Lemon Chicken Gnocchi Soup in a Silky Broth
Soup season is officially here, and I couldn’t be happier! There’s just something magical about wrapping your hands around a warm bowl of soup that chases away the chill of a blustery fall day. And this one? It’s pure comfort in a bowl.
I didn’t exactly plan to create a blog-worthy recipe yesterday — but sometimes the best dishes happen by accident. It was a cold, windy October day, and I wanted something warm and cozy for dinner. I had some chicken breasts thawing and no clear plan for what to make, until inspiration struck: a creamy, hearty soup.
There was just one catch — I can’t tolerate cow’s milk, so the usual “cream of” approach was out. A little bit of Googling led me to a new (to me) technique for creating that luscious, creamy texture without dairy: tempering eggs into the broth.
Mind blown.
How have I never tried this before? I’ll admit I was a bit nervous it wouldn’t work, but it turned out beautifully. The result is a silky, velvety broth that feels indulgent but stays light — the perfect balance, and added protein as a bonus! Add in tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, a squeeze of lemon, and a hint of herbs, and you’ve got yourself a bowl of cozy perfection.
So without further ado, I give you my accidental masterpiece:
Lemon Chicken Gnocchi Soup in a Silky Broth
What you’ll need
3 boneless chicken breasts
1 package of gnocchi (I used these)
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 sweet onion, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
2 eggs at room temperature (very important)
2 cups of baby spinach
4 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 tbsp. garlic powder
2 bay leaves
2 lemons
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp. avocado oil
What you’ll do
Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Season chicken breasts with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then sear 3–4 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside.
Add carrots, celery, and onion to the pot, scraping up the browned bits. Cook until onions are translucent, then add garlic and sauté 1–2 minutes, being careful not to burn.
Pour in the broth and return the chicken to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Add bay leaves, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender and falling apart.
Remove chicken, shred, and return to the soup. Stir in the juice of one lemon and the gnocchi; cover and cook until the gnocchi are tender.
In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the juice of the second lemon (eggs should be room temperature). Ladle out about 4 scoops of hot broth into a separate bowl. Slowly drizzle the warm broth into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Once warm, slowly pour the mixture back into the soup while stirring.
Remove from heat, add spinach, and cover until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve warm with grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan and a crack of black pepper.
Notes and Substitutions
This soup is super flexible! You can easily swap the chicken breasts for thighs if you prefer dark meat, or save time with shredded rotisserie chicken — just reduce the added salt if you go that route.
Gnocchi works beautifully here, but feel free to use any pasta you have on hand, like orzo or egg noodles. Just keep an eye on the cook time and the broth level — pasta can absorb more liquid, so you may need to add a bit more broth as it simmers.
