This soup is what happens when marry me chicken and a creamy gnocchi soup have a baby and it is absolutely everything. Tender pan-seared chicken in a rich sun-dried tomato cream broth with pillowy gnocchi, spinach, and fresh basil and parmesan to finish. It’s the kind of soup that feels indulgent and cozy at the same time and it comes together in one pot in about 45 minutes. Perfect for a weeknight when you want something that tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Marry me chicken flavors in soup form — all the sun-dried tomato, cream, and herb goodness but in soup form
• Pillowy gnocchi — soaks up the broth and becomes the best part of every spoonful
• One pot — sear the chicken, build the soup, finish it all in the same pot
• The tomato paste base — cooked down with the aromatics before anything else goes in for a deeper more concentrated flavor
• Ready in about 45 minutes — genuinely weeknight doable

Marry Me Chicken Gnocchi Soup: Just One Pot

I already have a Marry Me Chicken Pasta on the blog and this is the soup version! Same flavors, completely different vibe. Where the pasta is rich and saucy this is more of a creamy broth-based soup that still has all the depth from the sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, and cream but feels a little lighter and more comforting in a bowl. The gnocchi makes it substantial enough to be a full meal and the spinach adds some freshness against all that richness. This is the soup I want when it’s cold outside and I need something that actually fills me up.

Marry Me Chicken Gnocchi Soup Ingredients

CHICKEN

• 2 chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally and pounded to even thickness
• Drizzle of oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika

SOUP BASE

• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 large onions, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

SOUP

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• Gnocchi
• 2 large handfuls fresh spinach

TO FINISH

• Fresh basil
• Parmesan, freshly grated

The Chicken

Slicing the chicken breasts in half horizontally and pounding them to an even thickness is the move here. Thinner cutlets cook faster and more evenly and you get a better sear on the outside without the inside being overcooked or dry. Season generously with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Sear until golden on both sides then set aside. The chicken goes back in later to finish cooking in the soup.

Building the Soup Base

The flavor of this soup comes from taking the time to properly build the base. Butter, onion, carrot, and celery cooked down until softened, then garlic, then tomato paste cooked for a couple of minutes until it darkens and becomes more concentrated and jammy. This is the step that separates a soup that tastes flat from one that tastes like it simmered all day. The sun-dried tomatoes go in next along with the flour which thickens everything slightly before the cream and broth go in.

The Gnocchi

Store-bought gnocchi works perfectly here! Just drop it straight into the simmering soup and it cooks right in the broth absorbing all that flavor as it goes. It’s ready when it floats to the top and is cooked through, usually just a few minutes. Don’t overcook it or it gets mushy. If you want to use homemade gnocchi that works too but honestly this is a weeknight soup and store-bought is completely the right call.

How To Make Marry Me Chicken Gnocchi Soup

1. Season and sear the chicken: Season chicken cutlets with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until golden on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside — it doesn’t need to be fully cooked through yet.
2. Build the base: In the same pot melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes: Add tomato paste and cook stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until it darkens slightly and smells deeply savory. Add sun-dried tomatoes and stir to combine.
4. Add flour: Sprinkle in the flour and stir until everything is coated and no dry flour remains, about 1 minute.
5. Add cream and broth: Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth stirring as you go to avoid lumps. Add Italian seasoning, thyme, and oregano. Bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Add the chicken back: Slice or shred the seared chicken and add it back to the pot. Let everything simmer together for 10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through and the soup has thickened slightly.
7. Add gnocchi and spinach: Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the top and are cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until just wilted.
8. Finish and serve: Ladle into bowls and top with fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan. Serve immediately.

Storage & Reheating

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Note that the gnocchi will continue to absorb the broth as it sits so the soup will be thicker the next day — just add a splash of broth or water when reheating to loosen it back up.

Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of broth, stirring occasionally. Avoid high heat or the cream can separate.

Make ahead tip: If you know you’re making this ahead consider cooking the gnocchi separately and adding it when you reheat so it doesn’t get overcooked sitting in the broth overnight.