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Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup

183 reviews / 4.6 average

This Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup is lusciously cream-free, comforting, and made with lots of vegetables. Perfect with crusty bread and a green salad. ♡

Hello there, cozy Chicken Gnocchi Soup!

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I’m super glad to see you, sitting there in my crockpot, all creamy and delicious.

I will now put on my best sweatpants, my thickest socks, and get out my deepest bowl so I can experience the best of the end of this cozy season with you right here on my couch.  Let’s do this.

In This Post: Everything You Need For Chicken Gnocchi Soup

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Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup in a bowl with a spoon.

Why This Gnocchi Soup Is So Good

This is a re-make of an old recipe that was inspired by a friend and what I love about this soup is, well, there are several things.

  1. It is wildly similar to the genius and ever-popular gnocchi soup from Olive Garden.
  2. It reminds me a little bit of the chicken wild rice soup in that we just start pretty basic with carrots, celery, onions, chicken, spices, and broth in a crockpot. And you know how I love me some chicken wild rice soup slash any soup in a crockpot. Minnesota represent!
  3. Unlike the wild rice soup, this chicken gnocchi soup is made thick by evaporated milk and a quick cornstarch slurry. So if you’re looking for thick and creamy soup while avoiding the butter/flour/cream route of a roux base, this is your magic. ✨
  4. GNOCCHI. Those tiny dumplings of happy feelings that are mixed in throughout the chicken gnocchi soup make the whole thing come together. Every time I make this soup, Bjork a) raves, and b) talks for at least 5 minutes about how much he loves “the dumplings.” I could almost actually call this Chicken and Dumpling soup except the Chicken and Dumpling soup of my youth (a Herman’s bakery special in Cambridge, MN) had approximately zero vegetables and was practically untouchable in its level of homey perfection, so I will not go there. Let’s just give ourselves a pat on the back for the carrots, celery, and sautéed garlic spinach that are present at this soup party. And the bacon. I always invite the bacon.

Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup: Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use evaporated milk?

You can use something other than evaporated milk, but I found that evaporated milk has the creaminess of half and half or heavy whipping cream without actually needing to use up a bunch of half and half in the soup.

My soup leftovers seem less soupy and more thick. What should I do?

The leftovers soak up a lot of the moisture because of the gnocchi, so you might need to add more evaporated milk depending on how soupy you want it and/or how long you’ll be keeping it around.

Can I make this with dairy-free milk?

It won’t be as creamy with a dairy-free milk, but it should still work. We’d recommend unsweetened almond milk or canned coconut milk and adding an additional tablespoon of cornstarch to the soup.

Can I make this soup in the Instant Pot?

Yes! We like this one*. Add the chicken, mirepoix, basil, Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, salt, and broth to the Instant Pot. Cook for 20 minutes on high pressure. Let out the steam using quick release. Remove the chicken to shred and then add it back to the pot. Stir in the cornstarch mixture, evaporated milk, and gnocchi. Use the “Saute” function to simmer the soup for another 20 minutes or so to thicken it all up. Add in the bacon and spinach, and stir to combine.

Can you freeze this soup?

Honestly, I’ve never had a ton of luck with freezing soups that have dairy. I’d probably skip freezing this one!

How do you know when the gnocchi is cooked?

The almost one hour of time that it sits in the soup should do the trick, but if you want to be sure, I’d recommend just taking out one of the gnocchi and cutting it down the middle to ensure it’s cooked and tender.

Ingredients for Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup in a crockpot.

How Do You Make Gnocchi?

To me, crockpot chicken gnocchi soup means something that can be quickly and easily tossed together and tastes best when using good, quality ingredients.

If I don’t just *happen* to have some fresh homemade gnocchi laying around (which hello, like, NEVER HAPPENS, because homemade gnocchi disappears in five seconds flat around here), then store-bought gnocchi it is. Those savory fluffy little bites of airy perfection cook up just right when stirred in at the end of cook time for this soup.

Other Ingredients You’ll Need For This Soup

We’ve already covered the ever-convenient storebought gnocchi, but here’s what else you need to make this soup happen:

  • Chicken
  • Mirepoix (carrots, celery, onion)
  • Seasonings
  • Chicken broth
  • Evaporated milk (trust me)
  • Garlic
  • Spinach
  • And BACON (yes, yes, yes)
Crispy bacon in a pan.

