Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Happiness is hot soup on a cold and rainy day…….Chicken Gnocchi Soup!


 

This soup will warm you to your very center. Creamy, with chunks of chicken, veggies, and gnocchi.

What is gnocchi you ask? Gnocchi are Italian dumplings made with potatoes and flour and boiled just until they’re like fluffy little pillows. You can make your own or purchase them at the grocery store. I purchased mine. They can be in the dry pasta isle or in the frozen section. I bought from the pasta isle.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

 

I tried a dish with gnocchi a few month ago with dismal results. I think I must have over cooked them as they had a pasty, gummy taste. But I was not going to give up………

My second attempt was a success. Chicken Gnocchi Soup turned out to be one of the best soup I have ever made! My French Onion Soup is still my all time favorite – click for the recipe……..but this is a close second.
All good soups start with a good mirepoix – onions, carrots, and celery… the flavor and aroma are the perfect base for soup.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup 2

Add herbs, in this soup I went with an Italian blend of oregano, basil, and parsley. I also added a bay leaf….bay leaves are one of those things, you really don’t pick out as a flavor, but they enhance what ever dish they are in.

A few slices of bacon make the perfect amount of oil to start your soup. Cook the bacon until crisp and reserve for topping the soup.

In the reserved bacon grease add the mirepoix, chicken, and spices. Sauté until the chicken has turned white and the veggies are beginning to soften.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup 4

I must confess I cheated a bit in the preparation of the soup. I was cutting everything up so when we got back from church I could start the soup. With these short days daylight for pictures is at a premium. I just dumped all the ingredients… mirepoix, chicken, and spices in a large bowl and put them the frig until we came home.

I think this is a great idea in hind site. All the prep work done……. make the soup to this point and have it ready to go after a long day.

Once the chicken and veggies are on their way, add the chicken stock and finish the cooking of the veggies and chicken. At this point a slurry of cornstarch gives a nice thickening to the base.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup 3

Hint: warm your half an half before you add it to the soup, its helps prevent the chance of it curdling……and no one wants that!!!!

Then add the warmed half and half, the spinach, and the gnocchi. Cook according to the time of the gnocchi package……..not long or you will have a pasty, gummy mess.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with asiago (my new favorite cheese) and the reserved bacon.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup……..happiness in a bowl!!!

Chicken Gnocchi Soup Collage

Print
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Chicken Gnocchi Soup

  • Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
  • 2 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 3 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 5 cups chicken stock
  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 12 lbs of gnocchi
  • 2 cups spinach, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Asiago cheese

Instructions

  1. In a large stock pot cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper toweling and reserve bacon fat.
  2. Add chicken pieces ,onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook until onions begin to turn translucent and chicken is turning white. Stir in oregano, basil, parsley, bay leaf, salt and pepper, along with the chicken stock.
  3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Mix the 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water and add to stock pot. Cook and stir for several minutes to thicken.
  5. Warm the half and half in the microwave for about 1 minute. Then slowly add to soup, along with the gnocchi, and spinach.
  6. Cook for 3-4 minutes or according to the direction on the gnocchi package.
  7. Ladle into bowls and garnish with bacon and cheese.

 

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