Recipes › Soup › Chicken and Gnocchi Soup Recipe

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This comforting Italian soup combines tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, and fresh vegetables in a light, savory broth. A rustic classic from Northern Italy, it's the perfect balance of hearty and elegant, warming you from the inside out. Chicken and gnocchi soup is ideal for a weeknight dinner or special occasion alike.

Ingredients

• 400 g boneless, skinless chicken breast (14 oz)
• 500 g fresh potato gnocchi (18 oz)
• 1 L chicken stock (4 cups)
• 200 ml heavy cream (3/4 cup)
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 150 g fresh spinach (5 oz)
• 60 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (1/2 cup)
• 30 ml extra virgin olive oil (2 tbsp)
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Pinch of nutmeg

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally.

2. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

3. Pour in chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Cut chicken breast into bite-sized cubes (approximately 2 cm). Add to the pot and simmer for 12-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

5. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Stir in heavy cream and a pinch of nutmeg, mixing gently.

6. Add fresh gnocchi directly to the simmering soup. Cook for 4-5 minutes until gnocchi float to the surface and are tender.

7. Stir in fresh spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted.

8. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or nutmeg as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Substitutions

• Use vegetable stock and substitute chicken with diced mushrooms for a vegetarian version
• Replace heavy cream with crème fraîche or full-fat Greek yogurt for a tangier flavor
• Substitute fresh spinach with Swiss chard or kale, adding 1-2 minutes extra cooking time
• Use store-bought gnocchi to reduce prep time, or substitute with small pasta shapes like ditalini

Tips

• Do not stir the soup vigorously once gnocchi are added to prevent them from breaking apart
• For homemade gnocchi, prepare ahead and freeze; they cook directly from frozen without thawing
• Add cream at the end rather than beginning to prevent curdling and maintain a silky texture
• Reserve a small handful of fresh basil to add just before serving for an herbaceous brightness

This dish reflects the Italian tradition of using humble ingredients—chicken, potatoes, and seasonal vegetables—to create nourishing comfort food. Gnocchi soup variations appear throughout Northern Italy, particularly in regions like Veneto and Piedmont, where potato cultivation has deep culinary roots.

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