How To Make Chicken Gnocchi Soup

There are only three steps here. THREE. You can do this.

  1. Add it all to the crockpot: Place the chicken, mirepoix, basil, Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, salt, and chicken broth in a crockpot or slow cooker to cook. You’ll even shred your chicken right in the crockpot after cooking.
  2. Thicken the soup: Add the evaporated milk, cornstarch, and gnocchi, and stir. This is how you’ll cook your gnocchi – no extra pot needed!
  3. Crisp up your bacon: The BEST PART. Crisp it up, then add the spinach and garlic, and add it to the soup. Stir it all up and your done.

So easy, so good. Serve it with a delicious little green salad and you’re in dinner business.

Perfect For a Meal Delivery

I could totally see this chicken gnocchi soup being a great bring-to-a-new-mom-or-sick-friend type of meal. It’s easy to throw together, it’s got that basic-yummy flavor that families love, there’s some redeeming vegetables in with all that creamy awesomeness, it saves well in the fridge or freezer… win, win, win, all around.

I have brought it to a few friends with a loaf of the Miracle No-Knead Bread and the bread + the chicken gnocchi soup combo get rave reviews every time.

Match made in heaven, I’d say.

Close up picture of Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup.

This recipe was adapted from Jessica’s version – she introduced me to the genius of using evaporated milk!

Print
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Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.6 from 183 reviews

  • Author: Pinch of Yum
  • Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 810 1x

Description

This Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup is lusciously cream-free, comforting, and made with lots of vegetables. Perfect with crusty bread and a green salad.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 cups mirepoix (just a simple mixture of chopped onions, celery, and carrots)
  • 12 teaspoons dried basil
  • 12 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
  • two 12 ounce cans evaporated milk
  • two 1 lb. packages gnocchi (about 4 cups)
  • 6 slices bacon
  • 23 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach

Instructions

  1. Place the chicken, mirepoix, basil, Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, salt, and broth in a crockpot or slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Shred the chicken directly in the crockpot.
  2. Add the cornstarch mixture, evaporated milk, and gnocchi. Stir and replace cover. Cook another 45 minutes – 1 hour until the soup has thickened and the gnocchi has softened.
  3. While the soup is thickening, cut the bacon into small pieces and fry until crispy. Drain on paper towels and wipe most of the bacon grease out of the pan, leaving just a little bit for the spinach/garlic. Add the garlic and saute for one minute. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Remove from heat. Add the bacon and spinach to the crockpot. Stir to combine.
  4. Add any additional liquid as needed (I added about a cup of water once it started to thicken) and season again with salt and pepper as needed.

Equipment

Notes

Be sure to taste and adjust with salt/pepper before serving. It may need more depending on the saltiness of your broth.

Instant Pot Instructions: Add the chicken, mirepoix, basil, Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, salt, and broth to the Instant Pot. Cook for 20 minutes on high pressure. Let out the steam using quick release. Remove the chicken to shred, and then add it back to the pot. Stir in the cornstarch mixture, evaporated milk, and gnocchi. Then, use the “Saute” function to simmer the soup for another 20 minutes or so to thicken it all up. Add in the bacon and spinach, and stir to combine.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 hours
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Slow Cooker
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: crockpot soup, gnocchi soup, chicken gnocchi, slow cooker soup, easy gnocchi soup

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755 Comments

  1. Pinch of Yum Logo

    This recipe was so delicious and I have fallen in love with it. This is going in my cook book and I will make it for the rest of my life (dramatic I know but a good soup stays with the soul)

  2. Pinch of Yum Logo

    This one left a little to be desired, unfortunately. The seasonings are excessive, in my opinion. I also think heavy cream would be better than evaporated milk. Also, for some reason, the carrots never softened so I kept getting a crunch texture that was off-putting. No, I did NOT leave them large but also would expect that long of cooking to have softened them more.

  3. Pinch of Yum Logo

    !!!!!!!!!
    So I have an issue. This is my first time making it and I added the evaporated milk and cornstarch mixture in first. Did I totally mess it up?? Can I still cook it??

  4. Pinch of Yum Logo

    This recipe was really good and super easy, but not as tasty as I was hoping. Personally, I added celery salt, a splash of hot sauce, and a small bit of cheese and it made it so much better!

  5. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Fancy soup with such ease! I accidentally read tablespoon instead of teaspoon for basil and Italian seasoning but it turned out just fine. It was totally devoured at our Lenten soup supper at church. I don’t feel like it’s like the Olive Garden one as others suggested but it is super tasty and easy and yummyful!

