Quick Look: Marry Me Gnocchi Soup Recipe
- Ready In: 30 minutes!
- Serves: 6
- Main Ingredients: chicken thighs, potato gnocchi, chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, Parmesan cheese, spices, and dairy-free creamer.
- Dietary Info: gluten free friendly and dairy free friendly
- Cooking Method: one pot on the stove top
- Best For: cozy family dinner with amazing flavor and creamy, hearty texture.
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Why You Will Crave This Marry Me Chicken Soup
- Pillowy gnocchi adds a wonderful texture, while not soaking up extra broth and getting mushy like regular pasta.
- Best flavor built with sun-dried tomato oil and touch of acidity from the lemon zest!
- Versatile – make easy swaps to make this soup gluten-free or dairy-free.
- All the Marry Me vibes, like our marry me chicken orzo and marry me chicken quinoa!
- Cozy, one pot dinner that everyone will devour!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Chicken Thighs – cooked right in the pot to give it the best flavor and to keep it a one pot recipe. Rotisserie chicken can be used, but since it is not cooked in the broth it will have slightly less flavor.
- Gnocchi – this recipe was tested with shelf-stable DeLallo gnocchi, but feel free to use a gluten-free gnocchi if needed.
- Cream – adds a slight creaminess to the broth, without being too thick and overpowering. Feel free to use half & half, heavy cream, or keep it light with our favorite NutPods dairy-free unflavored creamer.
- Lemon Zest – this small amount helps to lighten and brighten all the flavors of the soup without giving it a lemony taste (our secret ingredient)!
- Parmesan Rind – the soup will still turn out and taste great without it, but, if you have one, it will add a wonderful depth of flavor.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes – use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil for the best flavor! We also add a tablespoon of oil straight from the jar to the soup, which brings so much extra flavor to the broth.
How To Make Marry Me Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Step 1 – Sauté the onion and garlic in melted butter.
Step 2 – Add all of the remaining ingredients, except the spinach and gnocchi.
Step 3 – Simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the chicken reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Step 4 – Remove the chicken to shred and return the meat to the pot with the spinach and gnocchi.
Step 5 – Continue to simmer for 5-10 more minutes or until the gnocchi rises to the top and floats, showing that it is fully cooked.
Erin’s Testing Notes: What We Learned
- Sun-dried tomato oil is a game changer! Just one tablespoon of oil from the jar adds SO much flavor to the broth. Don’t skip it!
- A little lemon zest goes a long way: It brightens all the flavors without making the soup taste lemony. One of my favorite little tricks!
- Gnocchi vs. Noodles: personally I hate noodles cooked in a soup because they take on too much broth and get mushy. That is NOT the case with gnocchi! It absorbs a little, but not a lot & maintains its texture.
Best Ways To Serve Marry Me Chicken Gnocchi Soup
This comforting bowl of gnocchi soup is best served with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top and some crusty bread or breadsticks for dunking. If you like a little heat, consider a sprinkling of red pepper flakes.
Storage Tips
Leftovers: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. One thing we loved during testing was how well the gnocchi held up! It didn’t absorb much of the broth, so the soup maintained its consistency even after sitting in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through.
Freezing: We haven’t tested freezing this soup, so we can’t confirm how the gnocchi or creamy broth will hold up after thawing.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter, sub plant-based butter
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream, sub NutPods unsweetened creamer
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil
- 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- parmesan rind
- 2-3 handfuls fresh spinach, ripped into smaller pieces (sub kale)
- 16 ounces gnocchi
Topping Suggestions:
- parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- red pepper flakes
- fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Sauté: Bring a dutch oven to a medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons butter to melt. Add diced onion and 2 tablespoons garlic. Move around the pot to soften for 2-3 minutes.
- Combine: To the pot (keeping it at a medium-high heat), add 4 cups chicken broth, 1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped), ½ cup heavy cream, 4 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil, 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, and a parmesan rind (if you have one). Stir to combine and let simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉ (use a meat thermometer).
- Gnocchi + Spinach: Remove the cooked chicken thighs, transfer to a plate and use two forks to shred the meat. Return the shredded chicken to the pot, along with 2-3 handfuls fresh spinach and 16 ounces gnocchi. Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the gnocchi is tender and cooked through..
- Serve: Remove parmesan rind, if using, and ladle the soup into individual bowls and enjoy with any toppings of your choice!
Notes
- Gluten Free: use your favorite gluten free potato gnocchi.
- Dairy Free: use plant-based butter, the dairy-free creamer, and skip the parmesan.
- Chicken: we used chicken thighs during testing and love the flavor and texture that they provide, but you could use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, if you prefer.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: this recipe calls for sun-dried tomatoes and sun-dried tomato oil, therefore it is best to purchase a jar of sun-dried tomatoes in oil.
- Storage: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Bridget says
The flavor of this soup is amazing!!