Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

I've been dying to make this soup for along time and finally got the chance tonight to try it out! This is my favorite soup at Olive Garden and I was very excited to see a version on Pinterest! I was really stressed that this would be hard to make, but it is very easy and quick. I'm hoping to play around with it and make a slow cooker version at some point.

The recipe I found on Pinterest calls for you to make it in a stock pot, which I don't have so I use my Ninja Slow Cooker and used the stove top settings while making this. I started at medium, used high for a bit, then went back to medium, and finally use low at the end. I also used as much diary free products as I had in my house because I have a diary sensitivity. With my diary sensitivity, I also used 1 pint of organic half & half because I couldn't find diary free anywhere.

Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Ingredients

4 Tbsp Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Stick

4 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 of a medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup celery, sliced

1/4 cup flour

1 pint  Horizon Organic Half & Half  (original calls for 1 quart)

16 ounce package Gnocchi

1 cup carrots, shredded

1 cup chicken breast, diced and cooked (can use canned chicken or turkey)

1 14 oz. can chicken broth 

About 1 cup spinach (frozen or fresh)

1/2 tsp dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

1. In crock pot on high, saute onion, celery, and garlic in butter and olive oil. Turn down crock pot to medium. 

2. Once onion is clear add flour and form a roux. Stir and cook a few minutes.

3. Add the half and half. 

4. On stove, cook Gnocchi to package instructions.

5. Add the carrots and chicken to crock pot. I put the temperature back to high because my chicken wasn't fully warm before adding. 

6. Stir often, once thick enough, add chicken broth and gnocchi. Cook for a few minutes.

7. Right before you are ready to eat add spinach and spices. Cook on low until spinach wilts in the soup.

Adapted From

Pass the Sushi

Before adding the chicken

After adding spinach and spices

Overall this took me about 30 minutes to put together. I found that it came out a little too thin for my liking, so I added about a tablespoon of corn starch to thicken it up a bit. I also read that you can add more chicken broth if one can isn't enough. I found it to be plenty since I like this soup thicker. I hope you guys enjoy my take on this awesome Olive Garden soup!! I would love to know what you all think.