Description
A rich, velvety comfort food soup featuring tender chicken, pillowy shelf-stable gnocchi, and fresh spinach in a creamy broth. Ready in under 30 minutes, this weeknight savior is packed with flavor and texture.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 packages (approx. 400g total) shelf-stable gnocchi
- 2 large chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon chicken seasoning (or paprika, garlic powder, onion powder)
- 3–4 cups fresh baby spinach, packed
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for browning chicken)
Instructions
- Pat chicken breasts dry and dice into 1-inch cubes. Toss with chicken seasoning and set aside. Dice onion and mince garlic.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil. Brown the chicken in a single layer for 2-3 minutes per side until golden. Remove chicken and set aside, leaving the pan drippings.
- In the same skillet or a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle flour over the onions and garlic. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to create a roux and cook out the raw flour taste.
- Slowly pour in chicken broth while whisking or stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in heavy cream and let it warm through for 2 minutes. Add shelf-stable gnocchi and stir gently.
- Cook gnocchi for 2-3 minutes until they float to the top. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the cooked chicken and fresh spinach. The residual heat will wilt the spinach in about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
Use shelf-stable gnocchi rather than fresh refrigerated gnocchi to prevent mushiness. Brown the chicken separately for better flavor. Do not overcook the gnocchi; remove from heat as soon as they float. If storing leftovers, the gnocchi will absorb liquid and thicken the soup; add a splash of milk or broth when reheating. Do not freeze this soup as the gnocchi will become mushy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 28
Keywords: chicken gnocchi soup, creamy soup, fall recipes, comfort food, quick dinner, weeknight meals, one pot soup, cozy soup