Recipe: Chicken Gnocchi Soup

It's almost Christmas, and the weather is getting pretty chilly for a lot of us across the United States—which means it's the perfect time for a soup recipe!

This soup, based off a copycat recipe of Olive Garden's similar soup, is hands-down one of my favorite soups! There's something about the creamy taste and blend of flavors that makes it feel decadent and comforting at the same time. So, put a pot on the stove as you're doing your holiday baking or enjoying your favorite festivities and enjoy a hearty, filling winter meal!

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

• 1 cup finely diced onion*

• 1/2 cup finely diced celery

• 1 cup carrots, finely diced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced (I used the pre-minced from the jar, if I'm being honest!)

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 quart half-and-half**

• 4-6 cups chicken broth

• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

• Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)

• 1 cup spinach leaves (buy the baby spinach in the bag, give it a rinse and a rough chop)

• 1 cup cooked chicken breast (buy a rotisserie chicken!)

• 16 ounces ready-to-use gnocchi

*I've done a rough rustic chop of the veggies (onion, celery and carrots) but I find the best method as far as the texture of the soup is to finely mince the veggies or run them through a food processor or chopper so they are as fine as possible. It makes for a smoother soup. If you don't mind larger pieces of veggies, by all means, rustic chop away!

**I've used whatever milk I have on hand. Sometimes that means I have half-and-half, but more often than not I've used plain ol' 2 percent! It does make the soup a little less creamy, but it also cuts on calories. I've also used whole milk or a mixture of heavy cream and regular milk. Do whatever makes you happy, just know a less creamy milk will result in a thinner soup!

Directions

1. Melt butter and olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven if you have one. I use medium heat.

2. Add the chopped veggies and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent. I like to get it just a smidge brown, but that is just me!

3. Whisk in the flour and cook for about a minute, then whisk in the half-and-half or milk. Simmer until the mixture thickens just a bit.

4. Whisk in the chicken broth. I usually use the contents of one of the larger boxes of broth, which is usually about 4 cups. If I feel like the soup needs more liquid, I add a bit of water or a smidge more milk. Cook until thickened again, then stir in seasonings, spinach, gnocchi and cooked chicken. The gnocchi (I usually use the dry kind found on the pasta aisle at the grocery store) will float when it is ready.

5. Simmer soup until everything is heated through. Season with salt and people to taste and serve topped with a little parmesan cheese. Enjoy with a hearty bread and a tasty salad for a simple meal.