Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup

The aroma of rich, slow-simmered Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup wafting through your home is enough to make anyone’s mouth water. This velvety, hearty soup combines tender chicken, pillowy potato gnocchi, and fresh vegetables in a luxurious broth that warms you from the inside out. Perfect for chilly evenings or when you need a comforting meal that practically makes itself, this Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup delivers restaurant-quality flavor with minimal effort. You’ll learn how to create this soul-satisfying soup using simple ingredients and your trusty slow cooker, plus discover tips to make it your family’s new favorite comfort food.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup recipe will quickly become a staple in your meal rotation for countless reasons. First, it’s incredibly convenient—just load your ingredients into the crockpot, set it, and return hours later to a complete meal that tastes like you’ve been cooking all day. The contrast between the tender shredded chicken and the soft, pillowy gnocchi creates a wonderful textural experience in every spoonful.

The flavor profile is perfectly balanced with savory chicken, sweet carrots, and aromatic herbs swimming in a silky, cream-enriched broth. Even picky eaters tend to love this soup because it’s familiar yet special. The slow cooking process allows the flavors to meld together beautifully, creating depth that’s impossible to achieve with quick-cooking methods.

Best of all, this chicken gnocchi soup recipe is endlessly adaptable to what you have on hand, making it a perfect solution for busy weeknights when you don’t have time for a grocery store run. The crockpot does all the work while you handle other priorities, resulting in a comforting homemade meal that feels like a warm hug in a bowl.

Ingredients

For this soul-warming Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup, you’ll need:

• 1½ pounds (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced (about 1 cup)
• 3 celery stalks, sliced (about 1 cup)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• ½ teaspoon dried sage
• 6 cups (1.4L) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 16 ounces (450g) potato gnocchi (shelf-stable or refrigerated)
• 2 cups (480ml) half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups (60g) fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

The chicken forms the protein base of this hearty soup, while the trinity of onion, carrot, and celery creates the aromatic foundation. The gnocchi—small Italian potato dumplings—add wonderful texture and substance, making this soup substantial enough to serve as a complete meal. The half-and-half provides that signature creaminess that makes this slow cooker chicken soup so irresistibly comforting.

Pro Tips

Layering Ingredients Correctly
Begin by placing chicken at the bottom of your crockpot, followed by vegetables and seasonings. This ensures the chicken cooks thoroughly and absorbs maximum flavor. The broth should just cover your ingredients—too much liquid will dilute the rich flavor you’re aiming for in your Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup.

Timing the Gnocchi Addition
Never add the gnocchi at the beginning of cooking! This is perhaps the most crucial tip for perfect slow cooker chicken gnocchi soup. Add your gnocchi during the last 30-45 minutes of cooking time. Adding them earlier will cause them to disintegrate and turn mushy, ruining the texture of your soup. Shelf-stable gnocchi typically needs a bit more time than refrigerated varieties.

Creating the Perfect Creamy Texture
For that velvety, restaurant-quality finish, mix your cornstarch with a small amount of the half-and-half to create a slurry before adding it to the soup. This prevents lumps and ensures even thickening. Add the remaining half-and-half gradually and avoid boiling the soup once it’s added to prevent any curdling. This technique guarantees that silky-smooth consistency that makes Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup so luxurious.

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Base

Place your chicken breasts in the bottom of a 6-quart crockpot. Scatter the diced onion, sliced carrots, celery, and minced garlic on top. Sprinkle with dried thyme, rosemary, sage, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Add the bay leaf, then pour the chicken broth over everything. The liquid should just cover the ingredients—this concentration of flavors is what makes your Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup so delicious.

Step 2: Slow Cook

Cover the crockpot and cook on low heat for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender and easily shredded with a fork. The slow cooking process allows all those wonderful flavors to develop and the chicken to become perfectly tender. Your kitchen will start to fill with an amazing aroma that signals comfort is on the way.

Step 3: Shred the Chicken

Remove the chicken breasts from the crockpot and transfer to a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot and remove the bay leaf. This step ensures your Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup has perfect, evenly distributed pieces of chicken throughout.

