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    Kelly Neil » Recipes » Fall

    Chicken Florentine Soup

    Published: Jan 16, 2023 · Modified: Jan 27, 2023 by Kelly Neil · Leave a Comment

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    Chicken Florentine soup is a creamy, delicious, hearty dish made with rotisserie chicken, baby spinach, gnocchi, and lots of Parmesan cheese! It's the perfect comfort food for cold days.
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 25 mins
    Total Time: 40 mins
    A bowl of chicken Florentine soup.

    Chicken Florentine soup is a creamy, flavourful dish found in many Italian restaurants. When you see the word “Florentine” in a recipe it’s usually an indication the dish is prepared with spinach in the style of Florence, Italy.

    The main ingredients in this recipe are cream, chicken, spinach, and gnocchi. I use 10% half-and-half cream to make it less rich than using 35% whipping cream. And, to make the recipe super quick and easy, I use store-bought rotisserie chicken. We almost always have a Costco chicken in the fridge, especially when making these chicken bacon ranch sliders.

    I like using vacuum-packed gnocchi (as you can see here in this pesto gnocchi recipe) because it cooks quickly and directly in the soup, however, you can use any pasta shape you like. Adding freshly grated lemon zest gives this soup a pop of brightness that rounds out the flavors to make a simple and delicious comfort food for cold weather.

    Jump to:
    • 💞 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
    • 📋 Ingredients
    • 🎬 Recipe Video
    • 👩‍🍳 Step-By-Step Instructions
    • 🗣 Expert Tips
    • 📝 Recipe Notes
    • 🙋‍♀️ Recipe FAQ
    • 🖨 Recipe

    💞 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    ✔️ You can have it on the table in about 25 to 30 minutes.
    ✔️ The cream-based broth is a nice change from standard chicken noodle soup.
    ✔️ It’s easy to make and you probably have most of the ingredients already.

    📋 Ingredients

    Ingredients to make chicken Florentine soup.

    Ingredient Notes

    • 10% Half And Half Cream—sometimes called blend.
    • Chicken—rotisserie chicken from the grocery store is the easiest choice, however, you can also cook your own chicken.
    • Gnocchi—vacuum-packed gnocchi can usually be found in the pasta aisle of the grocery store.

    Ingredient Substitutions

    • 10% Half And Half Cream—if you want to reduce the fat, whole milk is a good substitute. Keep your eye on the heat level when you’re cooking so the milk doesn’t curdle.
    • Spinach—is the traditional ingredient in chicken Florentine soup but arugula would be a great substitute.
    • Gnocchi—you can substitute the gnocchi with orzo, egg noodles, tortellini, rice, or anything else you like. Potatoes are also a good substitute, however, you have to add them to the chicken stock in order for them to cook by the time the soup is done.
    • Parmesan Cheese—Grana Padano or Pecorino are good substitutes for Parmesan.
    • Lemon Zest—if you don’t love lemon simply omit the lemon zest.

    🎬 Recipe Video

    Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom of the post, to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.

    👩‍🍳 Step-By-Step Instructions

    STEP 1—preheat a large pot over medium-low heat. Cook diced carrots, celery, and onion in butter until slightly softened.

    STEP 2—add chicken stock and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.

    Process shots one to four of how to make chicken Florentine soup.

    STEP 3—add half-and-half cream and simmer for five minutes. Add baby spinach and let it wilt into the hot soup.

    STEP 4—stir in the chicken, gnocchi, pepper, lemon zest, and cheese. Simmer for five minutes then serve hot topped with an extra sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.

    🗣 Expert Tips

    1. Chicken Florentine soup tastes better on the second day!
    2. Try adding fresh or canned tomatoes, or for something different, artichokes.
    3. The soup will thicken in the fridge. Add a splash of chicken stock before reheating to loosen.

