One Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb chicken breast (seasoned generously; referred to as 'chicken chest')
• salt (to taste)
• black pepper (to taste)
• 1 tsp garlic powder (estimated for seasoning)
• 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper (estimated for seasoning)
• 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes (estimated for seasoning)
• 0.5 tsp dried thyme (estimated for seasoning)
• 0.5 tsp dried oregano (estimated for seasoning)
• 0.5 tsp dried basil (estimated for seasoning)
• 1 shallot (large, finely diced)
• 4 clove garlic (crushed and roughly chopped)
• 3 tbsp olive oil (divided; generous amount for searing and sautéing)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (squeezed in)
• 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
• 4 cup chicken stock (a whole lot)
• 1 cup heavy cream (added after stock simmers)
• 0.5 cup parmesan cheese (freshly grated from parmigiano-reggiano block)
• 2 tbsp butter (cold)
• 1 lb gnocchi (shelf-stable or fresh)
• 2 cup spinach (a handful)

Steps

1. 1

   Generously season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, and dried basil. Ensure the chicken is fully covered; if you can still see chicken, add more seasoning.

2. 2

   Finely dice one large shallot.

3. 3

   Crush and roughly chop the garlic cloves.

4. 4

   In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add a generous amount of olive oil.

5. 5

   Carefully lay in your seasoned chicken and cook until fully cooked through.

6. 6

   Remove the chicken from the pot and either chop or shred it into bite-sized pieces.

7. 7

   Add a little more olive oil to the same pot, then add the chopped garlic and diced shallots.

8. 8

   Squeeze in a little bit of tomato paste and stir to combine.

9. 9

   Add in the sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for a few minutes.

10. 10

    Pour in a whole lot of chicken stock and bring to a simmer.

11. 11

    After simmering for about 15 minutes, stir in the heavy cream.

12. 12

    Add a good amount of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes to thicken up.

13. 13

    Salt the soup to taste.

14. 14

    Add the cold butter, the prepared chicken, the gnocchi, and a handful of spinach to the pot.

15. 15

    Cook until the gnocchi is tender and the spinach has wilted, then serve.

Notes

The author emphasizes heavy seasoning on the chicken—if you can see the meat, add more spices. The soup is simmered twice to achieve a thick, creamy consistency before adding the final assembly ingredients.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• soup
• one-pot
• chicken
• gnocchi
• comfort food
• creamy