So a co-worker took me to Olive Garden for the lunch a few weeks ago and I’m not ashamed to admit that I was looking forward to eating my body weight in bread sticks. When the soup and salad lunch came though, I was obsessed with this soup. It was warm and filling and just the thing after a rotten work morning.
In the clearer light of a relaxed Saturday when I drug my husband back to Olive Garden, the real lack of chicken or gnocchi in the soup left me unsatisfied and made my husband think I was crazy for talking so much about the soup beforehand.
I had to vindicate myself and so I searched and experimented to come up with a recipe to make what my head and soul knew was possible. This is that recipe. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 chicken breasts, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoon powdered garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- a couple of fresh grinds of black pepper (to taste)
- 16 ounces fresh potato gnocchi (found in refrigerated aisle or you can make your own)
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
Directions:
- Add olive oil to stock pot on medium heat and once hot, add chicken to cook until opaque.
- Add the onion, celery and carrot and sauté until onion is translucent.
- Add thyme, garlic and oregano and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add chicken stock and salt and pepper and raise heat to high until it begins to boil. Add the fresh gnocchi and gently boil for 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium low Add half and half and cream and cornstarch slurry.
- Reduce heat to low and add spinach and until spinach is wilted, usually 2-5 minutes.
- It’s ready!
