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Instant Pot Chicken and Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)

This Olive Garden favorite is made using the Instant Pot.  The familiar flavors of this favorite dish are duplicated in this Instant Pot Chicken and Gnocchi Soup.

This famous restaurant favorite is easy to make at home and makes enough for the family!

A bowl of Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup copycat on a green checkered napkin.

Olive Garden Copycat

Every time I go to Olive Garden the Chicken and Gnocchi Soup is my ultimate choice.  In fact, I could just order this soup and skip the entree because I think it's that good!

This recipe has all of the familiar flavors of the original recipe and it makes about 6 servings!

Related:  Instant Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Rotisserie Chicken Makes the Difference

Using juicy and flavorful rotisserie chicken really makes this soup stand out.  A helpful tip I have is to make sure to use a rotisserie chicken that is packed full of flavor and has well-balanced spices.

It really makes all the difference in how this soup comes out.

Instant Pot Chicken and Gnocchi Soup served in a white rimmed bowl.

Related:  Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Instant Pot Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

Prepping all of these ingredients ahead of time will save time and frustration when making this recipe.  The Instant Pot heats up fast on the saute setting so it's really ideal to have everything ready to go.

This recipe uses two settings:  Saute and Soup settings.  It really is that easy!  This recipe takes only about 30 minutes and your family will have an Olive Garden favorite made with love and served at home.

Ingredients in Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

  • Olive oil
  • Garlic cloves
  • Butter
  • White onion
  • Celery
  • Carrot
  • Chicken Broth
  • Gnocchi - you can use gluten free gnocchi as well
  • Flour - you can substitute with cornstarch to make this soup gluten free
  • Half & half
  • Spinach
  • Rotisserie chicken
  • Thyme
  • Salt & Pepper
A spoonful of Chicken and Gnocchi Soup in a soup spoon.

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken & Gnocchi Soup

Prepare the veggies- Dice, chop, and julienne all ingredients ahead of time.

Saute- Add the olive oil and the butter. Stir in the chopped garlic, carrot, onion, and celery.

Stir in the broth- Stir in the 4 cups of chicken broth and saute for a few minutes.

Add the chicken and thyme- Stir in the chopped rotisserie chicken and sprinkle in the thyme, salt, and pepper.

Pressure cook - Close the lid and the vent and pressure cook on the soup setting for 15 minutes. You can also pressure cook on the MANUAL/HIGH PRESSURE setting.

Naturally release pressure - Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 5 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure by hand. *Refer to your pressure cooker's manual for how to safely perform this function.

Saute- Remove the lid and set the Instant Pot back to saute and add in the gnocchi, half & half, and the spinach.

Make a slurry of water and flour and add it to the pot. Saute for 4-5 minutes and stir frequently.

Make Instant Pot Chicken and Gnocchi Soup Gluten Free

Substitute the flour for a ¼ cornstarch with a few tablespoons of water. Also, gnocchi contains flour but there are gluten free options for gnocchi that you can purchase.

A bowl of Instant Pot Chicken and Gnocchi Soup in a white rimmed bowl.

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Two wide rimmed bowls of chicken and gnocchi soup on a green checkered napkin.

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On June 15, 2021, the photos for this recipe have been updated but the recipe has not been altered.

📖 Recipe

Yield: 6 people

Instant Pot Chicken and Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)

A bowl of Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup copycat on a green checkered napkin.

This Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup is made using the Instant Pot and is an Olive Garden favorite. This recipe makes enough to feed the family and tastes just like - if not- better than the original!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

To Saute

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 1 small white onion, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 carrot, julienned
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 8 oz gnocchi
  • ½ cup flour
  • 2 cups half & half
  • 1 cup spinach, chopped

To Cook on Soup Setting

  • 2 cups rotisserie chicken, chopped into mini pieces
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • pepper, to taste
  • salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. Dice, chop, and julienne all ingredients ahead of time.
  2. Set Instant Pot on Saute setting and add olive oil and butter.
  3. Add in garlic, carrot, onion, and celery.
  4. Stir in 4 cups of chicken broth, stirring frequently.  
  5. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  6. Add in rotisserie chicken and thyme.
  7. Flavor mixture with salt and pepper to taste. 
  8. Set Instant Pot to soup setting and set timer for 15 minutes.
  9. Allow Instant pot to naturally release for about 5 minutes and then quick release.
  10. Return to Saute and add in gnocchi, Half & Half, spinach, and flour.
  11. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Notes

Garnish with mozzarella cheese and serve with breadsticks or garlic bread.

The rotisserie chicken that you choose will change flavors within this recipe so make sure it's good quality and flavorful rotisserie chicken that you use! 

Refer to your pressure cooker's manual for how to safely operate your pressure cooker's functions.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1 serving

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 455Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 1130mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 28g

Nutrition calculation is a rough estimate and can vary depending on the cooking technique and the exact ingredients used. For informational purposes only.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Facebook

TannyG

Monday 15th of January 2024

This was good. I must admit that I made a few changes. I switched 4&5. It’s not sautéing if you add the liquid first; it’s boiling. I also used two whole raw chicken breasts bc 15 minutes is longer than I usually cook even frozen breasts, so I didn’t want the chicken to be dry. I also used one cup of heavy cream instead of two cups of half and half bc it’s what I had on hand. I don’t think those alterations changed the bones of the soup. I loved it, and I will definitely be making this again.

I did sauté the veggies and add the chicken broth in advance just to save myself some time later. I let it cool and stuck it in the fridge. I pulled it out and heated it up in the instant pot when I was ready to make the soup, and it came together so quickly. If you’re on the fence about making this, just do it!

Dirinda

Thursday 16th of November 2023

I don't understand. If you add flour to the soup without first making a slurry won't the soup be clumpy?

Emily G

Wednesday 18th of January 2023

For some reason I had a very specific craving for this soup, so I decided to make it! I was a bit wary to use coconut-milk as a substitute for the half & half, but it worked WONDERFULLY. (I also used cornstarch dissolved in cold water instead of the flour). I seriously cannot tell the difference and, tbh, I think it tastes better than the OG Olive Garden soup! Plus, it's SO easy to make! I am definitely adding this to my catalogue of Instant Pot recipes. Thank you!

Debbie

Monday 16th of January 2023

Yummy!! I had extra chicken breasts so used those instead of getting a rotisserie chicken which worked well since the cook time was the same as I'd use for chicken anyway. I didn't add any spinach as my son doesn't like it, but it wasn't really missed! Such a good copy cat!! We loved it!! Just need to find some copycat Olive Garden breadsticks for next time!!

Ethan Milich

Friday 30th of December 2022

Could I double this in a six quart pressure cooker

Dana

Thursday 5th of January 2023

Hi Ethan, you can easily double this in a 6 quart!

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