The first time I tasted Olive Garden’s Chicken Gnocchi Soup, it was during a winter lunch with friends. As the steaming bowl arrived at our table, I was instantly captivated by the aroma of herbs and cream. That first spoonful of pillowy gnocchi and tender chicken swimming in rich, velvety broth was pure comfort in a bowl. I knew immediately I had to recreate this magic at home. You can enjoy the same taste that you can get from the Olive Garden with this easy copycat recipe.
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Why This Homemade Version Beats the Original
This copycat Olive Garden soup elevates the restaurant experience in several key ways:
- Gnocchi Perfection – Cook gnocchi to your ideal tenderness rather than the sometimes overcooked restaurant version
- Superior Chicken Quality – Use freshly roasted chicken instead of pre-processed meat for juicier, more flavorful results
- Customizable Consistency – Control the thickness of your soup for your perfect creamy texture
- Vegetable Freshness – Enjoy vibrant, just-cut vegetables with perfect al dente texture
- Herb Intensity – Adjust seasonings to amp up flavors beyond the sometimes subtle restaurant version
Everyone Loves Chicken and Gnocchi soup
Why does everyone love this recipe? This is one of those chicken soup recipes everyone loves because it is made with tender gnocchi, juicy chicken, fresh carrots and celery, and a perfectly seasoned chicken broth. Make salad and breadsticks to so with this soup.
The Secret to Perfect Chicken Gnocchi Soup
The magic of this recipe lies in creating a silky, flavorful base and ensuring each ingredient maintains its distinct texture while melding harmoniously with the others.
Ingredients
- Butter – Creates a rich foundation and helps form the roux that thickens the soup
- Olive oil – Adds authentic Italian flavor while preventing the butter from burning during sautéing
- White onion – Provides a sweet, aromatic base that’s milder than yellow onions
- Celery – Contributes essential savory notes and subtle texture to the soup
- Fresh garlic – Delivers aromatic depth that’s essential for authentic Italian flavor
- All-purpose flour – Works with butter to create the roux that gives the soup its signature thickness
- Half and half – Creates the creamy, luxurious texture that makes this soup so comforting
- Low-sodium chicken broth – Forms the flavorful foundation while allowing you to control salt levels
- Dried thyme – Adds classic herbal notes that complement chicken perfectly
- Dried parsley flakes – Provide color and fresh flavor balance to the rich base
- Ground nutmeg – Enhances the creamy elements with subtle warmth and complexity
- Shredded carrots – Adds natural sweetness, color, and nutritional value
- Cooked chicken breast – Delivers tender protein chunks throughout the soup
- Potato gnocchi – Creates the signature pillowy texture that makes this soup unique
- Spinach – Contributes fresh color, nutrition, and a slight texture contrast
Should you use store-bought or homemade gnocchi?
Store-bought gnocchi is perfect for this recipe. You can take the extra step in preparing homemade gnocchi, but premade potato gnocchi works well. Gnocchi can be found in a couple of places in your supermarket, and you have options to purchase them.
- Many local stores sell shelf-stable potato gnocchi in the pasta aisles. I have purchased this at Walmart and Kroger, and I have been told that some dollar stores carry gnocchi.
- I have seen fluffy fresh gnocchi sold in the fresh sections of higher-end grocery stores, where you would pick up a prepared meal. Fresh gnocchi has a better texture and is more desirable, but not every grocery store offers it.
- I have even found it available in the grocery store’s frozen section.
Either type of gnocchi will work well. Your family will love this. Have a hard time finding gnocchi? Make your homemade potato gnocchi.
Preparation tips
- 🥄 PREP TIP: Fresh garlic makes a massive difference in flavor
- 🔥 COOKING TIP: Don’t boil after adding cream to prevent curdling
- ⏰ TIME TIP: “Prep vegetables while heating broth
How to make Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi
Making this Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi soup recipe is straightforward. You will find that all of the ingredients are very common in your average grocery store. We think it is easiest if you gather all of your ingredients before you start preparing the soup. This way, you will have everything on hand to get started.
First, you will sauté the vegetables in butter over medium-high heat. Then, add some flour and cook that through. You will then add the half-and-half and chicken broth. Please bring it to a low boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Cooked chicken and gnocchi are added to your seasoned broth and vegetables. Adjust your seasoning, and you will be ready to serve this soup in less than an hour.
Customizing this soup for you
Some people want a larger punch of flavor from their soup, so you can add some additional chicken soup base to dial up the flavor. I would add an extra teaspoon or two of chicken base to this to bring up the flavor. While I don’t find adding a soup base too close to the restaurant version, it can add something additional.
Want to add in a few more vegetables? We recommend adding some chopped zucchini; you could also add carrots or spinach.
