Marry Me Chicken & Gnocchi Soup
Marry Me Chicken & Gnocchi Soup takes everything people love about the viral skillet dish — juicy chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, and a silky cream sauce — and stretches it into a one-pot bowl of comfort with tender potato gnocchi doing the work of both noodle and dumpling. The whole trick to a broth this rich that still holds together is managing the acid: the tomato paste and chopped sun-dried tomatoes get sautéed hard in the skillet fat first, which cooks off their raw sharpness and melts them into the oil, so by the time the cream goes in there's flavor but not enough free acid to seize the dairy. Then the cream and Parmesan are stirred in over low heat, never boiled, and the starch the gnocchi release into the broth acts as a gentle buffer that keeps everything smooth. It's the same idea as our Creamy Tuscan Chicken, reimagined as soup, and if you like this one, Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie and Chicken Bacon Ranch Soup are the natural next bowls.
Dinner · American, Comfort Food, Fall, Soup, One-Pot, High-Protein • 40 min
Nutrition (per serving)520Calories·26gFat·41gCarbs·37gProtein
Per serving. Values are approximate and calculated from USDA FoodData Central.
Ingredients
- For the soup:
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound potato gnocchi (shelf-stable or refrigerated)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (about 2½ ounces)
- 2 cups baby spinach (optional)
- For serving:
- extra grated Parmesan, for topping
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
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Steps
- Sear the chicken: Season the chicken breasts with ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or 6-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until deeply golden on both sides and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until the thickest part registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer to a plate and let rest while you build the soup, then shred into bite-size pieces.
- Cook out the tomato: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and a pinch of the remaining salt and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste deepens to a brick-red and the sun-dried tomatoes smell sweet rather than sharp, about 1½ minutes — this step cooks off the raw acidity so the cream later won't curdle.
- Simmer the gnocchi: Slowly pour in the chicken broth, whisking to release anything stuck to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then add the gnocchi. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi float to the surface and are tender, 3 to 4 minutes (follow package timing if it differs).
- Finish with the dairy: Reduce the heat to low — this is the critical step, because dairy that boils will split. Whisk in the heavy cream, then gradually stir in the Parmesan a little at a time until it melts into the broth. Return the shredded chicken and any resting juices to the pot, add the spinach (if using), and warm gently for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the spinach wilts and everything is heated through. Do not let the soup boil again.
- Serve: Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and finish each with a shower of grated Parmesan and the torn fresh basil.
Tips & Variations
Make Ahead
The soup can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Cool it completely before refrigerating; the gnocchi will soak up broth as it sits and soften further, so add a splash of chicken broth when you reheat to loosen it. For the best texture, hold the spinach and basil until you rewarm the soup, and reheat gently over low heat, stirring, without letting it boil.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, and stir in a splash of broth or milk if it has thickened. Because the gnocchi absorb liquid and the cream can separate slightly on freezing, freezing is not recommended — if you do freeze it, thaw overnight in the fridge and rewarm slowly over low heat, whisking to bring the broth back together.
Substitutions
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work beautifully in place of the breasts — they stay juicier and need a minute or two longer to reach 165°F. Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut: skip the searing and stir about 3 cups of shredded cooked chicken in with the cream. Swap the heavy cream for half-and-half for a lighter broth (stir extra gently and keep the heat very low). Gluten-free gnocchi, or a small pasta like orecchiette cooked separately, both stand in for the potato gnocchi. No fresh Parmesan? Pecorino Romano is sharper and just as good. For a vegetarian version, skip the chicken and use vegetable broth, and stir a can of drained white beans in at the end for heartiness.
Nutrition
Per serving: ⅙ of the recipe (about 1⅔ cups)
Reviews
Reviews coming soon! In the meantime, let us know what you think of this recipe.
