Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Before we started looking at our debt repayment scenarios, we would eat out often.  Hubs would go out with some coworkers for lunches, once a month we would go out to eat.  Needless to say, it got expensive.  One of the first items to go when we were trying to find areas to cut back our spending was eating out.

But we both missed some of our restaurant favorites.  Chicken Gnocchi Soup was one of mine.  So I did what any person with a craving did… Googled the recipe!  I found a few different versions, went with one from AllRecipes and started tweaking it to our likes and tastes.  Even though Hubs isn’t a gnocchi fanatic, this recipe has become one of our favorites.

A quick note however about amounts.  I’m kind of like Rachel Ray; I honestly don’t measure unless it’s absolutely required.  I estimate an amount that suits our tastes, especially when it comes to the onion/carrot/celery base.  I am on the generous side with veggies for our household because everyone could use more veggies!  The chicken can be leftover from a roast, or something that you poached specifically for the recipe.  I find that one breast is the perfect amount, no matter whether you use poached or roasted.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 4 carrots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced {rather than mincing, I used my Parmesan cheese grater}
• 1 quart chicken stock {I use homemade broth}
• 1 package shelf stable gnocchi
• 1 lb chicken, precooked and diced.  {I like to use leftover roasted chicken, but you can use shredded chicken too}
• 2 cups kale, rinsed and chopped {you can substitute with 1 cup spinach, but we like kale since we grow it in abundance & it holds up better while it’s cooking}
• 2 cups milk {I use 2%}
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large dutch oven, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat.
2. Saute onion, carrots and celery until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic & saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
4. Add gnocchi and cook until floating, about 3 – 5 minutes.
5. Add in diced chicken and kale, cook until kale is wilted, about 3 minutes.
6. Mix cornstarch with water, add into soup with milk
7. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until soup thickens slightly
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy!

Serves 6-8