Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
This Instant Pot chicken gnocchi soup is packed with juicy, flavorful shredded chicken, pillowy soft Italian potato dumplings aka gnocchi, and veggies in a thick, savory, and creamy broth. Inspired by Olive Garden, this pressure cooker version is so easy to make at home and is just as great!
Servings 6 to 7 people
Calories 529kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 5 cups low sodium chicken stock or broth
- 1.5 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lb potato gnocchi regular or mini size
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons of water
- 1 cup heavy cream or half and half, warmed
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 3 cups roughly chopped baby spinach, about 3.5 oz
- 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Seasoning mix
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Press 'SAUTE' button, and set it to 'NORMAL'. Once it displays 'HOT', add olive oil and unsalted butter, let the butter melt.)
- Add diced onions, carrot, and celery along with minced garlic.
- Saute until the onions turn translucent. Make sure you scrape off all the browned bits stuck at the bottom of the pot, to avoid getting a 'BURN' error.
- Add the seasoning mix, mix well, and saute for another 30 seconds or until the herbs are fragrant.
- Add stock and give everything a good mix. Add the bay leaves and chicken.
- Press cancel, close the lid of the Instant Pot with the valve on sealing position. Press the manual or pressure cook button and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes, about 15 minutes for thicker pieces. It will take some time for the pressure to build up, after which the timer will start.
- Once the cooking cycle is complete, let it depressurize for at least 10 minutes, then do a quick release of leftover pressure following the manufacturer's instructions. Once the float valve (silver pin) drops, open the lid.
- Discard the bay leaves.
- Remove the chicken using tongs, shred using two forks or cut into small cubes.
- Press the 'SAUTE' button and bring the soup to a boil. Add gnocchi, cover the Instant Pot with a lid, cook until the gnocchi floats to the top, about 2-3 minutes.
- In the meanwhile, whisk cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Once the gnocchi is cooked through, pour in the cornstarch slurry, stir continuously until it thickens.
- Add the warmed cream or half and half, mix well and simmer for a minute. Press ‘CANCEL’ to turn off the Instant Pot.
- Add grated parmesan cheese, stir continuously until it has melted, and blended well into the soup.
- Add the spinach, mix well, until the spinach wilts.
- Return the shredded chicken back to the Instant pot and mix well.
- Add nutmeg, mix well.
- Check for seasonings, and adjust with more salt and pepper as needed. Cover and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.
- Dish out, sprinkle some fresh grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Video
Notes
Cook time includes the time taken for the pot to come to pressure, actual cooking time, and time taken for the pot to depressurize.
This recipe makes about 10 cups of soup. It can easily serve 6-7 people, about 1.5 cups per serving.
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutrition info listed are approximate values that are calculated using an online nutrition calculator. If you rely on them for your diet, please use your preferred nutrition calculator.
To store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To reheat: The soup will thicken because of the starch released from the gnocchi. The gnocchi also absorbs some of the liquid. Transfer the soup to a heavy-bottomed pot, add a splash of stock to thin it out. Heat on low until warmed through.
Can you freeze this soup? I don't suggest freezing this soup as cooked gnocchi doesn't hold up well in the freezer. The texture of the gnocchi will change after thawing, it will turn mushy. Plus, there is dairy in this recipe, which will separate on thawing and reheating.
Measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml, 1 teaspoon = 5 ml
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 529kcal | Carbohydrates: 34.7g | Protein: 42.7g | Fat: 23.8g | Saturated Fat: 10.3g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 640mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 1.7g | Sugar: 2.1g | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 4mg