Can you use a Crockpot for this recipe?
Yes, you can. I like to saute the vegetables first before I prepare the soup. You don’t need to do that if you like.
Place all of the vegetables, except the kale, chicken, seasonings, and stock, into the crockpot. Cook on low for 4 hours. Shred the chicken, add the remaining ingredients, and cook for another hour.
If the soup is too thin, make a cornstarch slurry of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with two tablespoons of water. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the soup, turn the crockpot on high, and stir until the soup has thickened.
How to Store and Reheat Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- 📅Refrigerate any leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- ❄️Freezer – freeze for up to 3 months in an air-tight container
- 🔥Reheat – this creamy soup is best reheated in a large pot on the stove over low heat. This way, the creamy broth won’t break down.
Can you freeze copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup?
Yes, you can freeze this soup. The soup stays well in the freezer for several months when stored in an airtight container. The consistency of the soup will change a bit; if you can, I recommend freezing the soup without the gnocchi and adding gnocchi when you reheat it. The texture of the gnocchi will change after it is frozen. Thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight.
What to serve with chicken gnocchi soup
There are so many things you can serve with this soup. You may want to serve the classic Olive Garden Salad; we have found a good old-fashioned Caesar salad that also hits the spot. But when it comes to bread options, you could serve some garlic bread, crusty bread like sourdough bread, or even our copycat Olive Garden bread sticks.
You may want to garnish this soup with cheese. To top the soup, you could use fresh grated Romano or grated Parmesan.
More Olive Garden Copycat Recipes
- Asiago Tortelloni Alfredo with Grilled Chicken
- Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara
- Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
- Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo
- Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
- Olive Garden Dressing
- Olive Garden Minestrone Soup
- Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli Soup
- Olive Garden Salad Recipe
- Zuppa Toscana
Popular Soup Recipes
Love soup? Check out these soup recipes and try one of my great dessert recipes to complete your meal.
Look at more of my copycat Olive Garden recipes to make your favorites at home.
Homemade Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 quart half-and-half
- 28 ounces chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1 cup carrots finely shredded
- 1 cup spinach leaves coarsely chopped
- 1 cup chicken breast cooked, and diced
- 16 ounces package ready-to-use gnocchi
Instructions
- Melt the butter and olive oil in a large pot or a Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion becomes translucent.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the half-and-half. Simmer until thickened.
- Whisk in the chicken broth. Simmer until thickened again. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, thyme, parsley, nutmeg (if using), shredded carrots, spinach, chicken, and gnocchi.
- Simmer until the soup is heated through. Before serving, season with additional salt, if necessary.
Video
Notes
- You can use leftover roitisserie chicken for extra flavor
- You may want to use less thyme than suggested
- Some gnocchi is very large, you can cut these pieces in half
- You may want to add additional salt to the final soup. This soup does not have a lot of salt in it, especially if you use low-sodium chicken broth
After adding the chicken broth and before adding the gnocchi and spinach I cover and simmer for about 45 min or however long it takes for the celery and carrots to soften. This also produces more liquid since the celery is finely chopped.
I forgot to mention that I used a low fat half and half and it was great!
I loved this recipe, but it needed more garlic (for me anyways) so I added some dehydrated garlic. To me the garlic makes or breaks the recipe, but it’s a matter of taste. I bought shredded carrots and diced them up. I wouldn’t hesitate to add another cup of carrots and spinach. Keeper recipe!!
I found the recipe a little frustrating because the ingredients are not in order. I also added a bit of nutmeg, and even though I’m not a big fan of nutmeg it made a big difference. I also more tripled the spinach, and reduced the half and half and increased the stock, so not nearly as creamy but still very good. I will definitely make it again but next time will also increase the chicken by at least double, and add in some chili flakes.
Thank you for the commentary on the ingredients, I will have to check the writing guideline on those, I thought you were to add in the order of quantity, but I am sure I failed to deliver on that one too.
No big deal.. Just appreciate you posting the recipe! I think sometimes people forget that these are other moms/wives, etc posting on here. It is not a PAID job for you! Thanks for all you do!!!
I agree. I find it easier to follow a recipe step-by-step when the ingredients are listed in the order added to the dish.
That is how I most often see it in cookbooks and magazines, etc.
Of course, I always like to read the recipe through before starting to know what I am in for anyway. That way I know if I need to have all the ingredients prepped ahead of time or if there is time in the cooking process for me to work on more prep.
This looks like something I probably will try.
If I do (and make modifications), I will let you know how it goes!
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http://shecookstoo.blogspot.com/
You sound like a snippy little know it all. I am sure your modifications will make a *perfect* soup.
