Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Copycat Recipe)

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Craving Olive Garden’s famous chicken gnocchi soup? You can make it at home! This copycat recipe lets you enjoy the creamy, comforting soup any time. With tender chicken, soft potato gnocchi, and fresh veggies in a rich broth, it tastes just like the restaurant version.

You only need basic ingredients and about 25 minutes to whip up this tasty soup. It’s simple to make but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. The recipe serves 8, so it’s great for family dinners or meal prep. Give it a try – you might like it even better than the original!

Exact Ingredients List

Here’s what you’ll need to make this yummy Olive Garden copycat soup:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 can (14 ounces) chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach leaves
• 1 cup diced cooked chicken breast
• 1 package (16 ounces) potato gnocchi
• Salt and pepper to taste

Pro tip: For a thinner soup, you can use 2 cans of chicken broth instead of one.

This recipe makes 8 servings. Each serving has about 156 calories. You’ll spend about 5 minutes prepping and 20 minutes cooking.

Remember, you can use rotisserie chicken if you want to save time. It adds great flavor too!

Make sure to have all these ingredients ready before you start cooking. It’ll make the process much smoother and more fun.

Instructions

Get a big pot ready! Melt 3 tablespoons of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.

Turn up the heat a bit. Toss in your diced celery, minced garlic, and chopped onion. Cook until they’re soft and smell great.

Now for the secret step – sprinkle in 1/4 cup of flour. Stir it around for about a minute. This makes the soup thick and creamy.

Slowly pour in the chicken broth and half-and-half. Keep stirring as the soup starts to thicken up.

Time to add the good stuff! Put in your carrots, thyme, spinach, chicken, and gnocchi. Let it all simmer for 5 minutes.

The gnocchi will float when they’re done. Each brand cooks a little differently, so keep an eye on them.

Give your soup a taste. Add some salt and pepper until it’s just right for you.

Grab your biggest bowls – you’re going to want a lot of this yummy soup! Serve it up hot and enjoy your homemade Olive Garden treat.

Possible Substitutes List

Can’t find some ingredients? No worries! You can easily swap out a few items in this Olive Garden copycat recipe. Here are some tasty alternatives:

• Gnocchi: Try small pasta shapes like shells or orecchiette
• Half-and-half: Use whole milk or a mix of milk and cream
• Fresh spinach: Swap for frozen spinach or kale
• Chicken breast: Turkey or white beans work great too

Don’t have fresh thyme? Use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme instead. Out of celery? Just leave it out or add extra carrots.

For a veggie version, skip the chicken and add more vegetables. Mushrooms, zucchini, or bell peppers are yummy choices.

Want a dairy-free soup? Use plant-based milk and vegan butter. The soup might be less creamy, but still delicious!

Remember, these swaps may change the taste a bit. But they’ll still give you a warm, comforting bowl of soup just like at Olive Garden.

How To Make It Diabetes-Friendly

You can make this tasty soup better for people with diabetes. Here are some easy swaps:

• Use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour
• Replace half-and-half with unsweetened almond milk
• Pick low-sodium chicken broth
• Swap potato gnocchi for cauliflower gnocchi

These changes cut carbs and calories. They also add fiber, which helps control blood sugar.

More veggies make the soup even healthier. Try adding:

• Extra spinach
• Diced zucchini
• Chopped kale

To lower the fat, use less butter and olive oil. You can cook the veggies in a bit of broth instead.

For the chicken, choose lean breast meat. Skip the skin to cut fat and calories.

Watch your portion size. Stick to one cup of soup per meal. Pair it with a side salad for a filling, diabetes-friendly lunch.

Remember to check with your doctor about how this recipe fits your meal plan. Everyone’s needs are different when it comes to managing diabetes.

Tips, Tricks & Storing

To make this soup extra creamy, try using a blend of half-and-half and heavy cream. This will give your soup a rich texture just like Olive Garden’s version.

For faster prep, use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. Simply shred or dice it before adding to the soup. This saves time and adds great flavor.

Don’t overcook the gnocchi! They’re done when they float to the top. Overcooking can make them mushy.

Fresh herbs make a big difference. If you can’t find fresh thyme, use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme instead.

To store leftovers, let the soup cool completely. Then put it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

When reheating, warm the soup slowly over low heat. Stir often to keep the gnocchi from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

For a lighter version, you can swap the half-and-half for milk. The soup won’t be as creamy, but it’ll still taste great.

Try adding different veggies like zucchini or bell peppers for extra nutrition and flavor. Just dice them small and add them with the other veggies.