Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup is a delightful and incredibly easy meal that brings restaurant-quality comfort to your kitchen in a fraction of the time. This recipe is your shortcut to a rich, satisfying soup perfect for busy weeknights.
Key Ingredients for Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 (16-ounce) package potato gnocchi (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version)
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- Optional toppings: Grated Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, red pepper flakes
How to Make Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
This Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup recipe is a game-changer for busy home cooks. In under 30 minutes of active cooking time, you’ll achieve a lusciously creamy, incredibly flavorful soup packed with tender chicken and pillowy gnocchi. It’s the perfect blend of simplicity, satisfying comfort food, and a touch of elegance, making it a truly special weeknight meal.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics and Chicken: Select the “Sauté” function on your Instant Pot and set it to “Normal” or “Medium.” Add the olive oil to the inner pot. Once shimmering, add the bite-sized chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned on all sides. This step is optional but adds an excellent depth of flavor.
- Soften Vegetables: Remove the browned chicken from the pot using a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the chopped onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery to the pot. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add Garlic and Seasonings: Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook for another minute until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Stir in the dried Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Deglaze and Add Broth/Chicken: Pour in the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This helps prevent the “Burn” notice and adds more flavor to the soup. Return the browned chicken to the pot.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and set the steam release valve to the “Sealing” position. Select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” setting and cook on High pressure for 5 minutes.
- Natural Pressure Release (NPR): Once the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes (this is called Natural Pressure Release or NPR). After 10 minutes, carefully move the steam release valve to the “Venting” position to release any remaining pressure.
- Add Gnocchi and Cream: Carefully open the lid. Stir in the potato gnocchi and heavy cream (or half-and-half).
- Simmer and Finish: Select the “Sauté” function again (on “Normal” or “Medium”). Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the gnocchi are cooked through and have floated to the surface.
- Wilt Spinach: Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for another 1-2 minutes until wilted.
- Taste and Adjust: Taste the soup and adjust seasonings if needed, adding more salt or pepper as desired.
- Serve: Ladle the hot Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup into bowls. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, or red pepper flakes, if using.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
You’ll adore this Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup for its unbelievably creamy texture and the way it transforms simple ingredients into a Michelin-star-worthy dish right in your own kitchen. It’s a warm hug in a bowl, making it a perfect contender for your go-to comfort meal, far surpassing the convenience of ordering takeout Italian without the long wait. The hearty combination of tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, and wilted spinach, all swimming in a rich, flavorful broth, is simply irresistible.
Beyond the incredible taste, making this soup at home is a fantastic way to save money without sacrificing quality or flavor. You control the ingredients, ensuring freshness and avoiding the markups of restaurant versions. It’s a cost-effective route to pure culinary joy that will impress your family and friends. So, ditch the stress and make this Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup this week; your taste buds (and your wallet) will thank you!
Storing and Reheating Tips
- Refrigeration: Allow the Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating: To reheat, ladle a portion into a saucepan and gently warm over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until heated through. You may need to add a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen it up if it has thickened. Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each, until hot.
- Freezing: While gnocchi can sometimes become a bit softer when reheated after freezing, this soup freezes reasonably well. Once completely cooled, portion the soup into freezer-safe containers or bags. Remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Frozen soup will keep for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating as directed above.
Final Thoughts
This Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup is a comforting, flavorful, and incredibly easy meal that’s perfect for any night of the week. Give it a try, and you’ll see just how satisfying homemade can be!
Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Select the “Sauté” function on your Instant Pot and set it to “Normal” or “Medium.” Add the olive oil to the inner pot. Once shimmering, add the bite-sized chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned on all sides. This step is optional but adds an excellent depth of flavor.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Remove the browned chicken from the pot using a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the chopped onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery to the pot. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped, 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced, 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook for another minute until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Stir in the dried Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.2 cloves garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- Pour in the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This helps prevent the “Burn” notice and adds more flavor to the soup. Return the browned chicken to the pot.4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and set the steam release valve to the “Sealing” position. Select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” setting and cook on High pressure for 5 minutes.
- Once the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes (this is called Natural Pressure Release or NPR). After 10 minutes, carefully move the steam release valve to the “Venting” position to release any remaining pressure.
- Carefully open the lid. Stir in the potato gnocchi and heavy cream (or half-and-half).1 (16-ounce) package potato gnocchi (store-bought or homemade), 1/2 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version)
- Select the “Sauté” function again (on “Normal” or “Medium”). Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the gnocchi are cooked through and have floated to the surface.
- Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for another 1-2 minutes until wilted.2 cups fresh spinach
- Taste the soup and adjust seasonings if needed, adding more salt or pepper as desired.1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- Ladle the hot Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup into bowls. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, or red pepper flakes, if using.Grated Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, red pepper flakes