Are you looking for a soup that perfectly captures the best of both worlds—cozy, creamy comfort and bright, fresh, vibrant flavor? This incredible, one-pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Gnocchi Soup is that perfect meal! We’re talking tender chicken and pillowy-soft gnocchi, all swimming in a luscious, creamy broth that’s infused with the bright, herbaceous, and nutty flavor of a classic basil pesto. It’s a restaurant-quality soup that’s on the table in under 30 minutes.
This isn’t just another soup recipe; it’s a guide to your new favorite weeknight hero. Forget complicated steps and a sink full of dishes. This is a complete, hearty, and satisfying meal made in a single pot that is as perfect for a busy weeknight as it is for an elegant dinner party.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: A Taste of Summer Comfort
What makes this Pesto Chicken Gnocchi Soup so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, fresh flavor and its wonderfully rich and creamy texture. This soup is a brilliant and easy mash-up of a classic creamy chicken soup and the vibrant flavors of Italian pesto. The dish features tender, bite-sized pieces of chicken and soft, pillowy potato gnocchi, which are simmered in a simple chicken broth. The true magic happens at the very end, when the soup is transformed with a generous swirl of heavy cream, salty Parmesan cheese, and bright, herbaceous basil pesto, which come together to create a luscious, velvety, and stunningly flavorful pale green broth.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 25 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 4-6 |
The Irresistible Ingredients: What You’ll Need
This iconic dish uses a handful of smart shortcuts and high-quality ingredients to create its signature fresh and savory flavor.
- The Pesto (The Heart of the Flavor!):
- Basil Pesto: The secret to the incredible, vibrant, and complex flavor of this soup is a high-quality basil pesto. Using your favorite brand of store-bought, refrigerated basil pesto is a fantastic and convenient shortcut that provides an instant burst of herbaceous, garlicky, nutty, and cheesy flavor.
- The Creamy Broth:
- Heavy Cream & Parmesan Cheese: For the most luxurious, decadent, and authentic result, it is essential to use full-fat heavy cream and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. This duo is the key that creates the rich, velvety, and savory body of the soup.
- The Chicken & Gnocchi:
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast: A fantastic, lean, and healthy choice. For an even faster weeknight meal, you can use about 2 to 3 cups of a pre-cooked, shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Potato Gnocchi: This is the brilliant and easy shortcut that makes this soup so special! Using a 16-ounce package of your favorite brand of store-bought, shelf-stable potato gnocchi provides the perfect, tender, and pillowy bite that makes this soup incredibly hearty and satisfying.
Step-by-Step to the Best Pesto Gnocchi Soup
This delicious, one-pot soup is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Sauté the Chicken and Build the Base
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add your 1 pound of diced chicken breast and sauté until it is cooked through and lightly browned.
Add 1 diced onion and 4 cloves of minced garlic to the pot with the chicken. Sauté for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften and are fragrant.
Part 2: The One-Pot Simmer
Step 1: Pour in your 4 cups of chicken broth and bring the mixture to a simmer. Use your spoon to scrape up any delicious, flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Step 2: Stir in your 16-ounce package of gnocchi and cook for about 3 minutes. You will know the gnocchi are perfectly cooked when they are plump and have floated to the surface of the broth.
Part 3: The Creamy Pesto Finish
Step 1 (The Secret to a Perfect Pesto Sauce!): Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the 1 cup of heavy cream, the 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, and the 1/4 cup of basil pesto. Pro Tip: It is crucial to add your dairy and your fresh pesto at the very end, over a low heat. Adding these delicate ingredients to a rapidly boiling liquid can cause the cream to “break” or curdle, and it can dull the vibrant, fresh flavor and color of your basil pesto. Step 2: Let the soup continue to simmer gently on a low heat for about 5 more minutes, until everything is well combined and the soup is hot all the way through.
Serve the hot, creamy soup immediately in warm bowls, garnished with some fresh basil leaves and an extra sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if you desire.
Pesto Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Easy 20-Minute Recipe!)
