Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup with Heavy Cream

Serves 7 in about 55 minutes. Thick cut bacon goes in first, and baby spinach finishes the pot.

Ingredients

• 6 slices thick cut bacon, chopped in bite sized pieces
• 2 tbsps butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 large carrots, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, about 5 inches long
• ½ tsp basil, dried
• ½ tsp thyme, dried
• ¼ tsp poultry seasoning
• 2 tsp italian seasoning
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 4 cups chicken broth, low sodium
• 2 to 3 chicken breasts, uncooked, boneless, skinless
• 16 oz gnocchi
• ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 5 oz baby spinach, fresh
• 1 cup heavy cream

Method

1. Turn on the Sauté function (Med/Normal heat) and add the chopped bacon. Simmer until mostly done.
2. Tip in the butter, onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaf, and cook, while stirring now and then, for 5 minutes or until onions are just starting to turn translucent.
3. Stir in the rosemary, basil, thyme, poultry seasoning, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and the garlic. Simmer for about 1 instant, while stirring often.
4. Stir in the chicken broth. Stir.
5. Tip in the chicken breasts.
6. Put the lid on and lock in place. Set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
7. Cancel the sauté function.
8. Press the Pressure Cook (or Manual) button or dial, and the + or - button or dial to select 9 minutes. High pressure. It will take several minutes to come to pressure.
9. When cooking cycle has ended, let the pot sit undisturbed for 10 minutes (10 instant natural release).
10. Next, turn the steam release knob to Venting (in short bursts until you are sure no soup spews out of the vent with the steam), and let the remaining pressure out. When the pin in the lid drops down, open the lid.
11. Lift out the chicken breasts to a bowl and discard the bay leaf.
12. Turn on the sauté function again.
13. Tip in the gnocchi and stir. Set the glass lid, if you have one, on the pot. If you place the pressure cooker's lid on the pot, make sure it is turned to Venting.
14. Simmer the gnocchi until it floats to the top. Just a few minutes.
15. Meanwhile, shred the chicken breasts.
16. When the gnocchi is finished, turn off the pot. Stir in the parmesan cheese and stir.
17. Stir in the chicken back in, and the spinach. Stir.
18. Mix in the heavy cream.
19. Plate hot.

More instant pot ideas are in the instant pot collection.