Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Instant Pot chicken gnocchi soup is comfort food in a bowl! This Olive Garden copycat recipe is made with pillowy gnocchi, tender chicken and healthy veggies for a quick, easy and delicious meal that can be on the table in 30 minutes.

If you love gnocchi and all things creamy, this Instant Pot chicken gnocchi soup should be right up your all will quickly become a favourite.

This is a copycat recipe of one of the most popular soups on the Olive Garden menu, and it’s so good that you’ll have trouble keeping it to a single bowl.

Since it’s made in the Instant Pot, this chicken gnocchi soup only takes about 30 minutes, making it ideal for those busy weeknights.

Why you’ll love this Instant Pot chicken gnocchi soup

• It’s extra creamy and rich.
• It’s comfort food at its best.
• You can have it on the table in 30 minutes.

What goes into this chicken gnocchi soup recipe

Butter — Unsalted butter is best in this Olive Garden gnocchi soup. You can also use olive oil to saute the veggies in.

Onion, carrot and celery — These veggies form the flavour base of the soup. You can also add some parsnip if you like.

Garlic, rosemary and thyme — Fresh garlic and herbs deliver the best flavours in this soup.

If you don’t have fresh rosemary and thyme, you can substitute them with ½ teaspoon dried thyme and rosemary. Alternatively, use a teaspoon of Italian herbs mix.

Chicken — Use two boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this soup. You don’t have to dice the chicken before adding it to the Instant Pot.

If you don’t mind a bit of extra fat, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

Chicken stock — Use low-sodium chicken broth in this chicken gnocchi soup if you want to be able to control the overall salt content.

Gnocchi — Shop-bought gnocchi are perfect in this soup. Buy the shelf-stable type as they don’t go as mushy as the fresh ones.

To keep things low-carb, make this Instant Pot gnocchi soup with cauliflower gnocchi. If using frozen gnocchi, defrost them before adding them to the soup.

Single cream (half and half) — Make the soup even extra rich and creamy with double (heavy cream). Full-fat coconut milk is another option.

Spinach — I like baby spinach in this soup but kale is also a great option. Just keep in mind that kale takes a bit longer to wilt.

How to make Instant Pot chicken and gnocchi soup

Turn the Instant Pot to “Saute” and wait for “Hot” to appear on the display. Add the butter and allow it to melt.

Add the onion, carrot and celery and saute for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Stir in the garlic, rosemary and thyme and cook for another minute.

Turn off the “Sauté” function and place the chicken breasts on top of the veggies. Pour in the chicken stock (don’t stir) and place the lid on the Instant Pot.

Set the Instant Pot to “High Pressure” for 8 minutes and perform a quick release when the program ends.

Remove the lid, take the chicken breasts out, shred or dice them, and set them aside.

Set the Instant Pot to “Sauté” again and wait for the soup to reach a simmer.

Add the gnocchi and cook according to the instructions on the package. As a rule of thumb, the gnocchi are cooked when they float to the top. Turn off the “Sauté” function.

Temper and stir in the single cream (half and half), then add the shredded chicken and spinach. Allow the spinach to wilt for a couple of minutes. Adjust the seasoning and serve immediately.

Make it on the stovetop

To make this chicken and gnocchi soup on the stovetop, start by cutting the chicken into bite-size pieces.

Melt the butter in a large pot such as a Dutch oven and cook the onion, carrot and celery for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and fresh herbs and cook for another minute.

Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes until no longer pink, then add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the gnocchi and continue to simmer until they float to the top. Stir in the single cream (half and half), then add the spinach, adjust the seasoning and serve.

Leftovers and storage

• Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
• Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave — you may need to add some extra broth or milk to thin it out as the starch from the gnocchi will thicken it.
• I don’t recommend freezing chicken gnocchi soup because the gnocchi will turn out mushy when defrosted.

Recipe notes and tips

• You can replace the chicken breast with rotisserie chicken for convenience and extra flavour.
• Skip the chicken and use vegetable stock to make this gnocchi soup vegetarian.
• Perform a quick release as soon as the Instant Pot beeps to avoid overcooking the chicken.
• Most gnocchi varieties only need 2-3 minutes to cook — make sure you don’t overcook them as they’ll turn out mushy.

If you liked this Instant Pot chicken gnocchi soup, you might also like some of my other easy Instant Pot recipes:

• Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
• Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
• Stuffed Pepper Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Rice
• Instant Pot Lemon Asparagus Risotto

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