Step 4: Add Gnocchi

Stir in the potato gnocchi and cook for an additional 30 minutes on high, or until the gnocchi is tender and cooked through. Different types of gnocchi may require slightly different cooking times—refrigerated gnocchi typically cooks faster than shelf-stable varieties.

Step 5: Create the Creamy Finish

In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of the half-and-half with the cornstarch until smooth. Pour this mixture into the crockpot along with the remaining half-and-half. Stir well to incorporate. This technique ensures your soup thickens evenly without any lumps.

Step 6: Final Touches

Add the chopped spinach and stir until it wilts into the hot soup, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings with additional salt and pepper as needed. The fresh spinach adds a pop of color, nutrients, and a slight texture contrast that elevates your Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup to the next level.

Variations

Dairy-Free Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Transform this Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup into a dairy-free delight by substituting the half-and-half with full-fat coconut milk or your favorite unsweetened plant-based cream. The coconut milk adds a subtle sweetness that works beautifully with the savory elements. You may need to adjust the thickening agent—cashew cream blended with a bit of soup works wonderfully as a natural thickener without changing the flavor profile significantly.

Vegetable-Packed Version
Boost the nutritional value by incorporating more vegetables into your slow cooker gnocchi soup. Add 1 cup of diced sweet potatoes, 1 cup of frozen peas (added in the last 10 minutes), and replace half the gnocchi with cauliflower florets for a lighter version with more fiber. This variation maintains the comforting essence of the original while adding more color, texture, and nutrients to each spoonful.

Italian Sausage Twist
For a heartier, more robust flavor profile, substitute half the chicken with 8 ounces of browned Italian sausage. The sausage adds a delicious depth and slightly spicy note that complements the creamy base perfectly. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning to enhance the Italian flavor profile even further. This variation transforms the Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup into an even more substantial meal.

Storage and Serving

This Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The soup will thicken considerably when chilled, so when reheating, add a splash of chicken broth or milk to restore the original consistency. Gentle reheating is key—use medium-low heat on the stovetop or 50% power in the microwave, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.

For freezing, I recommend doing so before adding the dairy and gnocchi. Freeze the base soup for up to 3 months, then add fresh gnocchi and cream when reheating for the best texture and flavor.

Serve this comforting soup with a crusty artisan bread or garlic bread for dipping—the bread is perfect for soaking up every last drop of the creamy broth. For a complete meal, pair with a simple side salad dressed with a light vinaigrette to balance the soup’s richness. My favorite presentation includes a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, a swirl of extra-virgin olive oil, and a dash of cracked black pepper on top, along with some fresh chopped parsley for a pop of color.

FAQs

Can I use frozen chicken in my Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup?
For food safety reasons, it’s best to thaw chicken before adding it to the slow cooker. Frozen chicken may spend too much time in the temperature danger zone, potentially allowing bacteria to multiply. Thaw your chicken in the refrigerator overnight for best results.

My soup is too thin. How can I thicken it?
If your Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup needs additional thickening, create another slurry using 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water or broth. Add this to the hot soup and cook on high for 15-20 minutes until it reaches your desired consistency.

Can I substitute the gnocchi with something else?
Absolutely! If gnocchi isn’t available, try cheese tortellini, small shell pasta, or even diced potatoes. Adjust cooking time accordingly—pasta generally requires less cooking time than gnocchi, while potatoes may need more.

Why did my cream separate or curdle?
Curdling happens when dairy is added to very hot liquid or when the soup boils after adding dairy. To prevent this, lower the heat before adding half-and-half and avoid boiling the soup afterward. If separation occurs, sometimes blending a small portion of the soup and stirring it back in can help re-emulsify it.

Can I make this soup in an Instant Pot instead?
Yes! Use the sauté function to soften the vegetables, then pressure cook the chicken and vegetables for 10 minutes with natural release. Remove and shred the chicken, then use the sauté function again to cook the gnocchi and incorporate the cream elements. This speeds up the process while maintaining the rich flavor profile of the Creamy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup.

Print