Chicken and Gnocchi Soup **Update**
*** Update***
I had an opportunity to make this again when the temperatures dipped to just above zero this week. And this time I tried my hand at making it lower in fat. So I made some substitutions. For the Ricotta I used low fat cottage cheese. For the Heavy Cream I used 2% milk. It worked out really well and was thinner than the original making it closer to what I experienced at Olive Garden without the addition of chicken broth. However, I noticed the broth was more grainy, or "broken". So I am going to have to tinker more to get it just like I want. But overall I was satisfied and full!
A few weeks before Christmas I met with one of my step-daughters to do some shopping. After a few hours spent waiting in line and navigating through bumper to bumper traffic we were starving. And since I don't get to the Big City often I wanted to eat at one of my favorite restaurants, Olive Garden. I had to twist and pull her arm to agree with me (yea, right) but she finally did and I was giddy with excitment. It may not sound like much to those of you who have a Starbucks on every corner, but for us way out here in the boondocks it is cause for joy! It was a cool day and I didn't want to weigh myself down with a heavy lunch and make myself miserable for the trip back home, so I ordered soup and salad. I usually get their pasta e fagioli but another dish caught my eye. It was the Chicken Gnocchi Veronese. It included little puffy clouds of potato gnocchi smothered in a creamy chicken broth. I was sold!
So one of the first things I wanted to do when I got home was look for a recipe, which I found at Olive Garden's own website. After a bit of tweeking, I thought I could make it on my own. So I sat about to see what I could accomplish. I had to start with the chicken marinade and the gnocchi since they take the longest. I was most initimidated by the gnocchi. From what I've read it can be hard to get tender gnocchi. If you overcook the potato it can get too dry and fall apart. If not cooked enough it will be too hard to mash and the end result will be dense..
Most recipes called for baking the potatoes, but I didn't have time for that. So I decided to use my trusty microwave. I put four red skinned potatoes in a microwave safe bowl with about an inch of water in the bottom. After 9 minutes they were cooked perfectly. So I slightly cooled and then peeled them. Now it would be good to use a ricer or a food mill to get the potatoes into the fine pieces you need, but I didn't have one (are you listening Santa?). And using my food processor was out of the question cause it would turn the potatoes into a glumpy gluey mess! So I had to use my trusty potato masher which, aside from a few small lumps, worked perfectly.
After adding the flour, egg and salt and mixing it just until it comes together, I turned it out onto my floured counter top and rolled it into snake rolls about 1/2 in thick. Then I cut it into bite size pieces and rolled the tines of a fork along it to make the tell-tell gnocchi ridges. Now those ridges aren't just for pretty sake, they are there to help hold whatever kind of sauce you choose to use. Form AND function, I love it!
So then I put them on a lightly floured tray to wait for the water to boil and the soup to be at the right stage for them to be added. During this time I also sliced and marinated the chicken for two hours in a ziplock baggy in my fridge. The marinade is easy, just lemon juice, garlic and a couple rosemary branches.
So with the chicken marinated and the gnocchi ready to cook, I got everything together to finish off the soup. I was thinking, this sure does seem like a lot of work for just soup. But remembering how euphoric that first bite made me feel, I was willing to go the extra mile. You see here I have sliced leeks, parmesan cheese, the marinated chicken, heavy cream, ricotta cheese, a pepper, chicken broth and olive oil.
First I sliced and rinsed the leeks. Leeks harbor a lot of sand from the soil they are grown in. If you've never had or heard of a leek, their flavor is a mix between a mild onion and a cucumber. They are in the same family of Allium's as onions and garlic. They have a milder flavor than shallots but still, IMHO, tastes and smell like sweet onions. Instead of growing into a tight ball like onions, they grow tall stalks of thin layers. If you haven't ever tried a leek search your local produce market and pick you up a couple. Subsitute them for onions in your next meal or salad. Or better yet, try this soup!
OK, so the leeks are rinsed and drained, the chicken is marinated and the ingredients are all at standby! We're ready! First I mixed the Ricotta, cream and parmesan together and set it aside.
Then I put the leeks and peppers in a large pan with olive oil to saute till they were translucent. I drained some of the juice from the chicken and took out the rosemary, just cause I'm not a big fan of large pieces of herbs in my teeth, and added it to the pan. I also put a pot of water on to boil for the gnocchi.
Then I remembered I had some leftover broccoli in my fridge and decided it wouldn't hurt to add a little extra veg to an otherwise mostly unhealthy dish! So I chopped it into small pieces and added it to the end of the chicken's cooking time.
At this point we were go for takeoff. I added the cream sauce mixture to the chicken and the gnocchi to the pot of boiling water.
When they float to the top they are done. So I added them to the chicken and cream.
After stirring them in I noticed the soup was a bit thick, so I added about 1-2 cups of chicken broth and stirred to combine everyting together. Then added salt and pepper to taste.
After letting it simmer for about 12-15 minutes I couldn't wait any longer. So I laddled some up for hubby and me with a nice dose of fresh ground pepper on top
and served it along side some cheesy garlic bread. And let me tell you, that first bite transported me back to Olive Garden and to that euphoric place once more. This is definitely going on my list of indulgent foods. I am, however, going to find ways to lighten it up a bit. All that heavy cream and ricotta is bound to land somewhere close to my hips and that is the LAST place I need or want it! So look for the lower fat version sometime in the near future.
Meanwhile, here is the full fat recipe with my tweeks! ENJOY!
Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
Prep Time: 30 min - 2 hrs, 30 m
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves 6
Ingredients
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 leeks, sliced and rinsed
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
Salt to taste
3 chicken breasts, sliced in ½” strips
2 small branches rosemary
1 garlic clove, crushed
Juice of ½ lemon
Sauce
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup ricotta cheese
14 fl oz heavy cream
2 cups chicken broth
Gnocchi
1 1/2 qt water
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs yolks
1 1/2 lbs potatoes
2 tsp salt
OR
1 lb frozen gnocchi (potato dumplings), cooked according to package directions
Directions:
FIRST: Combine garlic, lemon juice, rosemary and chicken slices in a zip bag. Let marinate for at least 2 hours.
For the Gnocchi
Wash potatoes and place in microwave safe bowl with 1 inch water. Cook potatoes until soft (cook time will depend on size of potatoes) approx 9 min. Run potatoes under cool water for a few minutes till easier to handle, but still warm. Peel the cooled potatoes and push them through a fine grater (ricer) until mashed; do not over-mash potatoes or they will get tough. Combine potatoes, flour and eggs in a mixing bowl and mix well until dough does not stick to hands (add small amounts of flour at a time if needed).
Divide dough into 4 sections. Roll out each section into a long rope about a 1/2 in thick. Cut each rope into 1/2 inch pieces. Push fork tines on each piece for the classic gnocchi appearance. Put them on a lightly floured sheet pan to rest. Bring water to a boil in a sauce pot. Drop in gnocchi in batches and cook until they float. Strain out and set aside.
Chicken & Sauce
Combine the Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese,heavy cream and chicken broth in a mixing bowl and set aside. Heat a large pan on medium high then add extra virgin olive oil, leeks and bell pepper. Saute until leeks are translucent (do not brown). Add the marinated chicken slices and cook until slices are brown on all sides. Reduce heat and add sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer.
Drain cooked gnocchi and add to pan with chicken, vegetables and sauce. Stir to combine. Let simmer for 15-20 min.
Serve topped with extra Parmesan cheese and garlic bread.