Chicken Gnocchi Soup

The weather is finally turning “cold” again. Can we call it cold if it’s 50 degrees on January 8th in Kansas City? Literally, last year it was -17 degrees for every single day in January and this year, we actually hit 63 degrees on Monday. I’ll take it! But hellloooo spring fever!

With the slight change in temps has me thinking about all things soup and crockpot recipes again! I strolled past a package of gnocchi the other day in the grocery store and I instantly wanted to be transported back to my days growing up and having gnocchi as a main course in every restaurant. Why is that not a thing in KC?!

So I nabbed up a couple packages (okay, maybe five) and went to work coming up with a yummy soup with some chicken, gnocchi and some spices that make it come altogether for an easy dinner.

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup yellow onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

1 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

2-12 ounce cans evaporated milk

16 ounces frozen gnocchi

6 slices bacon, cooked and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 handfuls fresh baby spinach

Recipe

In a medium saucepan, place chicken breasts and fill with just enough water to cover the chicken over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and cover with a lid for 20 minutes. Chicken will be ready to shred easily with two forks.

In a stockpot, add chicken, onion, celery, carrots, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and chicken broth. Mix well. Add in cornstarch mixture, evaporated milk, and frozen gnocchi.

Cook over low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet. Add in two handfuls of spinach and stir until wilted down.

Add in cooked bacon, garlic, and cooked spinach to soup and mix well. Continue to cook for 30-45 minutes. Serve with sliced Italian bread and enjoy on the couch watching your favorite reality TV shows! 🙂

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