An incredibly quick and easy one-pot recipe for a rich and creamy chicken pesto gnocchi soup. This simple yet flavorful meal features diced chicken breast sautéed and then simmered in a savory chicken broth. Soft, pillowy potato gnocchi are cooked directly in the soup. The dish is finished with a generous stir of basil pesto, heavy cream, and grated Parmesan cheese, creating a luxurious and satisfying soup that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- 1 package (16 oz) potato gnocchi
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat a tablespoon of olive oil or butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until cooked through.
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Stir in the gnocchi and cook for about 3 minutes, or until they float to the surface.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the basil pesto, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese.
- Let the soup simmer gently for 5 more minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the soup to heat through. Do not let it boil.
- Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm, garnished with fresh basil if desired.
Notes
- This is a very fast one-pot meal, perfect for a busy weeknight.
- Cooking the gnocchi directly in the broth is a key time-saving step that also helps to slightly thicken the soup.
- The creamy ingredients (pesto, cream, and Parmesan) are added at the end over low heat to ensure a smooth, velvety texture without the risk of curdling or separating.
- Using a store-bought rotisserie chicken (shredded) and high-quality jarred pesto can make this recipe even faster.
What to Serve With Your Pesto Gnocchi Soup
This beautiful and rich soup is a fantastic, all-in-one meal. To round it out, here are a few simple and classic pairings:
- Crusty Bread: A side of warm, crusty garlic bread is an absolute must-have for sopping up every last drop of that incredible, creamy and savory broth.
- A Simple Green Salad: A crisp green salad, especially one with a bright and zesty Italian vinaigrette, is the perfect, fresh counterpoint to the rich, hearty soup.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Make-Ahead: For a super-fast and impressive weeknight meal, you can get a head start by dicing your chicken and chopping your vegetables up to a day in advance.
- Storage: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The gnocchi may absorb more of the broth as it sits.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat a cream-based soup is to do so gently in a saucepan on the stovetop over a low heat. You may need to add a generous splash of broth or milk to loosen the soup and bring back its original, creamy consistency.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Add a Veggie: For a beautiful pop of color and some extra nutrients, you can stir in about 3 to 4 cups of fresh baby spinach or a cup of halved cherry tomatoes at the very end and let them warm through.
- Use a Different Protein: If you’re not a fan of chicken, this delicious and versatile soup is also absolutely fantastic with about 1 pound of browned and crumbled sweet or spicy Italian sausage or some sautéed shrimp that have been stirred in at the very end.
- Make it Nut-Free: For guests with a nut allergy, it is crucial to be sure to use a high-quality, store-bought nut-free basil pesto, which typically substitutes the pine nuts with sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
Enjoy Your Ultimate Creamy & Cozy Soup!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of wholesome, classic ingredients and delicious, satisfying flavors. This Creamy Pesto Chicken Gnocchi Soup is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch-tasting meal to bring the comfort and luxury of a restaurant to your own dinner table in minutes. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new, much-requested family favorite for cozy dinners.
We hope you enjoy every last, warm, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an easy and impressive meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to a creamy pesto sauce that isn’t oily or dull-colored?
The secret is to add your pesto at the very end of the cooking process, over a very low heat. Pesto is a fresh, delicate sauce. If you boil it or cook it for too long, the high heat can cause the oil in the pesto to separate, and it will also cook the fresh basil, which will turn its beautiful, vibrant green color into a dull, muddy green.
Q2: Can I use homemade pesto for this soup?
Yes, absolutely! If you have a bounty of fresh basil, a homemade pesto would be absolutely fantastic and will have an even fresher, more vibrant flavor.
Q3: Can I freeze this soup?
Because this soup contains both dairy (heavy cream and Parmesan) and gnocchi, it is not an ideal candidate for freezing. The texture of both the cream-based broth and the tender gnocchi can change significantly upon thawing and reheating, often becoming a bit grainy or mushy.
Q4: Can I make this soup dairy-free?
Yes! To make this recipe dairy-free, simply substitute the 1 cup of heavy cream with an equal amount of a high-quality, full-fat, canned coconut milk, and be sure to use a dairy-free Parmesan cheese substitute and a dairy-free pesto.
Q5: What is gnocchi?
Gnocchi are a type of classic, Italian “dumpling.” The most common variety, and the one that is perfect for this recipe, is a potato gnocchi, which is made from a simple dough of cooked, mashed potatoes and flour. They have a wonderfully soft, tender, and pillowy texture when they are cooked.