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Creamy Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Creamy garlic chicken gnocchi soup with a velvety cream broth, tender pillowy gnocchi, and shredded chicken. This Italian-American soup uses a quick sautéed onion-garlic base and finishes with parmesan and nutmeg for a rich, savory finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and aromatics
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Cooked and shredded
  • 3 butter
  • 1 onion Diced
  • 6 garlic Minced
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 4 cup chicken broth
Soup base
  • 2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp salt To taste
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper To taste
Gnocchi and finishing
  • 16 oz potato gnocchi
  • 3 cup baby spinach
  • 0.5 cup parmesan Grated, plus extra for serving
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 fresh basil For serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté the aromatics
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot, then sauté the diced onion for 4 minutes until softened and lightly translucent, stirring as needed for even cooking.
  2. Add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning, then cook for 2 minutes until fragrant without browning.
Build the creamy broth
  1. Pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a simmer, then stir in the heavy cream until smooth and well combined.
  2. Add the potato gnocchi and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi float and are cooked through.
Finish the soup
  1. Add the shredded chicken and baby spinach, then cook for 2 minutes until the spinach wilts and the chicken is warmed through.
  2. Stir in the grated parmesan and nutmeg, then season with salt and black pepper to taste.
  3. Serve hot with extra parmesan and fresh basil on top.

Notes

For best texture, keep the soup at a gentle simmer after adding the cream so the dairy stays silky; if it thickens too much, loosen with a splash of chicken broth. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid overcooking the gnocchi. Freezing is not recommended because gnocchi can get soft and grainy when thawed. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a less rich but still creamy broth.