This creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup is an Olive Garden copycat recipe. Filled with shredded chicken, potato gnocchi, and spinach, this soup is super simple to throw together in the crockpot!
Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
I’ve discovered the secret to replicating some of the most popular restaurant menu items like copycat chick-fil-a nuggets and chicken tortilla soup from On the Border and now I’ve done it with Olive garden chicken gnocchi soup. And dare I say it’s even better than the original!
This rich creamy and flavorful soup is all done in the slow cooker.
As you know I love my crockpot, so the fact that this copycat olive garden gnocchi soup doesn’t skimp on any of the famous flavors and textures and it’s basically hands-off is one of the reasons why it’s one every home cook will love!
It’s made with tender shredded chicken, plump potato gnocchi, and veggies, in an aromatic cream sauce and is perfect for busy days, cozy days, and I-just-wanna-be-lazy days!
If you’re after more copycats (that are better!), try this Olive Garden alfredo sauce, Olive Garden giant stuffed shells, and slow cooker pasta fagioli or this vegetarian pasta fagioli!
Why you’ll love Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Homemade – What’s better than a homemade soup made mostly from scratch? You can eat it in your pajamas and you don’t have to order off a menu!
- Budget-friendly – As flavorful and delicious as it is, none of the ingredients are out of reach. They’re cost-effective and most of it you may already have on hand.
- Serves a crowd – The slow cooker is known for its ability to hold a lot. Easily double the recipe for a larger crowd!
Helpful Tools
- Slow Cooker – This 6 quart is my slow cooker of choice.
- Veggie Chopper – For dicing the onion, celery, and carrots (if you don’t want matchstick carrots).
- Ladle – For scooping up all the goodness!
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
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- CHICKEN – Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You get more meat from each piece and they’re much easier to shred.
- VEGGIES – Matchstick carrots. You can buy them already sliced or use a julienne peeler to do it yourself. We’re also adding diced celery and baby spinach at the end.
- AROMATICS – Diced onion and minced garlic are the dynamic duo of aromatic flavor that imparts a base flavor in all kinds of soups, stews, and chili.
- CHICKEN STOCK – Homemade or store bought, it’s up to you! You can choose a low-sodium stock if you’re worried about salt levels. Either way, you can control the seasoning to taste.
- SEASONING – Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste are all this soup needs for amazing flavor. The veggies, aromatics, stock, and parmesan cheese do a lot of the heavy lifting as is.
- POTATO GNOCCHI – These are little potato dumplings that are typically served with sauce much like any pasta dish. Homemade gnocchi is a labor of love and can be time-consuming, so go ahead and pick up a store-bought package. They usually come vacuum sealed.
- HEAVY CREAM – This is what adds the creamy richness and helps to thicken up the soup.
- SHREDDED PARMESAN CHEESE – Freshly grated from a block is recommended. It melts into the soup nicely and tastes better, in my opinion. We’re pretty easy-going here, so use what you have.
How to make Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- STEP ONE: To the crockpot, add the chicken, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, Italian seasoning, and chicken stock.
- STEP TWO: Cover with the lid and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours.
- STEP THREE: 30 minutes before serving, transfer the chicken to a bowl and shred it by pulling it apart with two forks in opposite directions. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot.
- STEP FOUR: Pour in the heavy cream and add the gnocchi. Replace the cover once more and cook for another 30 minutes.
- STEP FIVE: Just before serving, stir in the spinach and cheese and allow the heat to wilt the spinach and melt the cheese. Do a little taste test and add any necessary salt and pepper. Ladle some into soup bowls and enjoy!
Every slow cooker runs differently. Times given are a general recommendation and should be tested in your own slow cooker and adjusted as needed.
What to serve with it
This wholesome and hearty soup comes complete with everything you need to satisfy a crowd! We do, however, always have a basket of bread to soak up every last drop of this liquid gold, and I have a ton of bread recipes to choose from.
Try it with homemade honey cornbread, one hour dinner rolls, onion dill bread, Rhodes garlic cheese bombs, simple garlic knots, or rosemary olive oil bread.
- There’s a little trick I learned to shred chicken even easier than the forks. Place the cooked breast in a bowl and use electric beaters to do the shredding. Seriously, it works! (A little splatter never hurt anyone :P) Or…I’m recently loving this chicken shredder.
- If you don’t have a julienne peeler and want to use the carrots you already have at home, feel free to dice them or chop them as you like. They’ll still taste great.
- Substitute thyme for Italian seasoning, if preferred.
- Red pepper flakes are a great addition for a little heat.
- You can skip any of the veggies if you like. You can omit them completely or replace them with more of the veggies you do like.
- Swap the spinach for kale, collard greens, or swiss chard for a bit of a different flavored leafy green.
