CopyCat Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

OMG – This might be the best soup ever!!  I just wish soup photographed better! I got this recipe on the What’s Cooking board on the Nest.com.  I tried to “lighten” it up a bit, but what the hell – it’s the holidays! LOL

1/3 cup olive oil or butter

2 cloves minced garlic

package of chicken cutlets

1/3 cup flour

1/2 package of baby carrots chopped

3 stalks celery chopped

1 medium yellow onion chopped

1 package frozen spinach

1 cup 2% milk

splash of heavy cream

2 tablespoons chicken base

3/4 container of chicken stock

salt and pepper

dash of red pepper flake

package of frozen gnocchi

On medium hit, melt butter/olive oil in dutch oven – add garlic and saute.  Add chicken and cook throught.  Take out chicken and chop into bite size pieces.  Add flour and mix will until the flouer is cooked into the chicken

Next add milk and cream and chicken stock.  Add veggies, chicken, and chicken base. Stir – let simmer for 2-3 hours, until veggies are soft.  Add gnocchi in hot soup at end – cook for about another 3-4 minutes.