1-Mise en place: Gather and prep everything first so the soup flows quickly. Dice the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces, chop celery and onion, shred carrots, mince garlic, and roughly chop the spinach. Measure your broth, thyme, and gnocchi. Keep the half-and-half chilled until you’re ready to add it. Having everything ready shortens active cooking time and prevents overcooking the gnocchi and spinach.

2-Cooking the base: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add chopped celery, diced white onion, minced garlic, and shredded carrots. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the vegetables smell fragrant. This softening step unlocks the aromatics that carry flavor into the broth.

3-Building the soup: Add the cooked, diced chicken to the pot along with 4 cups low sodium chicken broth. Season with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon thyme. Increase heat and bring the mixture to a boil. At this stage you are marrying the proteins and aromatics with the broth so the flavors meld.

4-Adding the gnocchi: Gently stir in 16 ounces potato gnocchi and return to a gentle boil. Cook the gnocchi for 3-4 minutes until they float and feel tender but still hold shape. Then reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer and cook an additional 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend and the gnocchi to finish cooking through.

5-Finishing touches: Stir in 2 cups half and half and 1 cup fresh spinach. Cook for another 1-2 minutes just until the spinach wilts and the soup is heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot in warmed bowls and enjoy the creamy texture and comforting flavor.

6-Slow cooker adaptation: If you prefer hands-off cooking, sauté the vegetables and garlic first to build flavor. Transfer veggies, cooked chicken, broth, and thyme to a 6-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 3-4 hours, then add gnocchi for the last hour. Stir in half-and-half and spinach just before serving so the dairy stays smooth.