Hearty Chicken Gnocchi Soup

I fell in love with this soup last night! It is the ultimate cold weather-warm your insides kinda meal! The garlic bread complimented the soup nicely... made me feel like I was at Olive Garden eating their chicken gnocchi soup!

Hearty Chicken Gnocchi Soup

*Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)

1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups fat free half-and-half

1 cup lowfat milk

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

16 ounce package gnocchi

1-2 cups cooked, shredded or diced chicken breasts

1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped (left this out)

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a 4- or 5-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot and rippling. Add the chopped onion, carrots and thyme. Cook until the onion is translucent and carrots are slightly tender, stirring often, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking or stirring constantly, until the flour is lightly golden, 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half. Whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Stir while bringing the mixture to a boil over medium to medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is slightly thickened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the uncooked gnocchi and simmer over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup should thicken up quite a bit while the gnocchi is cooking. Stir in the chicken and spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Step One:

add olive oil

Step Two:

add onions, carrots, and thyme

Step Three:

add garlic

Step Four:

whisk in flour

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Step Five:

add half-and-half

Step Six:

add low fat milk and chicken broth 

Step Six:

bring to boil

Step Seven:

add gnocchi

Step Eight:

add chicken (and spinach*)

This soup seriously made it to my favorites list with the first spoonful! Don't skimp on the pepper at the end... makes it that much better!