Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Step 1: Sauté Aromatics & Bloom Thyme
- Grab a sturdy 5-6 quart Dutch oven or large stockpot. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add your chopped celery, diced white onion, and shredded carrots to the pot. Immediately add the thyme. Sauté these vegetables, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes until the onions become translucent and the vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Step 2: Build the Broth & Cook Chicken
- Now, add the cooked and diced chicken breasts to the pot along with the chicken broth. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil. If using, add a Parmesan rind to the broth at this stage; it will slowly infuse the soup with incredible savory, umami notes as it simmers.
Step 3: Add Gnocchi & Simmer
- Gently stir in the potato gnocchi. Allow the soup to return to a boil for 3-4 minutes, or just until the gnocchi float to the surface, indicating they are cooked through. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and continue cooking for 10 minutes, allowing all those wonderful flavors to meld beautifully.
Step 4: Finish with Cream & Spinach
- Finally, stir in the half and half and the roughly chopped fresh spinach. Cook for just another 1-2 minutes until the spinach is wilted and tender. Maintain a gentle heat and avoid bringing the soup to a vigorous boil after adding the half-and-half. Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Ladle out and serve immediately!
Nutrition
Notes
For convenience, use pre-cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken. Store-bought potato gnocchi is recommended. To prevent gnocchi from getting mushy, do not overcook them; boil only until they float. Avoid boiling the soup vigorously after adding dairy to prevent curdling. This soup freezes well without gnocchi and spinach.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.