So I broke down the other day and bought a rotisserie chicken. I feel a little guilty because it was out of budget, but on the other hand I’m not so upset that rotisserie chicken has replaced frozen pizza as my go-to splurge food. :P We ate some of the chicken as-is for dinner, then I took one of the breasts the next day and turned it into this awesomely Creamy Kale Chicken and Gnocchi Soup. This soup is incredibly fast and is a fun spin on traditional chicken noodle soup. Those little gnocchis are so soft and delicious! You can make this soup with a simple clear chicken broth or add a little half and half for a deliciously creamy and comforting soup.
Weeknight Recipe Shortcuts For the Win!
This recipe was designed with a lot of short cuts (like pre-made broth, pre-cooked chicken, and store bought gnocchi), which makes it perfect for last minute week night dinners. If you want to take a more “from scratch” approach, check out my classic Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup recipe, which can easily be modified to include kale and gnocchi.
Sometimes you just need quick and easy, though. Right?
What Are Gnocchi?
If you’re unfamiliar with these tender little dumplings, now is the time to give them a try! Gnocchi are basically small dumplings made of semolina (like pasta), that can be tossed into soup, sautéed in a skillet with butter, or drenched in your favorite pasta sauce. They’re quite versatile, and quite delicious! You can find packaged gnocchi in most major grocery stores in the pasta aisle, or near other specialty Italian or Mediterranean ingredients.
Can I Substitute the Kale?
Yes, if you’re just not a fan of fibrous kale, you can use tender spinach instead. Just toss the spinach in the soup at the very end and stir it into the soup until wilted. You could also use frozen spinach, if that’s what you have on hand. I suggest thawing and squeezing out the extra moisture first, so the liquid doesn’t turn your soup green!
Kale Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
Servings 6 (8 cups total)Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.16)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.24)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.31)
- 2 carrots ($0.38)
- 1 bunch kale ( $1.50)
- 1 rotisserie chicken breast (about 1-1.5 cups) ($1.50)
- 5 cups chicken broth* ($0.65)
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp dried basil ($0.05)
- Freshly cracked black pepper ( $0.05)
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper (optional) ($0.03)
- 1 lb. gnocchi ($2.39)
- 1/2 cup half and half or cream (optional) ($0.45)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Sauté the onion and garlic with olive oil in a large pot over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, or until the onion are soft and transparent. While the onion and garlic are sautéing, peel and slice the carrots. Add the carrots to the pot and continue to sauté for 3-5 minutes more.
- While the onion, garlic, and carrots are sautéing, pull the kale leaves from the woody stems and then rip or cut them into thin strips. Rinse the kale well under cool water in a colander. Add the rinsed kale to the pot and sauté until the kale has wilted down to half its volume (3-5 minutes).
- Chop or shred the chicken into bite sized pieces then add it to the pot along with the broth, nutmeg, basil, a generous does of freshly cracked pepper (about 20 cranks of a pepper mill), and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Bring the pot up to a boil over medium-high heat, then add the gnocchi. Let the gnocchi simmer in the soup for 3-5 minutes, or until they are light and tender. Turn the heat off.
- Serve the soup as is, or add 1/2 cup half and half or cream. Taste the broth and adjust the salt or pepper as needed.
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Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup – Step by Step Photos
Begin by dicing one yellow onion and mincing four cloves of garlic. Add the onions and garlic to a large pot along with 1 Tbsp olive oil and sauté over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent.
While the onions and garlic are cooking, peel and slice two carrots. Add them to the pot and continue to sauté for a few minutes more, or just until the carrots begin to soft a bit.
While the carrots are sautéing, prepare the kale. I used Lacinato or “dino” kale, but you can use curly leaf as well. Pull or slice the leaves from the stems, then slice them into 1/2 inch strips (they don’t have to be perfect). I find it’s fastest to just hold the stem in one hand, grab the base of the stem with the other and slide my hand down towards the tip. That strips the leaves quickly and easily off the stem.
Rinse the kale well under cool running water. Add the rinsed kale to the pot and continue to sauté until the kale has wilted to half its volume. You don’t need to get the kale really dry before adding it to the pot. Any residual moisture will steam the kale and help it wilt.
Chop or shred one pre-cooked chicken breast into bite-sized pieces, then add them to the pot. You should have about one to one and a half cups of chicken pieces. I used meat pulled off of a rotisserie chicken.
Finally, add 5 cups chicken broth, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp basil, a good dose of freshly cracked pepper (about 20 cranks of a mill), and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Bring the pot up to a boil over medium-high heat.
Once the soup reaches a boil, add one pound of gnocchi. This is the gnocchi that I used, which can be found unrefrigerated next to the regular pasta.
When the soup reaches a boil, add the gnocchi and let it boil for 3-5 minutes, or until it’s soft and pillowy. This brand of gnocchi only takes a few minutes to cook, but be sure to check the package directions if you’re using a different brand. The soup can be served like this, with a clear broth, or continue to the next step for the creamy version.
For the creamy version, turn off the heat, then add 1/2 cup half and half or cream. Taste the Kale Chicken and Gnocchi Soup and adjust the salt or pepper as needed.
Deeeelish.
