This Healthy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe is just 289 calories and is packed with 32.4g of protein per serving. The low calorie Olive Garden chicken and gnocchi soup copycat recipe takes just 25 minutes to make, and is packed with healthy, easy to find ingredients.
Everything You’ll Need
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Olive Oil Spray – Cooking spray also works, or 1 teaspoon oil.
- 1 celery stalk – Or swap for a second onion, or an extra carrot.
- 1 yellow onion – Yellow is best in this recipe, but any color will work.
- 2 carrots – Or swap for 2 more celery stalk.
- 1 garlic clove – Or swap for 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme – Dried will work as well, cut the amount by 1/2.
- 4 cups Cooked Chicken – I supplied 2 recipes in the card below. But a Rotisserie chicken works too!
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth – Vegetable broth will also work.
- 10 ounces potato gnocchi – Or gluten free gnocchi. You can also swap gnocchi for cooked pasta, and add it in for the last 2 minutes of cooking.
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk – Any unsweetened milk will work, almond has the fewest calories.
- 1 cup baby spinach – Or kale for heartier greens.
- Salt and pepper to taste – See below for low sodium tips!
- Metric Measurements in recipe card below
Tools You’ll Need:
- Large pot
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large spoon (ideally wooden spoon)
- Ladle
Healthy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Low Calorie Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe Variations
Low Carb Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
You can reduce the carbs in this soup by cutting the gnocchi by 1/2. You can also (or alternatively) double the chicken to boost the protein and balance out the carbs to protein amounts more.
Gluten Free Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
You can easily make this chicken and gnocchi soup gluten free by choosing gluten free gnocchi pasta.
Low Sodium Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
To keep the sodium low, be sure to cook your own chicken breasts and omit the salt from the recipe. Then add 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice just before serving. Also, be sure to use low sodium broth.
High Protein Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
You can easily double the protein by doubling the amount of chicken!
Low Sugar Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
This chicken and gnocchi soup is already low in sugar. You can cut it more by reducing the amount of gnocchi.
Low Calorie Chicken and Gnocchi Soup Meal Prep & Storage
Meal Prep and Storage
This recipe will hold for 3-4 days in the fridge, but as the time goes on, the gnocchi will get mushy. It’s best served fresh. With that said, I do have some meal prep and storage tips for you.
Meal Prep – You can cook the soup up to step #4. Then reheat and add the gnocchi, then the spinach as directed.
Storage – The soup will hold in the fridge for 3-4 days with the gnocchi in it, or 5 days in the fridge without the gnocchi added. It will hold for 1 month in the freezer.
Healthy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
This low calorie chicken and gnocchi soup is a wonderful “Olive Garden Copycat” Recipe. I know you’ll love it! Here are some more “copycat” recipes I think you’ll love.
More Low Calorie Copycat Recipes:
- Low Calorie Olive Garden “Copycat” Breadsticks {59 Calories}
- Low Calorie Arby’s “Copycat” Roast Beef Sandwiches {253 Calories}
- Low Calorie Starbucks “Copycat” Brown Sugar Oat Milk Latte {78 Calories}
- Low Calorie Chipotle “Copycat”Chicken Burrito Bowls {399 Calories}
- Low Calorie Sonic “Copycat” Cherry Limeade {33 Calories}
Low Calorie Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- Olive Oil Spray
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 4 cups Cooked Chicken chopped
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 10 ounces potato gnocchi
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup baby spinach roughly chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Cooked Chicken Recipes:
Serve this With:
Instructions
Stovetop Directions:
- Heat a large pot over medium heat, and spray with olive oil.
- Add celery, onions, and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes, until the onions are soft.
- Add in the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add chicken, and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
- Gently stir in the gnocchi and boil for 3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the almond milk and spinach and cook another 1-2 minutes.
- Taste, add salt and pepper as needed, and serve hot.
Slow Cooker Directions:
- Spray a large skillet with olive oil and heat over medium heat.
- Add celery, onions, and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes, until the onions are soft.
- Add in the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add 1 cup of the broth and scrape the bottom well to loosen any browned bits.
- Pour into the slow cooker along with the remaining broth.
- Cook on LOW for 4 hours and on HIGH for 2 hours.
- Add in the gnocchi, almond milk, and spinach and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Taste, add salt and pepper as needed, and serve hot.
Instant Pot Directions:
- Spray the interior pot with olive oil and press the sauté button (medium).
- Add celery, onions, and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes, until the onions are soft.
- Add in the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add 1 cup of the broth and scrape the bottom well to loosen any browned bits. (Very important, slipping this step can result in a "Burn" message).
- Pour in the remaining broth, cover and cook high pressure 15 minutes.
- Do a quick release and uncover. Add in the gnocchi, almond milk, and spinach.
- Press sauce (low) and sauté for 10 minutes until the gnocchi is tender.
- Taste, add salt and pepper as needed, and serve hot.
Nutrition
About the Author
Hi, my name is Audrey Johns and I am a 4 time best selling cookbook author! All 4 of my low calorie cookbooks are published by HarperCollins (the oldest publishing house in the US!) and have been featured on prominent TV shows like The Today Show, Rachael Ray and The Doctors. I am a low calorie and healthy recipe authority and my delicious recipes are tried and loved by thousands of readers.
After a one year 150 pound weight loss (and I’ve kept it off for 13 years!) I started sharing all of my low calorie recipes with the world. They are always all-natural and geared around weight loss and weight management. I have even made some of these recipes with my Biggest Loser pal Bob Harper! Check out my weight loss story, my best selling cookbooks, and my numerous TV appearances by clicking here.
Nutrition and Calories in Chicken Gnocchi Soup
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Article History:
- Originally written and published October 17, 2023 by Audrey Johns
- Updated on November 6, 2023 by Audrey Johns
