Full ingredients and amounts are in the recipe card below. Read through this section for notes on each ingredient and substitution ideas.

• • Boneless Chicken Breasts: Three chicken breasts go in raw and cook low and slow in the broth until they are completely tender and easy to shred. Boneless chicken thighs are an excellent substitute and will give you an even richer, more flavorful result since thighs have a slightly higher fat content.
  • Shredded Carrots: Adds a subtle natural sweetness and color to the soup and is one of the signature vegetables in classic chicken gnocchi soup. Use pre-shredded carrots from a bag to save time, or shred your own from whole carrots. Either works great.
  • Minced Garlic: Two tablespoons of garlic builds the savory, aromatic backbone of the broth. It mellows beautifully over hours of slow cooking and infuses every element of the soup with that essential garlic depth. Fresh minced garlic is best but jarred works fine too.
  • Diced White Onion: Adds sweetness and savory depth to the broth as it slow cooks. White onion breaks down over the cook time and becomes soft and almost imperceptible in the finished soup, contributing a richness to the broth without standing out on its own.
  • Italian Seasoning: Three tablespoons is a generous amount and that is intentional. It gives the broth that warm, herby, deeply seasoned flavor that makes this soup taste like it has been simmering all day. It is the seasoning that ties everything together.
  • Celery Salt: Adds the essence of celery flavor without needing to dice and add whole celery stalks. It contributes a subtle savory note that is a key part of what makes this soup taste so well-rounded and complete.
  • Bay Leaf: One bay leaf simmers in the broth during the long cook time and adds a subtle, earthy, herbal depth that you cannot quite put your finger on but absolutely notice when it is missing. Always remove it before serving.
  • Chicken Broth: The base of the entire soup and what creates the foundation of flavor for the broth. Use a good quality chicken broth you enjoy on its own. Low sodium is a great option if you want more control over the salt level.
  • Potato Gnocchi: The star ingredient that sets this soup apart. A full pound of store-bought potato gnocchi goes in uncooked at the end of the cook time and simmers in the creamy broth for 30 minutes until perfectly soft. Shelf-stable or refrigerated gnocchi both work great here.
  • Heavy Cream: Added at the end along with the gnocchi, the heavy cream is what transforms this from a regular chicken soup into something incredibly rich and indulgent. Two full cups gives you that thick, creamy, restaurant-quality broth. Do not substitute with milk or half and half if you want that same richness.
  • Salt and Black Pepper: Added at the end after the cream so you can taste and adjust the seasoning once all the flavors have come together. Start with what the recipe calls for and add a little more to taste if needed.
  • Spinach: Two cups of fresh spinach gets stirred in at the end along with the gnocchi and cream. It wilts down quickly and adds a pop of color, a little freshness, and extra nutrients without changing the flavor of the soup at all. You can also use kale if you prefer something with a little more texture.
  • Shredded Parmesan Cheese: Stirred in at the very end to add a salty, nutty richness and help thicken the broth slightly. It melts right into the hot soup and takes the whole dish to another level. Shred it fresh from a block for the best result.