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Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup
5 from 15 votes

Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup offers a hearty, creamy blend of tender chicken, aromatic vegetables, and fluffy gnocchi in a richly seasoned broth. The gentle slow-cooking method melds herbs and spices evenly, creating a comforting dish that combines protein, vegetables, and tender pasta for an easy meal with satisfying texture and balanced flavor.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Servings: 6
Calories: 369 kcal
Course: Soup, Dinner
Cuisine: International

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken thigh cut into larger bite-sized pieces (boneless skinless chicken breasts may be subbed, boneless, skinless
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced small (white onion or sweet Vidalia onion may be subbed)
  • 3 medium carrot peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch wide rounds
  • 2 celery diced into small half-moons, stalks
  • 3 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon thyme dried
  • 1 teaspoon basil dried
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste, freshly ground
  • ½ teaspoon oregano dried
  • ½ teaspoon rosemary dried
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 cups chicken broth regular broth may be subbed, but reduce the added salt, as desired, low-sodium
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 16 ounces gnocchi (I use refrigerated, frozen is fine and if you forget to thaw it, you can add it straight from frozen)
  • 2 cups baby spinach stems removed (about 2 heaping handfuls)
  • ½ cup Parmesan Cheese or more if desired + more for garnishing if desired, freshly grated
  • parsley finely minced; optional for garnishing, fresh

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. To a the insert of a 6-quart or 7-quart slow cooker, add the diced chicken, onions, carrots, celery, minced garlic, and sprinkle evenly with the dried thyme, basil, salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, and add the bay leaves. Herbs Tip - If you don't have all the dried herbs on hand, don't worry, just omit. If you have poultry seasoning on hand, it's a good substitute to help make up for what you don't have. Italian seasoning also works. I would add 1 tsp of either, and work up from there, depending on your preferences for how well-seasoned you like things and what you're missing.
  2. Add the chicken broth, place the lid on top, and slow cook on LOW for about 6 hours OR on HIGH for about 3 hours. I prefer high because I don't tend to be able to plan ahead for 6 hours, but it's up to you and what works for you.
  3. After the cooking time has elapsed, add the half-and-half.
  4. To thicken the soup, you'll make a cornstarch slurry by combining the 3 tbsp cornstarch with 3 tbsp of water in a small bowl, add it to the slow cooker, and stir. Thickening Tip - I like my soup on the thicker side so I use 3 + 3. If you don't want your soup as thick, only use 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch + 1 1/2 tsp water. And/or add more broth or more half-and-half.
  5. Add the gnocchi, spinach (you can add more than called for, I usually grab 3 huge fistfulls and add it), place the lid on top, turn the slow cooker to HIGH if it's not already there, and cook for 30-60 minutes, or until the gnocchi has softened and the spinach has wilted.
  6. Remove the lid, remove the bay leaf, add the Parmesan and stir to incorporate and melt it. Taste the soup, and as desired, add additional salt, pepper, herbs, etc. Salt Tip - Don't be afraid to add more salt. If you used reduced sodium broth, you'll likely want to add another 1 to 2 tsp salt, or as desired. If the soup tastes at all flat, boring, or bland, it means it needs more salt so don't be afraid to add it.
  7. Ladle into bowls, optionally garnish with fresh parsley, and/or additional Parmesan and serve with crackers, bread, dinner rolls, etc. See the blog post for serving ideas and recipe links.

Notes

  • Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days and reheat gently to preserve texture.
  • Freezing is not recommended as the dairy-based cream can separate on thawing and reheating.
  • If fresh herbs are missing, poultry or Italian seasoning can substitute to maintain flavor.
  • Frozen gnocchi can be added directly without thawing before finishing the soup.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 369kcal (18%) Carbohydrates 41g (14%) Protein 25g (50%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 3g (15%) Trans Fat 0.01g (1%) Cholesterol 93mg (31%) Sodium 961mg (40%) Potassium 597mg (13%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 6288IU (126%) Vitamin C 7mg (8%) Calcium 186mg (19%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 369

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 369kcal 18%
Carbohydrates 41g 14%
Protein 25g 50%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g 15%
Trans Fat 0.01g 1%
Cholesterol 93mg 31%
Sodium 961mg 40%
Potassium 597mg 13%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 6288IU 126%
Vitamin C 7mg 8%
Calcium 186mg 19%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.