Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Usually December is cold and snowy in Utah, making it good weather for warm soup, but this year we've had it really warm, and totally, in my opinion great. But I still made some warm soup with homemade breadsticks today and enjoyed it.

This is an Olive Garden copycat recipe of a soup that I only tried one spoonful of one time so I can't really compare it very well. I like it a lot, but will put a little less thyme in it next time. I didn't actually measure it out today. I found the recipe at CopyKat Recipes.

Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

4 T. butter

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 c. finely diced onion

1/2 c. finely diced celery

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c. flour

1 quart half-and-half

2 (14-oz.) cans chicken broth

Salt

1/2 t. dried thyme

1/2 t. dried parsley flakes

1/4 t. ground nutmeg (optional)

1 c. finely shredded carrots

1 c. coarsely chopped fresh spinach leaves

1 c. diced cooked chicken breast (you can use a rotisserie chicken)

1 (16-oz./500 g.) package ready-to-use gnocchi

 

Melt the butter into the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the half-and-half. Simmer until thickened. Whisk in the chicken broth. Simmer until thickened again. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, the thyme, parsley, nutmeg (if using), carrots, spinach, chicken, and gnocchi. Simmer until the soup is heated through. Before serving, season with additional salt, if necessary.