✔ Updated · full nutrition table, cooks raw chicken to 165°F, fixed amounts
My copycat-style Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup simmers soft potato gnocchi, chicken, carrots and spinach in a creamy, thyme-scented broth, all in one pot. A full nutrition breakdown, about 335 calories per 1 1/2-cup serving, is below. Hosting a group? Our Olive Garden catering guide covers party trays and prices.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Add the gnocchi only in the last few minutes and pull the pot off the heat as soon as they float. Overcooked gnocchi turn gluey and thicken the soup too much.
Why You'll Love This Soup
- One pot, 45 minutes, starting from raw chicken, with no separate cooking needed.
- Creamy but balanced, with a butter and flour roux and half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- Nutrition you can see: calories, protein, fat and carbs per serving are listed below.
Olive Garden-Style Chicken Gnocchi Soup Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for one 1 1/2-cup serving of this copycat recipe (one-eighth of the pot), made exactly as written in the recipe card with low-sodium broth and shelf-stable potato gnocchi. Brands vary, so treat these as close estimates.
| Per 1 1/2-cup serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | About 335 kcal |
| Protein | About 19 g |
| Total fat | About 15 g |
| Saturated fat | About 7.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | About 30 g |
| Fiber | About 2 g |
| Sodium | About 600 mg |
Where the Calories Come From
The gnocchi and the half-and-half account for more than half of the calories in each bowl, with the butter and chicken making up most of the rest. The vegetables add color, fiber and very few calories, which is why adding more spinach or carrots is the easiest way to stretch the pot and lighten each serving.
- Lighter: whole milk instead of half-and-half and 2 tablespoons butter, about 280 to 290 calories per serving.
- Richer: swap 1 cup of the half-and-half for heavy cream, about 400 calories per serving.
- Lower sodium: use no-salt-added broth and season at the end; the gnocchi already carry some salt.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Cook the chicken first, in the same pot. Browning it adds flavor to the soup base, and it should reach 165°F (74°C) before it comes out. Using leftover or rotisserie chicken? Add 2 1/2 to 3 cups, diced, with the spinach and heat until steaming.
- Whisk the broth in slowly. Add it a cup at a time to the roux, whisking constantly, and the soup stays smooth with no lumps of flour. Before that, I cook the roux for a full minute, counting it out loud the way my mum taught me.
- Keep it at a gentle simmer after the dairy goes in. A hard boil can make half-and-half separate.
- Add the gnocchi last. They cook in 3 to 4 minutes and keep softening as they sit, so pull the pot off the heat once they float.
- Shred the carrots finely. Thin shreds cook quickly and spread color through the soup, just like the restaurant-style bowl.
- Season at the end. Broth and gnocchi both contain salt, so taste before adding more.
Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Copycat)
8
servings (1 1/2 cups)15
minutes30
minutes335
kcal45
minutesCopycat-style Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup: tender diced chicken, soft potato gnocchi, carrots, celery and spinach in a creamy, lightly thyme-and-nutmeg-scented broth thickened with a simple butter and flour roux. About 335 calories per 1 1/2-cup serving.
Ingredients
- For the Chicken
1 pound (450 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
to taste salt and black pepper
- For the Soup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup yellow onion, finely diced
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
1 cup carrots, finely shredded
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups (32 oz) low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
16 ounces shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi
2 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon, to taste salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- Cook the Chicken
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through to 165°F (74°C). Move it to a plate.
- Build the Soup
- Lower the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same pot. Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until soft and the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute to cook out the raw taste.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth, whisking constantly so no lumps form. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Stir in the half-and-half, thyme, parsley and nutmeg and heat to a gentle simmer. Don’t let it boil hard once the dairy is in.
- Add the gnocchi and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring now and then, until they are tender and float.
- Return the chicken and its juices to the pot and stir in the spinach. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the spinach wilts and the soup is steaming hot.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.
Notes
- To speed up the cooking process, dice vegetables small
- The best gnocchi size for soup is the mini size gnocchi.
- This recipe doesn’t include a lot of salt, especially if you use chicken broth that’s low in sodium, so feel free to add more if needed
- Don’t use frozen spinach to prevent it from becoming mushy. Use fresh spinach for best results.
Like this recipe?
Follow us @recipefairy on Pinterest
What to Serve With Chicken Gnocchi Soup
A bowl of this soup with warm copycat Olive Garden breadsticks and a crisp green salad makes a full restaurant-style dinner at home. Max fishes out every gnocchi first and saves the spinach for last. Making a soup night of it? Try copycat Olive Garden zuppa Toscana with sausage and kale, or the vegetable-packed Olive Garden minestrone.
Variations
- Potatoes instead of gnocchi: add 2 cups of small-diced potatoes with the broth and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until tender.
- Small pasta: use 8 ounces of small shells, cooked separately and added at the end so they don't soak up all the broth.
- Italian sausage: brown 1 pound of sausage instead of the chicken, cooking it through to 160°F (71°C).
- More vegetables: add peas, diced zucchini or kale with the spinach.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories are in a bowl of this chicken gnocchi soup?
This copycat version has about 335 calories per 1 1/2-cup serving, with about 19 g protein, 15 g fat and 30 g carbohydrate. The figures are estimates based on the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card and will vary with the brand of gnocchi and broth you use.
Is this the same as the nutrition for the soup at Olive Garden?
No. These numbers are for this homemade copycat recipe. Restaurant recipes and portion sizes change, so for the bowl served at the restaurant, check Olive Garden's own current nutrition information.
How can I make chicken gnocchi soup lighter?
Use whole milk instead of half-and-half, cut the butter to 2 tablespoons and add an extra cup of spinach or carrots. That brings it to roughly 280 to 290 calories per serving, with a slightly thinner broth.
Can I use rotisserie or leftover chicken?
Yes. Skip the first step, cook the vegetables in the butter plus the olive oil, and stir in 2 1/2 to 3 cups of diced cooked chicken with the spinach. Heat until the soup is steaming hot throughout.
Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the chicken and make the roux base on the stove as directed, then transfer to a slow cooker with the broth and herbs and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours. Stir in the half-and-half and gnocchi for the last 20 to 30 minutes, and the spinach just before serving.
Can I freeze chicken gnocchi soup?
It freezes, but not perfectly: cream-based soups can separate and gnocchi turn soft. For best results, freeze the soup before adding the gnocchi, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat gently and add the gnocchi fresh.
How long does it keep in the fridge?
Refrigerate within 2 hours in an airtight container and eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C), adding a splash of broth or milk because the gnocchi absorb liquid as the soup sits.
){kind=link}