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Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe

I make this soup on every single chilly evening when I want dinner to feel effortless but still taste like I fussed over it. I toss everything into the slow cooker in the morning, and by dinner time my kitchen smells like a cozy Italian café. The chicken shreds itself, the gnocchi turns pillowy soft, and the broth goes thick and creamy without me standing over a stove
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Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 celery ribs chopped – adds a subtle savory crunch that softens beautifully over the long cook
  • 1 large carrot peeled and chopped – brings natural sweetness and a pop of color to the broth
  • ½ medium onion finely chopped – builds the aromatic base every good soup needs
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley – adds a mild herby freshness without overpowering the broth
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic – use fresh if you can it deepens the flavor so much more than the jarred kind
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme – gives the soup that warm earthy Italian-soup flavor
  • ¾ teaspoon salt – season to taste later if your broth is already salted
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper – just enough to balance the richness of the cream
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound) – cooks low and slow until it shreds with barely any effort
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth – keeps you in control of the saltiness
  • ¾ cup heavy cream – gives the broth its rich silky texture without curdling
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch – whisk it into the cream first so it thickens smoothly not lumpy
  • 3 cups small gnocchi about 500g – I like the shelf-stable kind from the pasta aisle, but fresh works too
  • 1½ cups fresh spinach roughly chopped – skip the frozen bag here, fresh wilts in far better
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese – grate it fresh if you can it melts into the broth so much smoother

Method
 

  1. I start by adding the celery, carrot, onion, parsley, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and broth straight into the slow cooker and give it all a good stir. Then I nestle the chicken breasts right into the liquid so they're fully submerged. This step takes me all of five minutes before I walk away.
  2. I cover the slow cooker and set it to low for 6 to 7 hours, or high for 3 to 4 hours if I'm short on time. The vegetables turn tender and the chicken cooks through gently, which keeps it from drying out the way stovetop cooking sometimes can.
  3. Once the chicken is fully cooked, I shred it right in the slow cooker using two forks, though you can also pull it onto a cutting board if that's easier for you. This is the point where the kitchen really starts to smell incredible.
  4. I whisk the heavy cream and corn starch together separately first so there are no lumps, then stir that mixture into the soup along with the gnocchi. I cover it again and let it cook on high for about an hour, until the gnocchi is tender and the broth has thickened up nicely.
  5. Right before serving, I stir in the fresh spinach and grated Parmesan. The spinach wilts almost instantly in the hot broth, and the Parmesan melts in to give the soup that final creamy, savory finish. I taste and adjust the seasoning one last time before ladling it into bowls.

Notes

  • I always whisk the corn starch into the cream before adding it to the pot, since dumping it straight in leaves little starchy clumps.
  • I add the gnocchi later in the cook rather than at the start, because they turn mushy and fall apart if they sit in hot liquid too long.
  • I taste the broth before adding extra salt, since Parmesan and the broth both bring plenty of sodium on their own.
  • I chop my vegetables the night before when I know mornings will be rushed, which saves me real time.
  • I stir in the spinach at the very end so it stays bright green instead of turning limp and grayish.