Description
This Creamy Spicy Chicken Gnocchi Soup is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender potato gnocchi, shredded chicken, and a luscious creamy broth spiced up with salsa verde and topped with crispy bacon and sage. Perfect for a cozy meal, it combines the richness of cream, the freshness of herbs, and a gentle spicy kick.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Herbs
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped (optional)
- 8 fresh sage leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1–2 cups shredded rotisserie style chicken
Vegetables
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4–6 cups shredded kale or chopped spinach
Dairy
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream or whole milk
- 1/2 cup shredded spicy cheddar
Pantry
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4–6 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
- 3/4 cup salsa verde
- 1 pound fresh potato gnocchi
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook Bacon and Sage: In a large dutch oven over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp, approximately 5 minutes. In the last minute, add the sage leaves to crisp alongside the bacon. Remove bacon and sage, reserving 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease; drain any excess.
- Sauté Vegetables and Herbs: Add chopped onion, carrots, celery, garlic, fresh thyme, salt, and black pepper to the bacon grease. Cook for 5 minutes or until the mixture is fragrant and vegetables begin to soften.
- Create Roux and Start Soup Base: Stir in the butter and flour, cooking for 1 minute to form a roux. Gradually add 4 cups of broth while stirring and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes until carrots are tender and soup base thickens slightly.
- Add Greens, Dairy, Salsa Verde, and Gnocchi: Stir in the kale or spinach, heavy cream or milk, salsa verde, and potato gnocchi. Cook for about 2 minutes until the greens wilt and gnocchi are tender.
- Incorporate Chicken and Cheese: Add shredded chicken and shredded spicy cheddar to the soup. Stir gently until cheese melts and all ingredients are well combined. If the soup is too thick, add more broth to reach desired consistency.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and top with the crispy bacon and sage leaves. Serve hot, ideally with crusty bread on the side for dipping.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with whole milk or half-and-half.
- If you prefer less spice, reduce or omit the salsa verde or use a mild variety.
- Fresh gnocchi cooks quickly; ensure not to overcook to maintain texture.
- Bacon and sage topping adds a nice crunch and aroma; omit if making vegetarian (then exclude bacon and chicken in ingredients).
- Adjust the broth quantity to get your preferred soup thickness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chicken gnocchi soup, creamy soup, spicy chicken soup, comforting soup, easy dinner recipe
