Million Dollar Soup–a comforting Instant Pot soup with tender bites of chicken, pillowy gnocchi, crispy bacon, and creamy broth flavored with garlic, thyme and a touch of fennel.
Million Dollar Soup
This soup is really cozy and comforting on a fall evening. The gnocchi are like little pillows floating in creamy broth. The bacon adds the perfect smoky crunch on top. If you like it meat-heavy, add more chicken! Try tossing in mushrooms too. And if fennel’s not your thing, just use a bit of rosemary instead. Skyler and I loved this one! (Recipe adapted from Taste of Home).
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Bacon
- Celery
- Onion
- Fennel Seed–or rosemary
- Garlic Powder
- Dried Ground Thyme
- Black Pepper
- Cayenne Pepper
- Chicken Broth–or water and Better than Bouillon chicken base
- White Wine Vinegar
- Soy Sauce–I used low sodium
- Kosher Salt
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs–or breasts
- Gnocchi
- Chopped Spinach–or Kale
- Heavy Cream–or half and half
- Cornstarch
- Parmesan Cheese–or gruyere
Steps
Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the bacon and cook until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to move the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
Add the celery and onion into the bacon grease and saute for 4 minutes. Stir in the fennel, garlic powder, thyme, pepper and cayenne.
Stir in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot. Add in the vinegar, soy sauce, salt and chicken.
Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set SOUP button to 5 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
Turn Instant Pot to saute setting and add in the gnocchi and spinach. Cook for about 2 minutes until the gnocchi start floating to the top.
Temper the cream by stirring a half cup of the soup into the cream. Then stir the cream into the pot.
Stir cornstarch together with equal parts cold water until smooth. Stir the mixture into the pot and cook until soup thickens. Turn off Instant Pot.
Ladle into bowls and top with bacon and parmesan cheese.
Notes/Tips
- Serve with salad and breadsticks.
- Use rosemary or Italian seasoning instead of fennel if you’re not a fan.
- If you’re a mushroom fan add some in.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3, 4 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with heavy cream are Marry Me Chicken Tortellini and Country Farm Chicken Casserole.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Million Dollar Soup
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes (plus 10 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A comforting Instant Pot soup with tender bites of chicken, pillowy gnocchi, crispy bacon, and creamy broth flavored with garlic, thyme, and a touch of fennel.
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 rib of celery, sliced
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1/4 tsp fennel seed
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried ground thyme
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 16 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
- 16 oz gnocchi
- 2 cups chopped spinach or kale
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- Parmesan cheese, for topping
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the bacon and cook until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to move the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
- Add the celery and onion into the bacon grease and saute for 4 minutes. Stir in the fennel, garlic powder, thyme, pepper and cayenne.
- Stir in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Add in the vinegar, soy sauce, salt and chicken.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set SOUP button to 5 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Turn Instant Pot to saute setting and add in the gnocchi and spinach. Cook for about 2 minutes until the gnocchi start floating to the top.
- Temper the cream by stirring a half cup of the soup into the cream. Then stir the cream into the pot.
- Stir cornstarch together with equal parts cold water until smooth. Stir the mixture into the pot and cook until soup thickens. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Ladle into bowls and top with bacon and parmesan cheese.
Notes
Slow Cooker: Cook bacon separately, then add everything except gnocchi, spinach, cream, and cornstarch. Cook on low for 4–6 hours, then stir in the remaining ingredients at the end.
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
More recipes with gnocchi…
Peace Out Summer Supper
Gnocchi with vegetables in an oil and vinegar dressing. Make this quickly in your Instant Pot for a fresh and bright summer supper.
Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
A creamy soup with tender, moist bites of chicken, bacon crumbles, bright green leafy kale, Parmesan cheese and dumpling-like gnocchi.
Instant Pot Tuscan Gnocchi
Pillowy bites of gnocchi with a cream cheese sauce, tomatoes, spinach and a bread crumb topping.
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I made this soup tonight and it was so delicious. My husband gave it 5+ stars. I added mushrooms as you suggested and also carrot chunks just to use up what was in the fridge. The soup tasted like a “million dollars”!
This makes me so happy! I love that your husband gave it 5+ stars. That’s the best kind of review. Adding mushrooms and carrots is such a smart way to use up what you have, and I’m thrilled it still tasted like “a million dollars”! Thanks for brightening my day with this comment!
I use gnocchi to make chicken and dumplings. I prefer gnocchi over dumplings because they don’t fall apart. Just drop the gnocchi into the broth with the chicken once the chicken is partially done and let it simmer for about 20 minutes to soften them. You will be surprised at how velvety the broth becomes and it takes the work out of making dumplings.
I love this idea! Gnocchi is such a great stand-in for dumplings. No falling apart, no extra work, and that velvety broth you described is so dreamy. Thanks for sharing your method… now I want to try it this way!