    📝 Recipe Notes

    • Three cups of measured chicken is basically all of the meat from one Costco rotisserie chicken.
    • Don’t omit the lemon zest if you can help it! The soup is still delicious without it but the lemon zest adds a note of bright acid that compliments the other ingredients beautifully.
    • A dollop of homemade basil pesto on top when serving would be beautiful and delicious.
    • Store the soup in airtight containers with tight-fitting lids in the refrigerator for up to four days. I haven’t tried freezing this soup because we usually eat it too quickly.
    A bowl of creamy chicken spinach soup with cheese nearby. A small brass spoon sits in the dish of cheese for serving.

    🙋‍♀️ Recipe FAQ

    What does Florentine mean in a recipe?

    The word Florentine generally indicates that a recipe is made with spinach, in the style of Florence, Italy.

    What is chicken Florentine soup made of?

    The key ingredients in chicken Florentine soup are chicken, spinach, and cream. Variations can include adding pasta such as gnocchi, orzo, or tortellini. In some recipes, fresh or canned diced tomatoes, artichokes, or lemon zest are added. It’s a flexible dish that can really be customized to suit your taste!

    Do you have to boil pre-packaged gnocchi?

    No. You can add packaged gnocchi directly to soups to cook in the broth. You can also pan-fry or bake it in the oven instead of boiling it.

    💃 More Family Meal Ideas

    • Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders
    • Pesto Gnocchi
    • Shredded Chicken Salad
    • Dutch Oven Beef Stew

    Did you make this chicken Florentine soup? Please rate the recipe and tell me how it went in the comments below. Also, stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more delicious food and recipes!

    🖨 Recipe

    A bowl of chicken Florentine soup.

    Chicken Florentine Soup

    Author: Kelly Neil
    Chicken Florentine soup is a creamy, delicious, hearty dish made with rotisserie chicken, baby spinach, gnocchi, and lots of Parmesan cheese! It's the perfect comfort food for cold days.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Soups & Stews
    Cuisine European
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 544 kcal

    Equipment

    • Measuring cups and spoons or digital scale
    • Knife and cutting board
    • Citrus zester / microplane
    • Cheese grater
    • Large heavy-bottomed pot
    • Wooden spoon or rubber spatula

    Ingredients
     

    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 1 cup carrots, diced
    • 1 cup celery, diced
    • 1 cup onion, diced
    • 6 cups chicken stock
    • ½ teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
    • 3 cups 10% cream, sometimes called half-and-half or blend
    • 4 cups baby spinach
    • 3 cups rotisserie chicken, pulled or shredded
    • 2 cups gnocchi, pre-packaged
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper, ground
    • 1 medium lemon, zest only
    • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the butter. Once melted, add the carrots, celery, and onion. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until slightly softened. If the onion starts to brown, reduce the heat a bit.
    • Add the chicken stock and ½ teaspoon salt. Place the lid on the pot. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to gently boil the stock for 8 to 9 minutes to soften the vegetables, stirring occasionally.
    • Remove the lid and reduce the heat to medium. Add the cream when the liquid is no longer boiling hard (gently bubbling or simmering is fine—reduce the heat if you need to). Stir well to combine and allow the cream to heat in the soup until steamy.
    • Add the baby spinach. Once it has wilted into the hot soup, add the chicken, gnocchi, and black pepper. Stir to combine then raise the heat a bit and simmer for 5 minutes.
    • Stir in the Parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Taste the soup to see if more salt and pepper is needed. Adjust the seasoning to your liking. Serve the soup hot, topped with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.

    Video

    Notes

    • Three cups of measured chicken is basically all of the meat from one Costco rotisserie chicken.
    • Don’t omit the lemon zest if you can help it! The soup is still delicious without it but the lemon zest adds a note of bright acid that compliments the other ingredients beautifully.
    • A dollop of homemade basil pesto on top when serving would be beautiful and delicious.
    • Store the soup in airtight containers with tight-fitting lids in the refrigerator for up to four days. I haven’t tried freezing this soup because we usually eat it too quickly.
    • The soup will thicken in the refrigerator. Add a splash of chicken stock to loosen before reheating.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 226gCalories: 544kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 40gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 1177mgPotassium: 562mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 4859IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 235mgIron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let me know on Instagram @kellyneildotcom or tag #kellyneil!

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