Description
Comforting crockpot chicken gnocchi soup offers a warm Italian-inspired embrace for hungry souls. Creamy potato dumplings and tender chicken mingle with hearty vegetables, promising delicious simplicity you’ll crave on chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 pound (1 lb) boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Vegetables and Herbs:
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Liquids and Thickeners:
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups half-and-half (or heavy cream)
- 1 (16 ounces) package potato gnocchi
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Seasonings:
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Optional Toppings:
- Grated Parmesan
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Assemble the foundational ingredients in the crockpot, combining raw chicken, diced aromatic vegetables, fragrant herbs, and seasoning with rich chicken broth to create a robust flavor base.
- Allow the mixture to slowly simmer and develop complex flavors, maintaining a low temperature until the chicken becomes supremely tender and easily separable.
- Extract the chicken from the liquid and meticulously shred the meat using two forks, then reintroduce the delicate protein strands back into the warming liquid.
- Gently incorporate soft, pillowy gnocchi and smooth half-and-half into the soup, elevating the texture and creating a luxurious creamy consistency.
- Introduce fresh spinach leaves, allowing them to wilt delicately into the soup and contribute a vibrant green color and nutritional boost.
- For those desiring a more substantial soup, discretely blend cornstarch with water to create a subtle thickening agent that enhances the overall body of the dish.
- Carefully transfer the aromatic soup into serving vessels, garnishing with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and optional chopped parsley to add a final layer of flavor and visual appeal.
Notes
- Swap chicken for rotisserie or pre-cooked chicken to reduce overall cooking time and simplify preparation.
- Replace half-and-half with whole milk or dairy-free alternatives like coconut milk for lighter or vegan versions.
- Use gluten-free gnocchi to make the recipe suitable for those with gluten sensitivities.
- Add extra vegetables like zucchini or mushrooms for increased nutrition and texture variety.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 67 hours (low) or 34 hours (high)
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg