Description
Homemade Chicken Gnocchi Soup delivers comforting Italian-American flavors in one hearty bowl. Creamy textures and rich herbs combine with tender potato dumplings you will savor with each spoonful.
Ingredients
- 1 package (16 oz / 450 g) gnocchi (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 cups (300 g) cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works great)
- 4 cups (1 liter) chicken broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups (60 g) fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Base: Heat a large pot with butter and olive oil over medium-high heat until butter melts and surfaces with a fragrant sheen.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add onions, celery, and carrots, cooking until they soften and become translucent, releasing their inherent sweetness and developing a golden undertone.
- Develop Flavor: Introduce minced garlic, stirring for one minute to activate its aromatic essence, then dust the vegetable mixture with flour, ensuring complete and even coating.
- Create Liquid Foundation: Pour chicken broth slowly while whisking continuously, eliminating potential flour clumps and establishing a smooth, velvety liquid base.
- Cook Gnocchi: Increase heat to trigger a gentle boil, then add gnocchi and simmer until they float effortlessly, indicating perfect tenderness and readiness.
- Enrich Soup: Reduce heat, incorporate shredded chicken and heavy cream, creating a luxurious and harmonious texture that embraces all ingredients.
- Finish and Season: Fold in spinach leaves until they wilt gracefully, then season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper, adjusting to personal taste preferences.
- Serve: Ladle the steaming soup into bowls and optionally garnish with delicate fresh herbs like thyme or parsley for an elegant presentation.
Notes
Manage Vegetable Texture: Dice vegetables uniformly to ensure consistent cooking and prevent uneven softening, allowing each piece to release flavors harmoniously.
Control Flour Coating: Sprinkle flour gradually and stir continuously to prevent clumping, creating a silky smooth base without raw flour taste.
Handle Gnocchi Carefully: Add gnocchi when liquid is gently boiling and watch closely – they’re ready when they float, typically within 2-3 minutes, avoiding overcooking that can turn them mushy.
Cream Integration Technique: Lower heat before adding cream to prevent curdling, stirring gently to maintain a velvety, luxurious consistency without separation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 478
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 890 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 91 mg