  6. Pinch of Yum Logo

    I have always loved the soup at Olive Garden and wanted an easy way to make it for myself. I made this recipe and “Wow!” It was so warm and comforting, like a “hug in a bowl” since I made it during our subzero temps in the mid south. My family loved it too! And I found a good way to reheat this soup one bowl at a time in the microwave. Just put the bowl in for 7 minutes on half power (which is on 5). It turns out perfect!

  7. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Wonderful dish! The only thing I’d change is how you finish it. I didn’t find that an extra hour in the crockpot at end thickened the broth enough, so I took about half out and thickened separately on the stove with corn starch instead.

  8. Pinch of Yum Logo

    I saw a few negative reviews and almost didn’t make it but I’m so glad I did! It’s absolutely delicious and, while it has an essence of American chicken stew, because well, it’s chicken stew, the Italian seasonings give it an awesome flavor that’s just different enough.

  9. Pinch of Yum Logo

    I’ve seen a couple negative reviews so I figured I’d leave my own. I started making this a year or so ago and it’s a constant in our fall/winter meal rotation, we love it! I do leave out the bacon most of the time just by preference but it’s a great recipe!

  10. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Hi! Do you think this would work in the slow cooker with chicken thighs, or do you think they’d fall apart too much?

  11. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Loooove this recipe! This soup is amazing. Any idea how I can make this a 2 serving soup in a pot on the stove?

  12. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Can this be made without the chicken or bacon without compromising too much of the flavor?

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      You could try it! I would probably reduce the liquid by a little bit since there’s less volume with ingredients, or replace with chicken with something like chickpeas or white beans to bulk it up.

  13. Pinch of Yum Logo

    The crockpot chicken gnocchi soup was awesome! I fed five people and needed more! So tasty.

  14. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Delicious, hearty, forgiving soup recipe. I used 1.5-2 times the amounts of all the ingredients except the broth and gnocchi and replaced the cornstarch/evap. milk with 2 cups of water. Served with crusty bread. Very flavorful and filling.

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      I don’t normally comment on recipes, but felt like I should since this one unfortunately fell flat for us. I followed all instructions to a T and used the max seasonings, but it still turned out quite bland for us. We sprinkled mozzarella on ours to make it a bit more edible.. it helped slightly.

      1. Pinch of Yum Logo

        Your family must eat heavy amount of Chile based foods, anyone reading should pay no mind to this comment.

  15. Pinch of Yum Logo

    I made this recipe several weeks ago and it was delicious, will be making again this week! Just wondering if this soup would do ok in the freezer?

  16. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Another comment on this site said it best “Taste nothing like the chicken gnocchi soup recipes I’ve tried before. Taste more like American chicken noodle”. I agree with that 100%. I’m wondering if the evaporated milk isn’t the best way to go? I was not a fan and will not be remaking the recipe. I was a bit disappointed considering so many other positive ratings.

  17. Pinch of Yum Logo

    This recipe is so good!! It has perfect flavor and texture. It thickened even more the second day. I have found that if I put the chicken breast in frozen, it doesn’t dry out. I will definitely make this again! Thank you!!

  18. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Taste nothing like the chicken gnocchi soup recipes I’ve tried before. Taste more like American chicken noodle with a sour note. It’s been 3 hours and the gnocchi still is not soft. Maybe I made it wrong but I won’t be trying it again.

  19. Pinch of Yum Logo

    This has become a new favorite in our house! I love this so much! I was never a gnocchi person until I found this recipe.

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      Hi, Sky! Instant Pot instructions can be found in the notes section of the recipe card. As far as using frozen chicken, we haven’t tested this out, but we’d guess adding on another 10 minutes in the Instant Pot should do the trick.

      1. Pinch of Yum Logo

        I see the nutritional info, but no serving size. What is the serving size? For the record, I just made it and it’s fantastic!

  20. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Curious if I were to use the frozen cauliflower gnocchi from trader Joe’s how that would work? Any suggestions?

  21. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Does the amount of time in step 2 differ after adding the cornstarch, evaporated milk, and gnocchi if you take the high vs low option in step 1?

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      I wad wondering the same thing!! Because it doesn’t say, it makes me think that is should be high? But I don’t know!! Confusing.