It is 6:40 on a Tuesday and you have a pot of nothing going. This soup fixes that. You sear chicken thighs until they go golden, then let sun-dried tomatoes, cream, and gnocchi do the heavy lifting in the same pot.
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The name comes from the story that whoever cooks it gets proposed to. I cannot promise that. What I can promise is that the broth tastes like something you simmered for hours, and the gnocchi soak up just enough cream without turning to mush.
One thing that did not work: I added the gnocchi early to save time and ended up with a thick, gluey pot. Now they go in at the end, off the boil, and the texture stays right.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
1 1/2 lb (680g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
Thighs stay juicy in a simmered soup; chicken breast works too but pull it out at 165F (74C) so it does not dry out. Look for thighs with even thickness so they brown at the same rate.
2 tablespoons olive oil
Use regular olive oil, not extra-virgin, for the sear since it handles heat better. Avocado oil is a fine swap if you have it.
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
Yellow onion gives the sweetest base; white or sweet onion works. Skip red onion here, it turns the broth an odd pink.
4 garlic cloves, minced
Fresh garlic only takes 30 seconds to bloom, so have it minced before it hits the pan. Jarred garlic is a backup, use 1 teaspoon.
1/3 cup (about 2 oz / 55g) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
Oil-packed ones are softer and more flavorful than dry; if using dry, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes first. Save a spoon of the packing oil to add depth.
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Oregano matches the tomato and cream; Italian seasoning is a straight swap at the same amount. Crush it between your fingers to wake it up.
4 cups (950ml) low-sodium chicken broth
Low-sodium lets you control the salt since Parmesan and tomatoes are already salty. Vegetable broth makes it vegetarian if you skip the chicken.
1 cup (240ml) half-and-half
Half-and-half is the sweet spot for creaminess without heaviness; whole milk plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch also works. Do not boil it hard or it can split.
1 lb (450g) potato gnocchi, shelf-stable
Shelf-stable gnocchi hold up better than frozen in soup; if frozen, do not thaw, just add 2 extra minutes. Check the package date, fresh gnocchi spoil fast.
1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Grate it yourself from a wedge for a smoother melt; pre-shredded has anti-caking starch that can turn grainy. Pecorino is a sharper swap.
2 cups (60g) baby spinach, packed
Spinach wilts in seconds; kale is a sturdier swap but needs 5 minutes instead of 1. Wash and dry it so you do not water down the broth.
Tips & Tricks
Do Not Boil After the Cream Goes In
Keep the pot at a bare simmer once half-and-half is added, or the dairy can curdle and look grainy.
Cook the Gnocchi in the Soup, Not Before
They release starch that thickens the broth naturally. Boiling them separately and dumping them in waters it down.
Season in Layers
Salt the chicken before searing, taste the broth before the cream, and taste again at the end. One big salt dump at the end always overshoots.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Dry and Season Chicken
Pat the chicken pieces very dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Dry meat is the difference between a golden crust and gray steamed chunks.
2. Sear the Chicken
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat (about 375F / 190C) and sear the chicken in a single layer for 5 to 6 minutes, undisturbed, until the bottoms are deep golden brown. It does not need to be cooked through yet; it finishes in the broth.
3. Soften Onion and Garlic
Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook for 4 minutes until translucent and soft at the edges. Stir in the garlic and oregano and cook 45 seconds, just until fragrant, not browned.
4. Build the Broth
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and chicken broth, scraping the browned bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower to a simmer for 12 minutes until the chicken reaches 165F (74C) on an instant-read thermometer.
5. Simmer the Gnocchi
Stir in the gnocchi and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until they float to the surface and feel tender when pierced with a knife. Do not walk away; they go from tender to mushy fast.
6. Add Cream and Parmesan
Reduce the heat to low so the surface barely bubbles, then stir in the half-and-half and Parmesan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the broth thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil.
7. Wilt the Spinach
Turn off the heat, add the spinach, and stir for about 1 minute until just wilted and bright green. Taste and add salt only if it needs it.
