Chicken Gnocchi Soup
This creamy chicken gnocchi soup is an easy one pot dinner with tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, spinach and fresh herbs in a flavor packed broth.
Servings: 4 - 5 people
Equipment
- 1 large soup pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 medium carrot, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 4-5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 500-600 grams boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 500 grams gnocchi
- ⅔ cup half and half, (see notes)
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves (packed)
- zest of a lemon
- 1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and fennel seeds with a big pinch of salt.
- Cook gently for 10 minutes until soft.
- Add the garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), rosemary and thyme. Stir for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the butter and stir until melted. Sprinkle over the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually pour in the chicken stock, stirring well as you go.
- Bring the stock to a gentle simmer, then add the whole chicken thighs. Cook for about 12–15 minutes, depending on their size, until cooked through. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer.
- Transfer the chicken to a board and shred it with two forks. Return it to the pot along with the gnocchi. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir through the half and half and stir in the spinach and cook for a further 2 minutes until it is wilted. Stir in the black pepper and taste for salt, how much you need will depend on your stock.
- Turn off the heat, add the lemon zest and lemon juice. If you’d like a brothier soup, add a splash of hot chicken stock before serving.
Video
Notes
Soffritto - The onion, carrot and celery mixture can be diced super fine in a food processor or left chunky. Do what you prefer in a soup, both are great!
Gnocchi - I prefer store-bought potato gnocchi here as it holds its shape well in soup. Cook until tender, following the packet time as a guide. Check out my homemade gnocchi recipe if you'd prefer.
Chicken - You could use shredded rotisserie chicken if you wish. Simmer the stock and milk for 10 minutes, add the gnocchi and warm the chicken through at the end.
Half-and-half - This gives the broth a little creaminess without making the soup too rich. You can use a mix of equal parts whole milk and heavy cream instead. All milk will give you a lighter broth or all cream will make it much richer.
Keep heat gentle - Once the milk is added, keep the soup at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil.
Adjust the consistency - Gnocchi absorbs liquid so add some extra broth if you would like it thinner. Adjust to suit.