We’re in the thick of soup season here in Austin, TX. With Christmas around the corner, I’m dreaming up all sorts of cozy! So enter this Instant Pot Creamy Gnocchi Chicken Soup – a low FODMAP and dairy free bowl of hearty goodness. Fall-apart chicken breast, pillowy gnocchi, satiating potato – what’s there not to love? There’s even a little bit of vegetable for some added health. And don’t forget the crispy, crumbled bacon on top to make it extra special. You can’t beat that added salty umami!
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About the Ingredients – For Pressure Cooking
Garlic-Infused Olive Oil & Green Onion Tips – This is my favorite flavor bomb duo! Most of my savory dishes have these two ingredients in them. If you’re using store-bought garlic-infused olive oil, be sure that it is actually FODMAP-friendly! Many brands manufacture garlic-infused oils in ways that result in FODMAPs making their way into the finished product. More on that in this article by FODMAP Everyday. My favorite garlic-infused olive oil is by Garlic Gold, which I purchase in bulk off of Amazon for the cheapest per-bottle price. You can also purchase a single bottle if you want to try it out first.
Celery & Carrots – These veggies add a little bit of brightness to all the flavors. Celery is low FODMAP 0.35oz which is about a third of a large stalk. Using only one stalk of celery for the entire recipe guarantees the celery is under the FODMAP threshold. Feel free to omit if you don’t tolerate it well!
Yukon Gold Potatoes – Potatoes are honestly not necessary here because of the gnocchi, but I like to add this extra satiating ingredient especially if I have a smaller pack of gnocchi. You probably won’t need it if you have a full 16 ounces of gnocchi. I love the creamy texture of Yukon gold potatoes in soup! The starches also leech out into the soup and thicken it over time.
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast – I like to use chicken breast as a preference, but feel free to sub these out for 3-4 boneless thighs. I love the way boneless chicken breast falls apart after pressure cooking in the Instant Pot. It’s hard to replicate this quality on the stovetop.
Low FODMAP Chicken Broth – If using store-bought chicken broth, be sure there are no sneaky FODMAPs, like onion. I like to use Whole Foods’ 365 Chicken Broth as this is low FODMAP. Be sure not to get their low sodium version, as that one does contain onion. I also like to keep Fody Foods’ Chicken Soup Base on hand. Although it is more pricey, Gourmend is also a good quality Low FODMAP option. Depending on the chicken broth you use, the salt content will vary, so be sure to adjust the salt to your taste later on.
Dried Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme & Rosemary – This combination of herbs imparts that classic chicken soup flavor. Absolutely delicious!
Red Pepper Flakes – Completely optional, but I like to add a generous amount for the tiniest kick.
About the Ingredients – After Pressure Cooking
Gluten-Free Gnocchi – Use your favorite brand of gluten free gnocchi! I know gnocchi comes in different quantities, so anywhere from 12 ounces to 16 ounces will work. I’ve used DeLallo gnocchi and Nuovo gnocchi successfully for the recipe.
Fresh Spinach – Nothing wrong with a little bit of green to add some health! Fresh spinach will result in a much milder flavor than frozen spinach. Frozen spinach tends to add an extra green flavor to soup that fresh spinach does not, so opt for fresh if it’s available to you!
Unsweetened, Full Fat Coconut Milk – Coconut milk makes this soup creamy in place of heavy cream or half & half. It does give the soup a slight coconut flavor, but it’s very subtle! The coconut flavor also tends to mellow out overtime as the over savory flavors surface more in the days after. I like to use the coconut milk by Native Forest or by Thai Kitchen, which I can find at my local grocer (and it’s also available on Amazon).
Bacon, For Serving – If starting with raw bacon, the very best way to cook it is by placing slices spaced apart on an aluminum-foil-lined baking sheet in a cold oven. Set it to 400°F and roast for 10-15 minutes until you get the desired color and crispness. You’ll get perfectly flat and crispy pieces of bacon each time. It also makes clean up super easy! You can then easily save the bacon grease for another dish.
Looking for something to pair perfectly with this soup? Try my Jalapeno Chive Biscuits (SO delicious with this soup)! Or check out my other Instant Pot soup recipes: Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla & Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana.
If you try my Creamy Gnocchi Chicken Soup, I’d love it if you let me know by leaving a review or tagging me on Instagram! I love it when you guys try my recipes and tag me in your creations! And I always want to know if you enjoy them as much as I do. 🙂
Instant Pot Creamy Gnocchi Chicken Soup – Low FODMAP, Dairy Free
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
Prep to Pressure Cook
- 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 cup peeled & chopped carrots 1 very large carrot
- 1 cup chopped green onion tips
- 2 Yukon gold potatoes peeled & chopped into ½ to 1" pieces
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 5 cups low FODMAP chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
After Pressure Cooking
- 12-16 ounces gluten free gnocchi
- 3 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
- 1 can unsweetened, full fat coconut milk
- salt to taste
- 4 slices of bacon chopped, for serving
- chopped parsley for serving, optional
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté and heat garlic-infused olive oil. Once hot, sauté carrots & celery for 2-3 minutes. Add green onion tips and sauté for another minute. Turn off heat.
- Layer on potatoes and then raw chicken breast. Add in chicken broth and dried herbs, ensuring the chicken breast is covered with liquid. Place lid on, set the Pressure Release Valve to "sealing" and pressure cook on high for 7 minutes.
- The Instant Pot will build pressure for 10-15 minutes before time starts. Once the 7 minutes is up, let the Instant Pot naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before doing a quick release.
- After the quick release, pull the chicken breast out and shred with two forks. The chicken should fall apart easily. Return chicken to pot.
- Set Instant Pot back on Sauté. Add gnocchi and spinach to soup and simmer until gnocchi is cooked through. Add in coconut milk and give it a good stir to ensure all ingredients are distributed. Feel free to bring the soup back to a simmer for serving. Add additional salt to taste.
- Crumble cooked bacon, parsley, and extra crushed red pepper for serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- If using store-bought garlic-infused oil that is not certified FODMAP-friendly, make sure to use a brand that doesn’t list “garlic oil,” “garlic essential oil,” “garlic essence,” “garlic flavoring,” “natural roasted garlic flavor,” or anything similar in the ingredients list. There’s no way to know whether these ingredients are low FODMAP. More on that in this article on FODMAP Everyday.
