Description
This Marry Me Chicken Soup is a creamy, comforting dish featuring tender chicken breasts simmered in a flavorful broth infused with sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and garlic. It’s enriched with gnocchi for a delightful texture, finished with half-and-half, Parmesan cheese, and spinach for added richness and nutrition. Perfect for a cozy meal, it combines rustic Italian flavors in a simple, one-pot recipe.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp oil from sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 onion (1½ cup, 270g, diced)
- 1 Tbsp garlic (minced)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked)
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil (35g, chopped)
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 6 cups chicken broth (48 oz.)
- 16 oz. gnocchi (shelf stable)
- ¾ cup half-and-half (6 oz.)
- ⅓ cup Parmesan (grated, 30g)
- 1 cup frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed dry, 30g)
Instructions
- Heat and sauté aromatics: Warm the sun-dried tomato oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing for about 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add flavorings: Stir in tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the tomato paste darkens and caramelizes, coating all ingredients.
- Add chicken and broth: Nestle whole chicken breasts into the pot, then pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
- Simmer chicken: Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C).
- Shred chicken: Remove chicken breasts carefully, shred them using two forks, and return the shredded chicken to the pot.
- Cook gnocchi: Stir in gnocchi and cook for 3-4 minutes until they float to the surface and become tender.
- Add dairy and spinach: Mix in half-and-half, grated Parmesan, and the squeezed-dry spinach. Heat through gently, avoiding bringing the soup back to a boil.
- Season and serve: Taste and adjust seasoning if required. Serve the soup hot, optionally topped with extra Parmesan cheese or fresh basil for garnish.
Notes
- Use oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes to add extra flavor instead of plain oil.
- Ensure the chicken is fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F for safety.
- Do not boil after adding dairy to prevent curdling; heat gently.
- You can substitute frozen gnocchi if fresh is unavailable.
- Fresh basil is optional but adds a nice herbaceous finish to the soup.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Marry Me Chicken Soup, creamy chicken soup, Italian chicken soup, gnocchi soup, sun dried tomato soup, easy chicken soup recipe