OMG I love those little gnocchi! <3 <3 <3
I made this the other day and love that it made enough for about 20,000 meals. I froze most of it. Unfortunately, it wasn’t too tasty so I won’t be making it again (not bad, just not at all remarkable. Kind of bland and boring, even after I upped the seasoning).
I made this last night for dinner (with some crusty French bread) and it was amazing! I used 1 cup of heavy cream instead of 1/2 cup. And it didn’t need any extra salt. My fiancé gobbled it down and asked if he could take some for lunch the next day. But it made so much, we’ll probably both be having it for lunch the next two days, yum. Will definitely make again!
I have frozen kale and no idea how to use it….this seems promising!
what do you think?
love everything on here, your grilled cheese and SNAP rice bowl are my daily/weekly staples.
Frozen kale would probably work, but the only thing you have to be careful about is that usually when it freezes it breaks into tiny pieces, so it won’t be as pretty. :)
Gnocchi in soup is a win! So glad I found this recipe. Can’t wait to try it.
Made this for dinner last night and it was phenomenal. And so easy!
This sounds lovely and really tasty. Thank you for sharing this.
Simon
This soup is so delicious. I made it this last Sunday for lunch after church. It was super simple to throw together and everyone enjoyed it. I did double the recipe because we have a large family, and we had it with some french bread. It was the perfect meal for a cold day. I have been enjoying the left overs all week for lunch.
Hey Beth, when you add the gnocchi while the pot is boiling, did you mean to let it “simmer” on a lower heat setting, or to leave it on a boil/high heat?
Nevermind, saw you clarified in the picture captions that it’s a boil.
Thanks anyway, great recipe for a cold winter night!
Hey, Beth.
I would like to make this, but I have frozen chicken breasts (uncooked). Would you recommend thawing and then cooking the chicken separately or would it be okay if I cut up the chicken into small pieces and added it to the pot?
Thanks! I love all of your recipes. :)
Bethany
I would let it thaw, then cut it into small pieces and sauté it in the pot before the onions and garlic. :)
Why not poach the chicken in the broth and then remove it to cut or shred before adding it back in to the soup? Less clean-up, and probably more tender chicken!
Yep, you can do that too! :)
I’ve eaten that exact brand of gnocchi before and it came out virtually inedible so I’m a little nervous to try premade gnocchi again. Would homemade be able to hold up in this soup?
I suppose it would depend on the recipe, so it’s hard to say. What was it about that gnocchi that made it inedible for you?
I use your Easy Ricotta Gnocchi, it’s my favorite. Do you think it would be safe to add at the very end?
The premade had the most awful sour aftertaste and the texture was like chewing on a pencil eraser. Maybe I got an unlucky box but it tasted nothing like the gnocchi I love. At least it was on sale.
Wow, that’s gross! Yeah, I think you could add the homemade at the end (before the cream) and just boil it in the soup.
Hi Beth! If I don’t add half-and-half, could I freeze this? Would I want to undercook the gnocchi? I have all this studd going to waste in my fridge/cupboard and would love to cook a big batch and freeze it for sick days or tired days.
Yep, you can definitely freeze this soup. I think the gnocchi will probably end up a bit soft whether under cooked or not because it only takes about 3 minutes to fully cook anyway, which is going to be pretty close to the reheat time! :) Soft gnocchi or not, I think it would still be delicious and satisfying.
I get my Kale at the local Walmart and the large bunches only cost 98¢ and they are so large, I get 2 meals out of them. I realize prices are different all over. The gnocchi doesn’t fit into our diet — too much flour empty carbs. I love adding carrots because they make things taste sweeter while adding lots of nutrition and healthy veggie fiber. Great recipe which I will make with our requirements in mind. Hubby has AMD and kale is great for the nutrients to help heal that. I steam it in my microwave pressure unit and add it to our daily smoothie and cook it with chicken in a Mexican style stew (guisado) as well. Hubby even likes it now. I know he will like this as well. Thanks so much for the idea. Miranda, try looking for the gnocchi in the spaghetti/pasta section either dry, frozen or fresh. Or, ask where it is.
Yummy!
Rotisserie chickens are the best. I mean, yeah, they make lots of meals (I can get 3-4 out of one, depending how keen my husband is on chicken that week). But the best part is you can use the carcass for broth. Talk about extending the value of your dollar.
You read my mind, Inaya! I love using the carcass in my crock pot for broth. I not only keep the carcass from chicken or turkey, but all the cut off veggies parts most people normally toss (celery top and bottoms, carrot peels, onion and garlic skins, potato peels, etc.). I just add the veggie pieces to a freezer bag and when I have a full bag, I use them along with more carrots, celery, onion, and spices for an amazing stock. Just set it to cook overnight, and yummy goodness in the morning! Just strain it and there you have it! This also makes an amazing veggie stock with all the leftover parts!! Waste nothing!!!!
Make sure to take any plastic some grocery stores put in their chickens to support them out before you use the carcass!
Which section of the market is the gnocchi in? I can NEVER find it!!
Usually Frozen foods — like ravioli and such, though they do have shelf stable vacuum packed.
I found it at Safeway in the dried pasta area. It was on a higher shelf, in the slightly higher end branded pasta area.
At my store it’s right next to the regular pasta. :)
Gnocchi is sold in the dried pasta aisle. It is in a vacuum sealed package, not a box.