Step 1

Add butter and olive oil to a large stockpot or Dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Add chicken and brown well on each side. Reduce heat and cook several minutes longer, if needed, to cook chicken all the way through (165°F internal temperature). Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.

Step 2

To the same pot, add onion and saute until onions are soft and translucent. Add additional olive oil if needed for cooking, but there will likely be enough leftover from cooking the chicken.

Step 3

Add carrots to the cooked onion and saute 2-3 minutes.

Step 4

Add the flour, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to the onions and carrots and saute for 1-2 minutes to brown the flour.

Step 5

Slowly pour in chicken broth, stirring to combine the flour mixture evenly into the broth. Add milk and heat mixture, stirring frequently, until soup comes to a simmer and begins to thicken just slightly.

Step 6

Add gnocchi and simmer about 10 minutes longer until gnocchi is soft and floats to the top of the pot.

Step 7

Stir in spinach, chicken (cut into pieces), and heavy cream. Heat all of the ingredients through and serve.

Step 8

Garnish with chopped Italian parsley, if desired.