Chicken Gnocchi Stoup

 One of my parents' neighbors and friends shared this recipe with me earlier this year and I finally got around to making it. 

Here's the original recipe:

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

He's a very good cook - he and his wife fed me often. We loved it although I changed the way I made it just a little. My version is a cross between a soup and a stew and I think I heard that Rachael Ray called that a 'Stoup' so stoup it is!

Chicken Gnocchi Stoup

6 C chicken broth - I used Better Than Bullion 

4 cloves, minced garlic - shortcut that works for me: I buy it in the jars

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 onion, chopped

3 carrots, thinly sliced

1 rib celery, thinly sliced

1 package prepared potato gnocchi (I found mine in the pasta aisle)

1 can peas, drained

A splash or two of 1/2 & 1/2 or heavy cream

4 C cooked, cubed chicken (I use chicken tenderloins and brown them in the butter)

Freshly ground black pepper

Hunk of good Parmesan

* Brown chicken in melted butter - I season with pepper, and seasoning salt. Remove from pan, let cool a bit and dice into bite-sized pieces. In same pan, add onion, garlic, celery, and carrots - saute for about 5 minutes, stirring up all the good flavor from the cooked chicken and butter from the bottom of the pan. Add chicken broth. Stir in gnocchi, and some freshly shredded Parmesan. I added a heaping tablespoon of Tapioca flour to thicken the broth and a splash of 1/2 & 1/2. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve with more freshly grated parmesan, some red pepper flakes, and good bread!