Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe Easy Cozy Comfort

There’s something about a bowl of soup so creamy and comforting it feels like a warm hug from the inside out. Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup is exactly thattender pillowy gnocchi, shredded chicken, and a velvety broth dotted with spinach and carrots. It’s the kind of meal that makes everyone at the table go quiet for the first few spoonfuls.

I first tested this back in culinary school during a brutal January cold snap, tweaking the roux until it had that restaurant-quality creaminess without feeling heavy. After ten years of food blogging and hundreds of soup batches, I’ve learned that browning the chicken first and letting the gnocchi cook just until they float makes all the difference. One reader told me her kids called it “the soup that tastes like a cozy blanket”and honestly, I can’t think of a better description.

Olivia Farnsworth

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe Easy Cozy Comfort

This Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup is a hearty and satisfying bowl of winter comfort, perfect for busy days when you want something quick yet deeply flavorful. Loaded with tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and pillowy gnocchi, it offers a creamy texture and wholesome goodness everyone will love.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 350

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 6 carrots, chopped
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 tbsp salted butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ¾ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp paprika or smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 1 pinch chili flakes
• 1 pinch each kosher salt and black pepper
• 4-6 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 4-6 cup baby spinach
• 1 ½ cup canned coconut milk, heavy cream, or whole milk
• ½ cup grated parmesan
• 1 lb fresh potato gnocchi

Method

 

1. Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat and soften the onion for about 5 minutes until fragrant. Add the carrots and celery, cooking together for an additional 3 minutes to bring out their flavors.
2. Melt the salted butter in the pot and stir in the all-purpose flour, cooking for 1 minute to form a light roux. Add the chicken pieces, garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, thyme, chili flakes, salt, and pepper, tossing everything so the chicken is well coated with spices.
3. Pour in 4 cups of vegetable broth and bring the soup to a gentle simmer on medium heat. Let it cook for 20 minutes, allowing the chicken to become fully cooked and tender.
4. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the soup. Stir in the baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, your choice of coconut milk, cream, or whole milk, grated parmesan, and fresh potato gnocchi. Warm the soup for about 5 minutes until everything is heated through and the gnocchi is tender.
5. If the soup seems overly thick, add more vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency. Serve hot, sprinkled with extra parmesan on top, and enjoy with a crusty bread for a cozy meal.

Notes

• Use either chicken breasts or thighs depending on preference. For a dairy-free option, canned coconut milk works wonderfully. Adjust the vegetable broth amount to get the soup thickness you like. Best enjoyed warm with crusty bread on the side.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This is the kind of soup that makes you want to curl up on the couch with a big bowl and just exhale. The broth is silky and rich, the gnocchi cook up pillowy-soft, and every spoonful feels like comfort food at its absolute bestwithout spending hours in the kitchen.

• Ready in under an hour: Perfect for busy weeknights when you need something warm and satisfying fast.
• One-pot wonder: Everything comes together in a single soup pot, which means less cleanup and more time to actually enjoy dinner.
• Flexible and forgiving: Use chicken breasts or thighs, swap the cream for coconut milk, add more broth if you like it brothyit works every time.
• Family-approved: Even picky eaters love those tender potato gnocchi and the gentle, cozy flavors.

Key Ingredients You’ll Need

Most of what you need is already sitting in your pantry or fridge. Here’s what makes this Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup so deliciously reliable:

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs: Thighs add a bit more richness, but breasts work beautifully and shred easily after simmering.
• Fresh potato gnocchi: Look for these in the refrigerated pasta sectionthey cook in minutes and stay wonderfully pillowy.
• Vegetables: Yellow onion, carrots, celery, and baby spinach build flavor and color without any fuss.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: These add a sweet, tangy depth that makes the broth taste like you simmered it all day.
• Canned coconut milk, heavy cream, or whole milk: Choose what fits your pantryall three create that luscious, creamy texture.
• Italian seasoning, paprika, thyme, and garlic: Simple spices that layer warmth and coziness into every bite.

How to Make It (Step by Step)

The beauty of this soup is how forgiving it isno tricky techniques, just a gentle simmer and a few stirs. Here’s how it comes together:

Start by cooking the onion in olive oil until it smells amazing, then toss in the carrots and celery for a few minutes. Stir in the butter and flour to create a light roux, which gives the broth that restaurant-quality thickness. Add the chicken, garlic, and all your spices, coating everything evenly before pouring in the broth. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender enough to shred with two forks.

Once the chicken is back in the pot, stir in the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, your choice of cream or milk, parmesan, and gnocchi. Cook for just 5 minutesuntil the gnocchi float to the top and the spinach wilts into silky ribbons. If your soup looks too thick, splash in more broth until it’s just how you like it. Serve hot with extra parmesan and a hunk of crusty bread for dipping.

Swaps and Substitutions

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how adaptable it is. Whether you’re cooking for dietary preferences or just using what’s in the fridge, here are some easy swaps that work beautifully:

Tips for the Best Results

After testing this countless times in my own kitchen, I’ve learned a few tricks that make all the difference. Don’t skip the roux stepit’s what gives the broth that silky, cling-to-the-spoon texture without feeling heavy. And when you add the gnocchi, keep the heat at a gentle simmer; boiling them too hard can make them fall apart.

Pro Tip: If you’re making this ahead, cook everything except the gnocchi, then add them fresh when you reheat. They stay much more tender that way. Also, taste before serving and adjust the saltthe parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes add saltiness, so you might need less than you think.

How to Serve and Store

Serve this soup piping hot with a generous sprinkle of grated parmesan on top and a thick slice of crusty bread on the side. It’s the kind of meal that feels special enough for company but easy enough for a Tuesday night.

Note: The soup thickens as it sits, so don’t worry if it looks a little thin at firstit’ll be perfect by the time you sit down to eat.

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FAQs (Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup)

You’ll love how this Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup comes together in under an hourpillowy gnocchi, tender chicken, and that silky broth that tastes like you simmered it all afternoon. It’s the kind of soup that fills your kitchen with warmth and brings everyone to the table asking for seconds. Every spoonful feels like comfort food at its very best.

If you want a little brightness, try squeezing fresh lemon juice over each bowlit’s a trick my grandmother taught me that makes the flavors sing. You can also swap the spinach for kale or toss in some white beans for extra heartiness. Leftovers keep beautifully in the fridge, though the gnocchi soften a bitI actually love the texture even more the next day.

I’d love to hear how yours turns outdid you add your own twist, or does this remind you of a soup from your childhood? Snap a photo and share it, or tuck this recipe away for the next chilly evening when you need something cozy and nourishing. Here’s to warm bowls, full hearts, and the simple joy of homemade comfort.