This Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup checks all the boxes – it’s hearty, flavorful, and the slow cooker does most of the work! Perfect for those hectic weekdays when time is short but the desire for a home-cooked meal is strong.
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Why this recipe works
- Set it and forget it – The slow cooker handles the cooking, freeing you up for other tasks.
- Hearty and satisfying – Tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, and fresh veggies make for a filling meal. If you’ve ever had Chicken Gnocchi Soup at Olive Garden and thought it needed a little something more – this soup has it ALL!
- Family-friendly – Mild flavors and normal ingredients make sure it’s a hit with the kids, and you’ll find everything at most grocery stores!
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
Ingredient notes
- Chicken breasts – Boneless, skinless chicken keeps the soup lean and easy to shred. Chicken thighs work too for a richer flavor.
- Evaporated milk – Adds creaminess without being too heavy. Swap with half-and-half for an even silkier texture.
- Gnocchi – Use store-bought fresh or frozen. Swap with diced potatoes or small pasta if needed, or with small cheese tortellini. Please note that different ingredients will require different cooking times.
- Baby spinach – Wilts perfectly into the soup. Kale or chopped Swiss chard are great alternatives, but need a little longer to wilt.
- Cornstarch – Thickens the soup without making it too heavy. Do not substitute with flour. Never add dry cornstarch directly to hot liquids, always whisk it into a cold liquid first – else you’ll end up with lumps.
How to make chicken gnocchi soup in the slow cooker
1: Prep ingredients
Combine 4 cups chicken broth with ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp thyme, ½ tsp rosemary, and 1 clove minced garlic, then pour in.
2: Slow cook & shred chicken
Remove the chicken breasts and shred them using two forks. If they are a little hard to shred, allow them to rest on the cutting board for 5-10 minutes first.
3: Add gnocchi
4: Finish slow cooking
4: Add spinach and serve
Tips for success
- Sear the chicken first – For extra flavor, quickly brown the chicken in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker.
- Shred chicken easily – Use two forks or a hand mixer for quick shredding.
- Don’t overcook the gnocchi – Add it in the last 45 minutes to keep it soft but not mushy.
- Adjust thickness – For a creamier soup, add more cornstarch. If it’s too thick, stir in extra broth at the end.
- Season at the end – Taste before serving and adjust salt, pepper, or add a squeeze of lemon for brightness.
Helpful recipe hints
Troubleshooting & storage
No, there’s no need to pre-cook the gnocchi. Adding it directly to the simmering soup allows it to absorb flavors and ensures a perfect, tender texture. Just be cautious not to overcook, as gnocchi can become mushy if left too long.
To keep the gnocchi from getting soggy, add it towards the end of the cooking process. Once the chicken is done and shredded, stir in the gnocchi and cook until they float to the top, indicating they’re done. Avoid prolonged cooking after adding the gnocchi to maintain their ideal texture.
Yes, you can prepare the soup in advance, but do not add the Gnocchi or the spinach.
After cooking, let the soup cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of broth or water if it has thickened. Add the gnocchi and simmer until they float to the top, then stir in the spinach.
Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
When reheating, warm it slowly on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating.
Please note that the Gnocchi may become very soft and the spinach very wilted.
I do not recommend freezing this soup, because it tends to split when thawing/reheating. The gnocchi also do not lend themselves to freezing.
Serving tips
For the best flavor, let the soup sit for 5 minutes after cooking to allow the flavors to meld.
Serve hot with crusty bread, garlic bread, or a simple side salad with Italian dressing for a complete meal. If you like extra richness, stir in a splash of heavy cream before serving. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of black pepper or red pepper flakes for added depth.
More Olive Garden inspired recipes
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Printable recipe
Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Recipe details
Ingredients
- ½ medium yellow onion diced (about ½ cup)
- 1 cup grated carrots 2-3 medium if shredding fresh
- 3 medium sticks celery sliced (about 1 cup)
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt & pepper to taste
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon dried garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch add 2 tablespoons for a thicker soup
- 1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
- 1 (17.5-oz) package gnocchi
- 3 cups baby spinach add more or less to taste
Instructions
- Place vegetables and chicken in slow cooker: Place ½ medium yellow onion (diced), 1 cup grated carrots and 3 medium sticks celery (sliced) at the bottom of the crock. Season 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts on both sides with salt & pepper and sit on top of vegetables.
- Add seasoned broth: Combine 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, ½ teaspoon dried garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary and 1 clove garlic (minced) in measuring jug, then pour over chicken and vegetables in crock.
- Slow cook: Cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours, or on LOW for 7-8 hours.
- Shred chicken: Open lid of slow cooker and remove chicken to a wooden board, then shred chicken with two forks.
- Finish cooking: Whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch (use 2 tablespoons for thicker soup) into 1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk, then stir into soup together with 1 (17.5-oz) package gnocchi and shredded chicken. Cover and cook for another 45 minutes on HIGH.
