frozen spinach
- thyme
- Parmesan cheese
To make the soup you saute the onions and garlic in the butter. Then you add in the flour to make a roux which is what thickens up the soup. The half and half is added and the soup is cooked until it has thickened.
Then everything else is combined in the pot and is heated for 15 minutes. You can simmer the soup for longer if you want too but because it is cream based I wouldn’t let it simmer for longer than an our.
The soup was hot and creamy with the perfect amount of vegetables, chicken, and gnocchi. We had it for dinner with salad and rolls and while my salad and rolls were not up to the standards of the Olive Garden, I’m pretty sure the soup surpasses their soup. My husband definitely agreed that this version was better then the original.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 c. onion finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 c. flour
- 1 quart fat free half and half
- 1 c. carrots shredded
- 2 c. cooked chicken breast diced
- 4 c. chicken broth
- 1 lb. potato gnocchi
- 1 c. frozen spinach thawed and drained
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- 1. In a large stock pot heat the butter over medium heat. Add in the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.
- 2. Add in the flour and stir to make a roux. Let the mixture cook for one minute then add in the half and half.
- 3. Cook the mixture for 3-5 minutes or until thickened.
- 4. Add in the carrots and chicken and stir until well combined.
- 5. Add in the chicken broth and cook for 5 minutes.
- 6. Add in the gnocchi, spinach, thyme, peppers, and stir.
- 7. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- 8. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
National Soup Swap Day 2021
Happy National Soup Swap Day! T
- Alphabet Soup from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
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- Cream of Mushroom Soup from Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
- 30 Minute Two Bean Tomato Soup from Blogghetti
- Vichyssoise from That Recipe
- Chicken and Black Bean Vegetable Soup from Palatable Pastime
- Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
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- Bacon-Cheddar Cauliflower Chowder from The Spiffy Cookie
- Cauliflower Cheddar Soup from Devour Dinner
- Chicken Pot Pie Soup from Hostess at Heart
Such a great and delicious soup! We love Olive Garden and would love to try a vegetarian version. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I love ordering this! Can’t wait to make it at home!
You had me at gnocchi! I’m so excited to this copy cat recipe, especially since it’s so easy to make!
This is one of my favorite soups! So hearty, creamy, and delicious.
I have never cooked with gnocchi! This sounds amazing. I always get the pasta e faggioli at olive garden. I need to branch out! Or make yours.
I’m pretty sure being quarantined at home is even better now that I can make this soup!
So thankful that I actually have some gnocchi in my pantry right now. Can’t wait to make this soup!
I have never had this soup at Olive Garden but I am definitely trying your version of it. Thanks for sharing.
Ooo, I do so love any soup from Olive Garden. I’m definitely going to have to try this. I love to make restaurant clones 🙂
I’m so excited to see this! We just ate at Olive Garden this last weekend and my husband loved this soup!
I absolutely love this soup. I’ve never had the original but I made this knock-off for one of the soup recipe swaps. So good!