I found the recipe a little frustrating because the ingredients are not in order. I also added a bit of nutmeg, and even though I’m not a big fan of nutmeg it made a big difference. I also more tripled the spinach, and reduced the half and half and increased the stock, so not nearly as creamy but still very good. I will definitely make it again but next time will also increase the chicken by at least double, and add in some chili flakes.
Can make the Gnocchi by hand. Just use the smallest amount on a package of dried potato buds and add 1 large egg. Add about 1/2 cup all purpose four and mix well. Roll our onto a floured, ( like rolling snakes as a kid ) surface and cut into small thumb size bits. Place in low simmer water until they float to the top..Remove with a slotted spoon onto clean towel.
Place into soup mixture.
Great suggestion Mary. I will have to give that one a try sometime.
Just need a little bit of clarification because Lord knows I will mess this up if I don’t ask. 🙂
What exactly do you mean by “the smallest amount” when you’re referring to the dried potato buds?? Like a 1/4 cup? Teaspoons? I’m sorry, I just work better with measurements… If I make something with “a little bit of this and a little bit of that” it turns out horribly wrong…
I think she means the smallest amount given on the box (for making instant mashed potatoes or whatever the box makes.)
I think she means the smallest amount given on the box (for making instant mashed potatoes or whatever the box makes.)
Made this recipe without every trying the Olive Garden version (just sounded yummy and I LOVE gnocchi.) It was delicious…although mine didn’t seem thick enough so I added more flour, came back after eating and it was a little too thick (totally my error.) Then a few weeks later and went to Olive Garden and had this. My daughter swears mine was much better! Final review…the recipe rocks!!!!
I have lots of left over turkey from Thanksgiving, I will try to pass it with this recipe.
How did it turn out?
Yes turkey works well. Did this last fall.
This soup is amazing!! Maybe even better than Olive Garden!! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks for the recipe! My wife and I love going to Olive Garden, but the closest one is almost 2 hours away. We have made this recipe several times and love it!
followed recipe, but it is not thick. it is soupy! What did i do wrong?
Not sure what you mean by it was not thick but soupy. They key is setting up the soup is making the bechemel style sauce. This should have a stew like consistency. I hope this helps you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBI0oPZz7x4
I make this soup all the time..best way to make it is to grab a few sourdough boules from your local bakery and ladelling the gnocci soup into ..absolutely delicious
I make this soup all the time..best way to make it is to grab a few sourdough boules from your local bakery and ladelling the gnocci soup into ..absolutely delicious
Did you put this recipe up previously that did not have the half and half. I thought I made it before and it was not with half and half. Do not like it with half and half.
No, I did not. Mine has always had half and half in it.
I did not like it either. too thick. too bland. too white – though admittedly I’m not that deft with the roux technique. Will try and salvage the batch with the nutmeg suggestion and MORE GARLIC but I won’t make it again.
Thanks for the recipe! I made a few small changes: instead of a quart of half and half, I used a pint of fat free half & half, plus one 7-oz container of creme fraiche, and increased the chicken stock to 16 oz. I also added a pinch of nutmeg (as suggested in a previous comment) and about 1/4 tsp of salt. I also reduced the amount of gnocchi by about half. It turned out AMAZING! It’s close enough to Olive Garden’s to be instantly recognizable– yet, IMHO, wayyyy better! 🙂
Oh, the gnocchi I used– from the frozen section at Meijer–are delish.
Has anyone tried this with chicken and an Italian sausage?
WOW, I made this soup tonight . . . it was a cool evening and it sounded SO good. Great version and very similar to OG’s version (which I had last week for the first time.)
I used mini gnocchi which is a perfect size for eating with a spoon. I needed to add an additional cup of broth as it was a bit too thick. I also seasoned to tate with salt as it was too bland otherwise. I also added some nutmeg, as was suggested by someone – it really made a huge difference in developing a more full-body taste. Lastly, I added three cups of chopped fresh spinach as 1 cup just was not enough. Definitely a keeper. Thanks!!
WOW, I made this soup tonight . . . it was a cool evening and it sounded SO good. Great version and very similar to OG’s version (which I had last week for the first time.)
I used mini gnocchi which is a perfect size for eating with a spoon. I needed to add an additional cup of broth as it was a bit too thick. I also seasoned to tate with salt as it was too bland otherwise. I also added some nutmeg, as was suggested by someone – it really made a huge difference in developing a more full-body taste. Lastly, I added three cups of chopped fresh spinach as 1 cup just was not enough. Definitely a keeper. Thanks!!