- Add spinach and serve: Stir 3 cups baby spinach (add more or less to taste) into soup until wilted. Check for seasoning and serve immediately.
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken thighs may be used in place of chicken breast; cooking time stays the same.
- Evaporated milk – Creamy but light; swap with half-and-half.
- Gnocchi – Fresh or frozen; or sub small pasta, small cheese tortellini or diced potatoes (cooking times will vary!)
- Spinach – Kale or Swiss chard also work, but need longer to wilt/cook.
- Cornstarch – Thickens soup; only add after whisking into cold liquid, never add directly to hot liquids.
Recipe tips
- Adjust thickness with cornstarch (thicker) or broth (thinner).
- Use fresh herbs if available (3x the dried amount).
- Taste and season before serving for best flavor.
Storage
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently, adding broth if needed to thin.
Nutrition
More recipe information
Recipe first published in 2019. Updated once in January 2020, and again on 02/12/2025 with new photos and new text. The recipe language was cleaned up, but the recipe has remained the same.
Deb says
Fabulous!…Easy to prepare and surprisingly delish 🙂 Now I want to check out more recipes on this site! Thank you!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Deb!
Cassie says
Wondering if I can use fresh broccoli vs fresh spinach…..kind of tired of fresh spinach at the moment. 🙄
Nora says
Cassie, definitely! You will want to add it together with the gnocchi because it takes longer to cook than spinach. Hope this helps!
Elissa says
Can you use heavy cream in place of evaporated milk?
Nora says
Elissa, yes! You absolutely can use heavy cream.
melissa chandler says
This was good. I subbed cashew milk and made the slurry with flour rather than cornstarch due to allergies. Also used my homemade gnocchi. I topped it with flaky sea salt and a drizzle of good olive oil.
Renee K. says
Delicious! This was very good. I used Jimmy Dean sausage instead of chicken. So the added flavor from worked really well.
Carla Bakken says
I made this for dinner last night and it was absolutely amazing! I never comment on recipes that I make, but this was so good! I used a rotisserie chicken instead of the chicken breast to cut down the cook time, but I don’t believe that changed the taste of the soup. I am definitely going to make this again. Maybe even tomorrow.
Nora says
So happy you enjoyed the soup, Carla! Great tip with the rotisserie chicken, too.
Sharon VC says
I do not have a crockpot. Would I have to make any adjustments if I cooked it on the stove?
Nora says
Sharon, if you’re cooking it in a pot on the stove, I would make the following adjustments:
– Cook onions, carrots and celery in a tablespoon of oil and a pat of butter over medium heat, for 5-10 minutes until starting to soften.
– Then stir in seasoning, and finally the broth, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
– Bring to a boil, then add the chicken breast and simmer on medium to medium-high heat until the chicken is cooked, about 15 minutes (can be shorter or longer depending on the size and thickness of the chicken)
– Once cooked through, shred the chicken as directed in the recipe.
– Combine the cornstarch and evaporated milk, whisk it into the soup until fully combined. Add the chicken and the gnocchi, stir, then simmer until the gnocchi are done.
– Stir in the spinach, check for seasoning and serve.
Hope this helps!
Nikki says
Question- how does this do for leftovers? We are having a soup pot luck for work and would love to make this the day before
Nora says
I generally don’t like reheating chicken, I always find it comes out dry. However, since it’s sitting in soup, it might be fine. If making it ahead on purpose, I would prepare the recipe up to shredding the chicken, then cool it down and refrigerate. The day of serving, finish the recipe as directed. (Refrigerate in a separate bowl, not the crockpot insert – if it goes from cold to hot too quickly, it may burst.) You may need additional evaporated milk, as the chicken will soak up some of the liquid.
Nicole R says
Hi Nora! I’m making this tomorrow morning but I will be using our frozen gnocchi from our favorite Italian store. Should I partially cook the gnocchi before adding it in or do you think it will cook fine following directions? thank you and I can’t wait to try it!
Nora says
To my understanding, the USDA does not recommend using frozen food in a crockpot. I think personally, I would thaw them before adding. If you think they’ll become soggy while thawing, I would blanch (boil for 30 seconds) before adding them.
Ali Fisher says
So excited to make this tonight! Just wondering why shredded carrots instead of carrots cut in chunks? Thanks!
Nora says
Because that’s closest to what OG uses 😉
Hannah says
Hey! Excited to make this. Quick question, I couldn’t find fresh spinach unfortunately at our local grocery, but they did have frozen spinach, will this work?
Nora says
Hannah, frozen leaf spinach will be fine. Just don’t use frozen chopped spinach, I did that once and it turned the soup into a huge mess. Hope this helps 🙂
Mariam says
my 14 year old daughter saw your YouTube video and asked if we could make this, and it turned out so well! hoping she’ll watch more cooking videos instead of all those beauty tutorials in the future, haha. thank u!
Nora Rusev says
Haha, I hope so too, Mariam! Thank you for coming back to leave a review, I appreciate it.