Description
Creamy chicken and bacon gnocchi soup delivers comfort in a bowl, blending savory flavors and hearty ingredients. Rich Italian-inspired goodness warms souls with each spoonful, inviting you to savor every delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein Base:
- 1 pound cooked, shredded chicken breast
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups baby spinach leaves
Liquid and Seasoning:
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 (16-ounce/454 grams) package potato gnocchi
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Render bacon in a large pot over medium heat until golden and crisp, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer crispy bacon to a side plate, retaining the rendered fat.
- Sauté diced onion, carrots, and celery in the bacon drippings until vegetables become tender and translucent, about 6 minutes.
- Introduce minced garlic and cook for an additional minute, releasing aromatic flavors.
- Incorporate shredded chicken breast with dried thyme, seasoning with salt and pepper. Briefly sauté to integrate ingredients.
- Pour chicken broth into the pot, allowing the mixture to simmer gently for 10 minutes to develop depth of flavor.
- Blend heavy cream into the simmering liquid, maintaining a soft, consistent temperature.
- Carefully drop gnocchi into the soup, cooking until they rise to the surface, typically 2-3 minutes.
- Fold baby spinach into the soup, allowing leaves to wilt and integrate smoothly.
- Remove pot from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese until completely melted and the soup reaches a creamy consistency.
- Garnish with reserved crispy bacon and optional extra Parmesan cheese before serving hot.
Notes
- Bacon Choice: Select thick-cut bacon for maximum flavor and crispiness, enhancing the soup’s overall richness.
- Chicken Prep: Use rotisserie chicken for faster cooking and more tender meat texture if pressed for time.
- Gluten-Free Adaptation: Replace traditional gnocchi with cauliflower gnocchi or gluten-free potato gnocchi to accommodate dietary restrictions.
- Veggie Boost: Customize the soup by adding extra vegetables like zucchini or mushrooms for increased nutrition and depth of flavor.
- Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
- Cook Time: 27-31 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 415 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 730 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg