Creamy Lightened-up Chicken Gnocchi Soup (One Pot)
This Creamy Lightened-up Chicken Gnocchi Soup is a total Olive Garden copycat. It's much lighter but still creamy, hearty, and incredibly delicious. Plus, it only requires one pot so clean up is a breeze!
Ingredients
- 1 tbspolive oil (15g)
- 1 ½ lb.boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 tbspunsalted butter (15g)
- 3 largecarrots (250g) (diced)
- 3 largecelery stalks (140g) (diced)
- 1 mediumyellow onion (172g) (diced)
- 3 tbspcornstarch (24g)
- 2low fat evaporated milk (708g)
- 1 tbspitalian seasoning
- ¼ tspcelery salt
- ¼ tspblack pepper
- 3 clovesgarlic (minced)
- 32 oz.fat free chicken broth
- 16 oz.potato gnocchi
- 4 oz.baby spinach
- 3 ½ cupsfrozen cauliflower florets (297g)
- fresh parsley (for serving)
- grated parmesan cheese (for serving)
Directions
- 1
To a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the chicken and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- 2
Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. As soon as it is melted, add the carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed so that it turns translucent but does not brown.
- 3
Stir in the Italian seasoning, celery salt, pepper, and garlic until combined.
- 4
Splash two tablespoons of evaporated milk into a small bowl or cup. Add the cornstarch and whisk to form a cornstarch slurry.
- 5
Add the cornstarch slurry, remaining evaporated milk, and chicken broth. Bring the liquid to a boil for a brief second (necessary for thickening), then reduce heat, partially cover the pot, and let simmer for 10 minutes to thicken.
- 6
Stir in the gnocchi and cauliflower. Continue to simmer with the pot partially covered, until the gnocchi is tender and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- 7
Remove the pot from heat and stir in the chicken and spinach.
- 8
Taste check and add additional salt, pepper, or seasonings as needed.
- 9
Serve hot with a sprinkle of parmesan, parsley, and a few cracks of black pepper.