Copy Cat Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

If you are anything like me then you LOVE Olive Garden. Not just an "Oh, yeah. I like to eat there." It's an anytime anyone ask ya where you want to eat the first thing you blurt out is Olive Garden. Now if your spouse is anything like my husband then you don't get to eat there very often. So I was browsing the net one day and came across quite a few of these chicken and gnocchi recipes which just so happens to be my favorite soup from the good ol' OG. So I gave one a try and Oh My Gosh! Let me tell ya, it was as close as it could be to the actual thing! I am super picky about knock offs especially when it's my favorite but this was delicious! Even my husband enjoyed it and he is the pickiest eater I have ever met in my life!
So, Here it is. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Copy Cat Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

   

What You'll Need:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup onion -- diced
• 1/2 cup carrots -- diced
• 1/2 cup celery -- diced
• 4 cloves garlic -- minced
• Salt and Pepper -- to taste
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 4 cups (32 oz) chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups half&half
• 2 cups cooked chicken
• 1 pound potato gnocchi
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon basil 

Directions:

• In a large soup pot heat butter and oil together over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are tender over medium-low heat, this will take about 15-20 minutes. Stir Often!
• Once the vegetables are tender sprinkle the flour into the pot and mix it well into the veggies. Cook for 3 minutes stirring often.
• Stir in the chicken broth 1 cup at a time. Followed by the half&half and the cooked chicken.
• Bring to a simmer and maintain it for 20 minutes stirring the soup often.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook gnocchi separately according to the package directions.
  Add the gnocchi to the soup along with the baby spinach.
  Simmer until the spinach is wilted, this won't take very long.
• Stir in basil and serve with grated cheese.

My only note to this delicious recipe is I would recommend a higher quality potato gnocchi. I used a cheap-o kind from Aldi and I really believe that threw the taste off a bit.

Enjoy!