This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Creamy and delicious Chicken Kale and Gnocchi Soup is a hearty blend of chicken, vegetables, and gnocchi, all simmered together to perfection. This soup needs just one pot and can be ready in just about 30 minutes!
When the weather starts to cool off, soup is one of our favorite family dinners! Whether it’s a slow cooker beef stew, a hearty chicken tortilla soup, or this chicken and gnocchi soup; a warm and comforting soup is always a hit!
This is a copy of the Olive Garden favorite that’s even better when made in the comfort of your own home. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
Why you’ll love this chicken and kale soup recipe
- So tasty: The blend of tender chicken and colorful vegetables just can’t be beaten, and the potato gnocchi really makes this soup something special.
- Easy to make: This dish is super easy to put together. Once you’ve done the chopping, everything cooks in one pot and it’s ready in just about 30 minutes.
- Super satisfying: Packed with chicken and veggies, this bowl of deliciousness is plenty filling, high in protein, and chock-full of vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients needed
Chicken Gnocchi Soup is made with wholesome, everyday ingredients. It’s the creamiest, coziest meal, perfect for cool fall or winter nights. Here are the ingredients needed:
- Olive oil: For cooking the chicken. We used olive oil, but you may use any other oil you prefer.
- Chicken breast: We use boneless, skinless chicken breast because it’s a lean protein that we always have on hand. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are also a great option because they have tons of flavor and stay really juicy, however, they do have a higher fat content.
- Vegetables: A combination of onion, carrots, and celery gives this soup plenty of heartiness, flavor, and nutrients.
- Garlic & dried thyme: Adds a delicious savory taste.
- Stock: The chicken stock is preferred because it’s a thicker liquid, but chicken broth will work.
- Cornstarch & almond milk: We’re whisking this combination together to create a mixture that makes the soup thick and creamy.
- Gnocchi: Small dumplings made from potato, semolina, or flour. They’re available at most grocery stores in the pasta section.
- Kale: Brings extra flavor, color, and nutrition. Kale works well in soup because it’s firmer than other greens, even after cooking.
How to make this creamy soup recipe
Other than being incredibly delicious, we love that everything is cooked in one large pot for less cleanup. There are no fancy steps or special culinary techniques involved. Here’s the simple method:
For the full, printable recipe, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink, then season with salt and pepper.
- Sauté the veggies: Stir in the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes. Add the stock and bring it to a boil.
- Mix cornstarch & almond milk: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 1/2 cup almond milk, until smooth. Pour this mixture over the rest of the almond milk and whisk to combine. Stir the mixture into the soup.
- Simmer the soup: Simmer over medium-low heat for 12 minutes. During the last 2 minutes, stir in the gnocchi and kale.
shortcuts for making this chicken and vegetable soup
- Rotisserie chicken: Skip the step of cooking the chicken and stir in shredded rotisserie chicken when you add the gnocchi and kale.
- Chopped veggies: To save chopping time, buy mirepoix, which is a French term for diced onion, carrot, and celery. This can be found in the produce section of the store.
- Jarred garlic: Another time-saving tip is to use jarred garlic, instead of mincing your own.
Frequently asked questions
This chicken gnocchi soup is made with bite-sized pieces of chicken, plenty of vegetables, and gnocchi. It’s a cozy, flavorful blend of ingredients that you’re sure to enjoy!
Gnocchi is not a form of pasta. It is actually a dumpling made out of potatoes. You can serve it with a variety of sauces and toppings such as marinara, alfredo, or pesto, similar to pasta.
Like pasta, gnocchi tastes pretty bland by itself. That’s why gnocchi is great with added seasonings and sauces.
Storage recommendations
This creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup is best the same day it’s made. When stored, the gnocchi absorbs liquid and can become overly soft and mushy. However, if you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. You may want to add in a bit more stock when reheating leftovers.
The gnocchi continues to take on liquid as it sits, so this soup isn’t a great candidate for freezing and thawing.
More delicious soup recipes to try
- Creamy Turkey Lemon Rice Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Easy Moroccan Vegetable Soup
- Cabbage Roll Soup
- Vegan Lentil Soup
- Homemade Tomato Rice Soup
If you try a recipe and you like it, leave us some feedback in the comment section below, and don’t forget to rate it! We would love it if you shared it with friends and family.
Finally, please use our hashtag #healthyfitnessmeals on INSTAGRAM for a chance to be featured! FOLLOW Healthy Fitness Meals on FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TWITTER for all of our latest blog posts and recipes.
Creamy Chicken and Kale Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1 lb package gnocchi
- 2 cups chopped and packed kale
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink, then season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes. Add the stock and bring it to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 1/2 cup almond milk, until smooth. Pour this mixture over the rest of the almond milk and whisk to combine. Stir the almond mixture into the soup. Simmer over medium-low heat for 12 minutes.
- Over the last 2 minutes, stir in the gnocchi and kale.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Excellent! Everyone had seconds!!! Thank you for easy healthy recipes! Made exactly as directed. I even found Dellalo Gluten Free Gnocchi’s. They were very good!
Oh nice. Thanks for the feedback and i am glad you loved it