Are you in need of a serious, soul-warming hug in a bowl? A soup so creamy, so savory, and so loaded with a decadent combination of chicken, bacon, and cheesy gnocchi that it defines the very meaning of “comfort food”? This incredible, one-pot Creamy Chicken Bacon Gnocchi Soup is that perfect meal. It’s the kind of rich, satisfying, and completely irresistible soup that is guaranteed to make any day better, and it’s on the table in under 30 minutes.
This isn’t just another soup recipe; it’s a guide to your new obsession. Forget complicated steps and a sink full of dishes. This is a complete, hearty, and satisfying meal made in a single pot, and it tastes like it came from a gourmet bistro. It’s the perfect, soul-warming answer to the “what’s for dinner?” question on a busy, chilly night.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Indulgent Comfort Food
What makes this Chicken Bacon Gnocchi Soup so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, multi-layered flavor and its wonderfully rich and creamy texture. This soup is a masterpiece of comfort food genius. The flavor foundation is built by rendering crisp, smoky bacon and then using that flavorful fat to sauté tender bites of chicken. The broth is a masterpiece of creamy simplicity, made with a rich combination of savory chicken broth, heavy cream, and salty Parmesan cheese. The entire soup is made unbelievably hearty and satisfying with the addition of soft, tender, and pillowy potato gnocchi, which cook in just a few minutes right in the pot.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 30 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 high-quality ingredients to create its signature rich and savory flavor.
- The Flavor Starter (Bacon!):
- Bacon: This is the secret to a deep, complex, and savory flavor base! By starting the soup by rendering chopped bacon, you get two fantastic ingredients: crispy, salty bacon bits for a delicious garnish, and a beautiful, smoky bacon fat that is the perfect medium for searing your chicken and building the rest of your soup.
- The Protein & “Dumplings”:
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast: A fantastic, lean, and healthy choice that becomes incredibly tender when simmered in the creamy broth.
- 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.
- The Luscious Cream 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.
Step-by-Step to the Best Chicken Bacon Gnocchi Soup
This delicious, one-pot soup is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Render the Bacon and Sauté the Chicken
In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook your 4 slices of chopped bacon over a medium heat until it is beautifully crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the crispy bacon from the pot and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered grease in the pot.
Add your 1 pound of diced chicken breast to the hot bacon grease in the pot. Cook until the chicken is browned and cooked all the way through.
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 Finish
Step 1 (The Secret to a Creamy Soup!): Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the 1 cup of heavy cream and the 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Pro Tip: It is crucial to add your dairy ingredients at the very end, over a low heat. Adding cream or cheese to a rapidly boiling liquid can cause them to “break” or curdle. Step 2: Let the soup continue to simmer gently on a low heat for about 5 more minutes, until the cheese has completely melted and the soup is hot all the way through.
Serve the hot, creamy soup immediately in warm bowls, with a generous sprinkle of your crispy bacon bits on top.
Creamy Chicken Bacon Gnocchi Soup (Pure Comfort in a Bowl!)
An easy, one-pot recipe for a rich and creamy chicken and bacon gnocchi soup. This comforting meal features diced chicken breast that is cooked in the rendered fat from crispy bacon for a savory flavor base. A simple, creamy soup is then created by simmering chicken broth and potato gnocchi. The dish is finished with heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese, and served topped with the crispy bacon. It’s a quick and satisfying soup, perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast, diced
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 package (16 oz) gnocchi
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered grease in the pot.
- Add the diced chicken to the pot and cook in the bacon grease until it is browned and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Stir in the gnocchi and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the gnocchi float to the surface.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese.
- Let the soup simmer gently for 5 minutes until it is heated through and slightly thickened. Do not let it boil.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the crispy bacon before serving.
Notes
- This is a very fast one-pot meal, perfect for a busy weeknight.
- Cooking the chicken in the rendered bacon fat is a key step that adds a rich, smoky flavor to the soup.
- The gnocchi is cooked directly in the broth, which is a convenient shortcut that also helps to thicken the soup.
- The cream and Parmesan are added at the very end over low heat to ensure a smooth, creamy texture without curdling.
What to Serve With Your Chicken Bacon 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 bacon 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
- Make it a “Loaded Baked Potato” Soup: For a delicious twist, you can add about 1 pound of peeled and diced Russet potatoes to the broth and let them simmer until they are tender before you add the gnocchi. You can then top the finished soup with some extra shredded cheddar cheese and some sliced green onions.
- Add a Ranch Kick: For a classic and irresistible “chicken bacon ranch” flavor, you can stir about 1 to 2 tablespoons of a dry ranch seasoning mix into the soup along with the chicken broth.
- Add Some Leafy Greens: For a beautiful pop of color and some extra nutrients, you can add a few large handfuls of fresh baby spinach or chopped kale to the soup at the very end and let it wilt.
Enjoy The Ultimate Indulgent Comfort Food!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of decadent, classic ingredients and delicious, satisfying flavors. This Creamy Chicken Bacon Gnocchi Soup is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch-tasting meal to bring comfort and joy to your 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 secret to a rich, flavorful soup base without a lot of complicated ingredients?
The number one secret is to use the rendered bacon fat! By cooking your bacon first and then using that flavorful, smoky fat to brown your chicken and sauté your aromatics, you are building an incredible, deep, and savory flavor foundation for your entire soup with an ingredient that you would have otherwise discarded.
Q2: What is the best way to render bacon so that it gets perfectly crispy?
The secret is to start your chopped bacon in a cold, dry pot. Turn the heat to medium and let the bacon heat up slowly with the pan. This allows the fat to render out gently, which is the key that makes the bacon pieces wonderfully crispy, not burnt or chewy.
Q3: 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 use a dairy-free Parmesan cheese substitute. Be sure to also use a brand of bacon that does not contain any dairy.
Q4: 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.
Q5: Can I use turkey bacon instead of regular bacon?
You can, but the final flavor will be different, and you will need to adjust the technique slightly. Turkey bacon is much leaner than pork bacon, so it will not render out a significant amount of fat. You will need to add about 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter to the pot to sauté your chicken after you have crisped the turkey bacon.