Chicken Gnocchi traces its origin back to the North of Italy.
North Italy had an ideal cold climate for the growth of potatoes. This cold climate was not favorable for grain growth.
Marcus Gavius Apicius has been the chief contributor to the Gnocchi meal recipe from the 1st century AD.
What’s Gnocchi?
Gnocchi falls under the family of dumplings in Italian cuisine. Gnocchi dumplings are mainly and mostly made up of small lumps of dough. The dough is composed chiefly of potatoes, breadcrumbs, wheat flour, semolina and eggs, and cheese.
Chicken Gnocchi Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: the chicken breasts should be precooked and sliced for easy preparation and cooking. They add a meatier taste to the soup.
- Salt and pepper: salt adds taste to the soup. Pepper adds flavor and color to the soup.
- Spinach leaves: spinach leaves should be well chopped into small pieces using a vegetable chopper. They bring freshness to the gnocchi soup.
- Shredded carrots: carrots add a sweet flavor to the soup.
- Butter: butter helps form roux when mixed with all-in-one flour used in the preparation of Gnocchi.
- Olive oil: olive oil is actively used in cooking veggies. It also adds taste to one soup. It brings a browning effect to the vegetables.
- Onions: onions should be diced into smaller pieces for uniform cooking.
- Celery: celery should be diced. They add a crunchy and fresh flavor to the soup.
- Fresh thyme: they bring an earthy, sweet, and minty taste to the soup.
- All-purpose flour: flour makes a roux for the consistency of the soup.
- Garlic cloves: garlic cloves should be minced. They add a deep Italian flavor to the gnocchi soup.
- Chicken broth: addition of chicken broth thickens the gnocchi soup.
- Half-and-half: half-and-half adds creaminess to the soup.
- Egg: an egg helps in the preparation of Gnocchi.
* Half-and-half is half whole milk and half heavy cream.
Recipe Ingredient Substitutions
- Use Italian sausage in place of chicken breasts. Remember to brown the sausage before adding it to the soup.
- Peas, zucchini, or asparagus can be used instead of onions and spinach.
- For a thicker soup, use cheese instead of chicken broth.
- Use any cooking oil in the absence of olive oil.
- Kales can be used instead of spinach leaves.
Preparing Gnocchi
- In a large pot, boil salted water. Add peeled potatoes to the cooking pot and allow them to cook. Mash the cooked potatoes.
- Mix the cooked potatoes with all-in-one flour and an egg in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly until a ball-like dough forms.
- Boil some salted water in a large bowl and transfer the dough for about 3-5 minutes until it rises to the boiling water’s top. Drain and preserve.
Chicken Gnocchi Preparation
- Gather all the preferred ingredients.
- Put butter and olive oil in reasonable amounts in a large cooking pot. Heat over medium-high heat. Saute the celery, onions, and garlic until the onions become translucent or tender. To the cooking veggies, add the flour and form a roux—Cook for one minute.
- Into the sauteed spices, slowly add half and half and chicken broth. Stir thoroughly until it the soup starts to boil and thicken.
- Add the carrots, thyme, spinach, and chicken breasts, and cool for a minute. Into the mixture, add Gnocchi. Simmer for up to 5 minutes until Gnocchi is cooked and the soup thickens. Reduce the heat to a minimum to add the spinach to the soup. Add salt and pepper to the soup to desired taste. Serve or preserve.
Pro Tips
The longer you leave this soup to simmer, the thicker it becomes.
The soup can be stored in a refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat to use again.
For a crunchier feeling, cook the vegetables within a short period before adding the chicken broth.
Serving suggestions
- Chicken gnocchi soup can be served with crispy roasted cauliflower.
- It can also be served along with blackened broccoli.
- It can be used as a dip salad for sauteed spinach.
- Serve with oven-roasted thyme carrots.
- Serve with crusty bread or freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Nutritional Value
- Gnocchi is high in carbohydrates that are body-giving energy.
- Chicken breasts are rich in proteins that are healthy for human growth.