Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup

🍲👏🏻🧀 Hearty, creamy, warm, and comforting, this soup is like a hug in a bowl! An Olive Garden copycat but I promise you, my version is so much BETTER! Made with big bites of chicken, gnocchi, tender vegetables and spinach, and seasoned to perfection. Cream and Parmesan cheese take this Italian-inspired EASY slow cooker soup recipe over the top!

📝 Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into larger bite-sized pieces (boneless skinless chicken breasts may be subbed))
• 1 medium yellow onion (diced small (white onion or sweet Vidalia onion may be subbed))
• 3 medium carrots (peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch wide rounds)
• 2 celery stalks (diced into small half-moons)
• 3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth ((regular broth may be subbed, but reduce the added salt, as desired))
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons water
• 16 ounces gnocchi ((I use refrigerated, frozen is fine and if you forget to thaw it, you can add it straight from frozen))
• 2 cups baby spinach (stems removed (about 2 heaping handfuls))
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or more if desired + more for garnishing if desired)
• Fresh parsley (finely minced; optional for garnishing)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1To a the insert of a 6-quart or 7-quart slow cooker, add the diced chicken, onions, carrots, celery, minced garlic, and sprinkle evenly with the dried thyme, basil, salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, and add the bay leaves. Herbs Tip - If you don't have all the dried herbs on hand, don't worry, just omit. If you have poultry seasoning on hand, it's a good substitute to help make up for what you don't have. Italian seasoning also works. I would add 1 tsp of either, and work up from there, depending on your preferences for how well-seasoned you like things and what you're missing.
2. 2Add the chicken broth, place the lid on top, and slow cook on LOW for about 6 hours OR on HIGH for about 3 hours. I prefer high because I don't tend to be able to plan ahead for 6 hours, but it's up to you and what works for you.
3. 3After the cooking time has elapsed, add the half-and-half.
4. 4To thicken the soup, you'll make a cornstarch slurry by combining the 3 tbsp cornstarch with 3 tbsp of water in a small bowl, add it to the slow cooker, and stir. Thickening Tip - I like my soup on the thicker side so I use 3 + 3. If you don't want your soup as thick, only use 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch + 1 1/2 tsp water. And/or add more broth or more half-and-half.
5. 5Add the gnocchi, spinach (you can add more than called for, I usually grab 3 huge fistfulls and add it), place the lid on top, turn the slow cooker to HIGH if it's not already there, and cook for 30-60 minutes, or until the gnocchi has softened and the spinach has wilted.
6. 6Remove the lid, remove the bay leaf, add the Parmesan and stir to incorporate and melt it. Taste the soup, and as desired, add additional salt, pepper, herbs, etc. Salt Tip - Don't be afraid to add more salt. If you used reduced sodium broth, you'll likely want to add another 1 to 2 tsp salt, or as desired. If the soup tastes at all flat, boring, or bland, it means it needs more salt so don't be afraid to add it.
7. 7Ladle into bowls, optionally garnish with fresh parsley, and/or additional Parmesan and serve with crackers, bread, dinner rolls, etc. See the blog post for serving ideas and recipe links.