Followed the recipe exactly, and it came out fairly bland and very thick. I didn’t have more chicken broth so I just added a little water. It worked fine to thin the soup. My husband and I added more salt and it was edible, but I think there was way too much gnocchi. Every single bite had gnocchi, so instead of it being a “treat” when you found one, we found ourselves picking around them. I’m excited to try this recipe again now that I know how we prefer it.
If you have ever read the nutrition info for this soup OG’s soup has about 1300 mg of sodium. But it’s sooooo good…. I tried this recipe and I thought it was bland as well. I didn’t think it was anything like OG. Sorry.. I’m really picky about Italian food. It is rear to find something as good as my grandma used to make. That was ***authentic*** Italian!!!
I appreciate we don’t have the same opinions. I don’t salt everything when I write up recipes where my personal preferences lie. Personally, I am a salt fiend. I always assume that most folks can salt the food to their preference level. It is rare when two people agree on the same level of salt for their food.
If you have ever read the nutrition info for this soup OG’s soup has about 1300 mg of sodium. But it’s sooooo good…. I tried this recipe and I thought it was bland as well. I didn’t think it was anything like OG. Sorry.. I’m really picky about Italian food. It is rear to find something as good as my grandma used to make. That was ***authentic*** Italian!!!
If you have ever read the nutrition info for this soup OG’s soup has about 1300 mg of sodium. But it’s sooooo good…. I tried this recipe and I thought it was bland as well. I didn’t think it was anything like OG. Sorry.. I’m really picky about Italian food. It is rear to find something as good as my grandma used to make. That was ***authentic*** Italian!!!
I found it bland also, I added some chicken base along with more garlic, and pepper to taste! I also added Italian shredded cheese in each bowl when served.
The reason this recipe is bland made exactly the way it says here is because olive garden uses roasted dark meat chicken, not “cooked chicken breast”. A great way to get the flavorful chicken into this soup is to use seasoned chicken fajita meat cooked on the grill. My hubby and I always have tons of leftover fajita meat because we buy the huge packages of preseasoned chicken thighs from our local grocery store, and we use the leftovers in our soup the next day and it has always come out almost identical to olive gardens. I would never use chicken breast in this recipe.
Thank you for this tip. I too thought I remembered dark meat in the OG Soup. I will be using that in the future. As for us, we added a touch of Italian seasonings and a little more cracked black pepper. I also used 3c cream and 1 1/2 c 1%milk (what i had on hand) instead of the half and half.
Really like your idea of splitting the 1/2 and 1/2 off with some low fat milk. I wonder, and note I said wonder as I have not tried it, if you would alter the flavor a lot using non fat evaporated milk (which would be the consistency of 1/2 and 1/2 or cream but not have the over the top fat content? Has anyone tried this?
I agree with your call on the dark versus light meat chicken. Dark meat actually has some very good things in it that white meat does not have and is well worth the small “fat” trade off. It also remains moist and far more tasty than white meat in a soup of any dish where the chicken will be cooked long enough to make it dry and flavorless.
Olive Garden does use thigh meat rather than breast meat. You can buy boneless thighs and roast them drizzled with olive oil and kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Cool and then shred apart.
I found it bland also, I added some chicken base along with more garlic, and pepper to taste! I also added Italian shredded cheese in each bowl when served.
If you have ever read the nutrition info for this soup OG’s soup has about 1300 mg of sodium. But it’s sooooo good…. I tried this recipe and I thought it was bland as well. I didn’t think it was anything like OG. Sorry.. I’m really picky about Italian food. It is rear to find something as good as my grandma used to make. That was ***authentic*** Italian!!!
I never knew the size of gnocchi could be so offensive. I loved getting the bites of gnocchi, I guess some things are what we personally like and enjoy.
That is the joy of cooking at home. I get to make things exactly the way I like.
I tried this recipe & really liked it overall. It was the first time I bought gnocchi. That is another joy, trying new things. Yum! Thanks Stephanie!
That is the joy of cooking at home. I get to make things exactly the way I like.
I tried this recipe & really liked it overall. It was the first time I bought gnocchi. That is another joy, trying new things. Yum! Thanks Stephanie!
That is the joy of cooking at home. I get to make things exactly the way I like.
I tried this recipe & really liked it overall. It was the first time I bought gnocchi. That is another joy, trying new things. Yum! Thanks Stephanie!
That is the joy of cooking at home. I get to make things exactly the way I like.
I tried this recipe & really liked it overall. It was the first time I bought gnocchi. That is another joy, trying new things. Yum! Thanks Stephanie!
That is the joy of cooking at home. I get to make things exactly the way I like.
I tried this recipe & really liked it overall. It was the first time I bought gnocchi. That is another joy, trying new things. Yum! Thanks Stephanie!
This soup was awsome my Fiance’ even said it was better then Olive Garden’s. Thank you sooooo much!!!!!