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Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup

A creamy and comforting slow cooker soup featuring tender chicken, pillowy potato gnocchi, and fresh spinach, perfect for cozy weeknight dinners.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 400
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Soup
  • 4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1–1.5 lb.)
  • 0.5 pieces yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 piece celery stalk, diced
  • 0.5 cup carrots, shredded
  • 5 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 piece bay leaf
  • to taste Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 package potato gnocchi (16 oz.)
  • 3 oz fresh baby spinach, tightly packed (about 3 cups)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Place the chicken breasts in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add diced onion, minced garlic, diced celery, and shredded carrots on top.
  2. Sprinkle in dried basil, Italian seasoning, ground nutmeg, the bay leaf, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
  3. Pour the chicken broth over everything. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3–4 hours or LOW for 6–8 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
Cooking
  1. Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Discard the bay leaf. Shred or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces, then return it to the slow cooker.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream and add the package of potato gnocchi.
  3. Cook on HIGH for 30–45 minutes, checking around 25–30 minutes — gnocchi can go from tender to mushy quickly.
  4. Stop when the gnocchi are tender and the soup has thickened slightly.
  5. Toss in the fresh baby spinach, cover, and let sit 5 minutes to wilt.
  6. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper before serving.

Notes

Cool leftovers quickly: transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate within two hours. Store in the fridge up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat; add a splash of chicken broth when reheating to loosen the soup if it’s thickened. For freezing, do so before adding gnocchi and cream.