- You can use flavored gnocchi too! Sweet potato gnocchi would be great.
- Make a lighter soup using half and a half or whole milk. It won’t be as rich but it’ll still be creamy.
Storage & Leftovers
How to store leftovers
Keep stored in an airtight container or mason jar with a tight fitting lid.
How long will chicken gnocchi soup last in the fridge?
When stored properly, this soup will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Can I freeze it?
I’m going to recommend that you don’t. Freezing soup with dairy or potatoes, in this case, both, can be finicky. The texture isn’t quite right when it’s thawed.
How to reheat it
This is the kind of soup that can be reheated any way you’d like. On the stovetop, in the slow cooker, or the microwave for single servings.
FAQs
How to thicken the soup?
If you like your soup even thicker, adding a bit of cornstarch can help with that. Make a cornstarch slurry using a bit of broth (or water) and cornstarch then add it to the soup. This soup will also naturally thicken as it cools.
Can I use frozen gnocchi?
You can! No need to thaw it first, it will do that as it sits in the hot soup. They’re small little dumplings so they won’t take long to thaw but you want to give it a little extra cooking time, so add them in a bit earlier.
How do I know if the gnocchi are cooked?
They should be tender when pierced with a fork, but your best bet is to take one out and cut it in half to check.
Are gnocchi gluten free?
No! They are made with potatoes for the most part, but they are also made with flour which helps keep them together.
Need more creamy soup recipes? Try these:
Loaded Potato and Cauliflower Soup
Slow Cooker Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Soup
Click here for my entire collection of soup recipes or specifically slow cooker soup recipes.
Did You Make This?
If you made this recipe, I’d love to know how it went in the comments section below.
You can also tag me on Instagram – @melissa_ppplates or share a pic in the Persnickety Plates Community Facebook group. I love seeing what you’ve tried!
Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (approx. 3 chicken breasts)
- 2 cups matchstick carrots
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 ½ Tablespoons italian seasoning
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 pound potato gnocchi
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 ½ cups shredded Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- To the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker, add the chicken, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, italian seasoning and chicken stock.1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, 2 cups matchstick carrots, 1 cup diced onion, 2 stalks celery, 3 cloves garlic, 3 ½ Tablespoons italian seasoning, 4 cups chicken stock
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours.
- 30 minutes before you are ready to serve, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks and return to the slow cooker.
- Add the gnocchi and heavy cream, replace the cover and cook an additional 30 minutes.1 pound potato gnocchi, 2 cups heavy cream
- Right before serving, stir in the spinach and cheese until wilted and melted.2 cups fresh baby spinach, 1 ½ cups shredded Parmesan cheese
- Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed, and then ladle into bowls to serve.salt and pepper
Notes
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Kale can be used in place of spinach.
- Try different flavors of gnocchi.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @melissa_pplates so I can see!Originally published November 4, 2022; photos updated 1/15/25
I made this recipe , easy to make and very good. Grand kids love it
Happy to hear that!
My family loves this soup. Its easy and so delicious
Thanks, Ana!
So i screwed up and used my chicken breast for something i was meant to use chicken tenderloins for can i use tenderloins for this instead of breast?
Yep, tenders will work, they’ll likely just cook quicker so keep an eye (if possible) so they don’t dry out.
Honestly this should be a go to meal for all busy families. Inexpensive, easy, filling and absolutely delicious.
Agreed! 😉 Thnks, Angeli
Can u use shredded rotisserie chicken ( already cooked)?
Sure, you’ll just cut back on the cook time.
Can this soup be frozen after cooking?
Hi Mary – I mentioned above I don’t recommend freezing this one – the combo of dairy & potatoes can be a bit finicky when thawed.
I was living in sober living in 2022, made this for the house and everyone loved it. Since then I have made it many times, sometimes adding summer squash.
Today is 8-28-25 and everyone here loves it, different family now.
Thanks for letting me know, Helen! I’m happy to hear that & I pray your sobriety journey is going well.
This soup is so delicious. My mother, who doesn’t like much of anything, loved it! It will
be on repeat with our family.
So happy to hear that, thank you Christina!
I made this and shared the recipe with others. I just posted it on my Facebook food sharing page. So good.
I appreciate that!
One of the best Chicken Gnocchi recipes I tried! The family (all boys) loved this hearty recipe, with a batch of homemade ciabatta. Easy, delicious, and filling!
Thank you, Bernie! Homemade ciabatta sounds amazing, too.
Love this recipe! Easy, hearty, and delicious!
Is the amount of italian seasoning supposed to be teaspoons or tablespoons? I started making this tonight and it felt like so much italian seasoning! I want to make sure I did it right!
Tablespoons. It’s a lot 🙂 You can scale down if you think you’d like less.