8. Serve Hot
Ladle into bowls and top with extra Parmesan and cracked pepper. Serve right away, since the gnocchi keep drinking broth as it sits.
Delicious Variations
Spicy Marry Me
Add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes with the garlic for a warm kick that cuts the cream.
Mushroom Version
Swap the chicken for 12 oz sliced cremini mushrooms and add 1 extra cup of broth.
Tomato-Forward
Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste with the sun-dried tomatoes for a deeper red broth.
How to Store Marry Me Chicken & Gnocchi Soup 🥣💍✨
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days; the gnocchi will soak up broth, so keep a splash of extra broth to loosen it.
Freezer
Freeze the soup base without the cream, spinach, or gnocchi for up to 2 months, then finish it fresh when reheating.
Reheating
Reheat gently over medium-low heat with a splash of broth or milk, stirring often, until steaming but not boiling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes, but cut it into slightly larger pieces and pull it as soon as it hits 165F (74C) so it stays tender. Breast dries out faster in a simmered soup than thigh meat.
Q: Why did my soup turn grainy?
The cream likely boiled or was added over high heat. Keep the pot at a bare simmer when the half-and-half goes in and stir it in slowly.
Q: Can I make this soup ahead of time?
You can make the broth and chicken up to 2 days ahead, then add the gnocchi, cream, and spinach when you reheat it. That keeps the gnocchi from bloating.
Q: Do I need to cook the gnocchi separately?
No, and you should not. Simmering them right in the soup thickens the broth with their starch and saves a pot.
Q: Is this soup gluten-free?
Only if you use gluten-free gnocchi, since most potato gnocchi contain wheat flour. Check the label, and confirm your broth is gluten-free too.
Start with one pot this week and taste the difference the sear makes. Go try the small version first.
Marry Me Chicken & Gnocchi Soup 🥣💍✨
Marry Me Chicken & Gnocchi Soup is a creamy one-pot dinner with sun-dried tomatoes, seared chicken, and pillowy gnocchi ready in about 50 minutes.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb (680g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup (about 2 oz / 55g) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups (950ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup (240ml) half-and-half
- 1 lb (450g) potato gnocchi, shelf-stable
- 1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 2 cups (60g) baby spinach, packed
📋 Instructions
- 1Dry and Season Chicken — Pat the chicken pieces very dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Dry meat is the difference between a golden crust and gray steamed chunks.
- 2Sear the Chicken — Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat (about 375F / 190C) and sear the chicken in a single layer for 5 to 6 minutes, undisturbed, until the bottoms are deep golden brown. It does not need to be cooked through yet; it finishes in the broth.
- 3Soften Onion and Garlic — Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook for 4 minutes until translucent and soft at the edges. Stir in the garlic and oregano and cook 45 seconds, just until fragrant, not browned.
- 4Build the Broth — Add the sun-dried tomatoes and chicken broth, scraping the browned bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower to a simmer for 12 minutes until the chicken reaches 165F (74C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- 5Simmer the Gnocchi — Stir in the gnocchi and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until they float to the surface and feel tender when pierced with a knife. Do not walk away; they go from tender to mushy fast.
- 6Add Cream and Parmesan — Reduce the heat to low so the surface barely bubbles, then stir in the half-and-half and Parmesan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the broth thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil.
- 7Wilt the Spinach — Turn off the heat, add the spinach, and stir for about 1 minute until just wilted and bright green. Taste and add salt only if it needs it.
- 8Serve Hot — Ladle into bowls and top with extra Parmesan and cracked pepper. Serve right away, since the gnocchi keep drinking broth as it sits.
Mara writes about the small, unglamorous mechanics of getting things done at home and at work: routines, checklists, and the honest reasons most plans fall apart. Her angle is trial-and-error over theory, and she prefers describing what she actually tried, including the parts that failed. She writes for readers who want to start today with what they already have.
