Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Does anyone else go into Trader Joe’s and look for interesting looking ingredients that might force you to make a meal that’s new and different so your family will “Ooooh and Aaaaah” a little extra at dinnertime? Yeah, me too. Enter Trader Joes frozen gnocchi! I hopped into my google machine and off we went in search of something new and interesting. (And let me tell you, there is no shortage of Trader Joes FREAKS out there…. Slow… hand… raise…) I like a good freak bandwagon, not apologizing. There’s even a podcast! I mean, how could there not be a podcast when you sell COOKIEBUTTER. (Just so you know, that hyperlink is to a recipe for cookie butter and bacon stuffed french toast. What. The. What.)

I couldn’t decide if I wanted this gnocchi in a hearty hash or a comforting soup. I felt I’d get less complaints around vegetables with the soup, so, VOILA! Complaints were minimal (sorry, there was spinach), and the hubs and I felt like, “it’s NEW! And it’s not MEXICAN AGAIN!” It’s not you Mexico, it’s that we love you TOO much. This recipe was adapted from wholekitchensink.com. She doesn’t use bacon, but I felt that was just an oversight. I hope you’ll make this recipe and enjoy it. Nothing can go wrong really. Mostly because there is no immersion blender involved. Enjoy you little gnocchi freak!

Ingredients

• 1 & 1/2 pounds chicken, cooked and shredded (I used a rotisserie chicken)

• 2 cups chicken broth

• 2 cups almond milk or other milk of choice

• 14 ounces potato gnocchi (freezer section- I used Trader Joes)

• 3 pieces cooked, crumbled bacon

• 2 cups packed spinach

• 1 cup diced white onions

• 1 cup peeled and diced carrots

• 1 cup diced celery

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 2 teaspoons beef gelatin (can sub arrowroot or cornstarch)

• 1 teaspoon rosemary

• 1 teaspoon thyme

• 1 teaspoon pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• As much cilantro as your precious heart desires, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large stock pot, heat oil and add onions, carrots and celery and saute until soft.

2. Add broth and spices and bring to a simmer.

3. Add chicken and milk and let simmer about 10 minutes.

4. Add in gnocchi and simmer an additional 5 minutes.

5. Stir in beef gelatin and bacon and wait for soup to thicken about 5 minutes.

6. Stir in spinach and let wilt.

7. Remove from heat, top with cilantro, and enjoy!