Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
This is an easy to prepare recipe, but it is going to taste like you spent hours at the stove making your family a delightful chicken and potato gnocchi soup. You can find the gnocchi in a couple of different places in your supermarket, my local stores sells shelf stable potato gnocchi where dry pasta is sold. In higher end grocery stores I have seen this sold in the fresh sections where refrigerated ravioli or tortellini are sold.
This is an easy to prepare recipe, but it is going to taste like you spent hours at the stove making your family a delightful chicken and potato gnocchi soup. You can find the gnocchi in a couple of different places in your supermarket, my local stores sells shelf stable potato gnocchi where dry pasta is sold. In higher end grocery stores I have seen this sold in the fresh sections where refrigerated ravioli or tortellini are sold.
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 c chicken breasts cooked and diced (you can use a rotisserie chicken)
- 4 t butter
- 4 t flour
- 1 quart half and half
- 1 can chicken broth 14 ounces
- 1 c celery finely diced
- 1 1/2 c carrots finely shredded
- 1 1/2 c onion finely diced
- 1 c fresh spinach coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin oil
- 1/2 t thyme
- 1/2 t parsley
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 pound potato gnocchi
- Carbohydrate 236.153411616329 g
- Cholesterol 239.866666515281 mg
- Fat 76.318910638356 g
- Fiber 36.5967341022109 g
- Protein 51.4004973248175 g
- Saturated Fat 45.5525103777319 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (2594g)
- Sodium 848.363802857955 mg
- Sugar 199.556677514118 g
- Trans Fat 5.44700410784379 g
- Calories 1771 calories
Step-by-step
- Saute the onion, celery, and garlic in the butter and olive oil, over medium heat when the onion becomes translucent, add the flour, and make a roux, let the butter and flour mixture cook for about a minute before adding 1 quart of half and half.
- Cook gnocchi according to package directions.
- Into the roux add in the carrots and chicken.
- Once the mixture becomes thick add the chicken broth.
- Once the mixture thickens again, add the cooked gnocchi, spinach, and seasonings, simmer until soup is heated through.
Sequencing the Roux and Liquids
When should the dairy go into the pot? Building this soup requires careful heat management to prevent scorching the half and half. Cook the butter, oil, flour, and aromatics over medium heat for precisely one minute to eliminate the raw flour taste before introducing the dairy. Whisk continuously during this phase. Pour the half and half into the roux slowly while whisking vigorously to prevent lumps from forming in the thickened base.
Managing Texture Without a Thermometer
How do you know when the vegetables and chicken are ready? Visual cues replace guesswork in this preparation. Sauté the finely diced onions, celery, and minced garlic until the onions turn translucent, which typically takes four to six minutes. Shred the carrots finely so they soften rapidly in the simmering broth. Cook the potato gnocchi in a separate pot according to the package directions, draining them just as they float to the top to prevent a gummy texture.
Final Assembly and Simmering
When do the greens enter the pot? Add the coarsely chopped fresh spinach and the cooked gnocchi near the very end of the cooking process. Simmer the assembled soup just until the spinach wilts and the entire mixture is heated through. Overheating the half and half after the dairy has thickened can cause separation, so keep the burner at a low simmer once all liquids are incorporated.
