Hearty Chicken & Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Sunday Soup Series

I was craving a simple yet hearty chicken soup this week but wanted something a little more unique than the standard chicken and dumplings. Sweet potato gnocchi add an extra nutritional punch and a nutty sweet flavor to each bite.

I make the gnocchi ahead of time and keep them in the freezer, adding them to the simmering soup just before serving. If you make enough of the gnocchi you can also make another meal out of them, two minutes in boiling water and they are ready togo. A simple brown butter sauce with sage and parmesan and I’ve got dinner in less than 10 minutes. I fry up some fresh sage and add it right to the gnocchi dough to get a nice pop of herby aromatic flavor. Roasting a whole chicken and using the bones to make a nice flavorful broth would be ideal but as I promised last week I wanted to keep this weeks recipe quick and easy. I bought a pre-roasted hot chicken at the grocery store, picked the meat off and fortified a store bought chicken broth with the bones. Lets start with the gnocchi.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

3 cups sweet potato meat, cooked & shredded

1 egg

1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan

2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped fine

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups all purpose flour

Start by peeling and cooking the sweet potato. I cut them into large chunks, tossed with a touch of salt and olive oil and roasted at 325 until tender. I wouldn’t cook at a higher temperature as I don’t won’t a skin to form. You can also boil, roast with the skin on or microwave if you prefer. Once cooked and slightly cooled I use the fine side of a cheese grater to shred them. In a small pan cook the sage in the olive oil for just a minute and set aside. Mix the flour and salt together. Mix the sweet potato, parmesan, sage and egg together and then slowly start working the flour in until a dough forms. You should add just enough flour that it doesn’t stick to your hands. It may not need all two cups. Do not over mix. Divide the dough into four pieces and with a little extra flour roll into logs about the size of a dime. Cut into fork size pieces, dust with a little extra flour and lay them out on a baking tray. Freeze. If you want to take the time to put fork impressions into each piece, go right ahead. It looks pretty cool and some would argue it holds the sauce to the gnocchi better but I find it unnecessary. Once they are frozen I like to transfer them to a ziplock freezer bag and save for later use.

For the soup:

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2-3 medium sized carrots, peeled and diced

3 stalks celery, diced

4 large cloves garlic, sliced (not chopped)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon crushed fennel seed

1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 quarts chicken broth

2 sprigs fresh thyme

3-4 bay leaves

1 lemon, cut in half

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

Meat from the roasted chicken, medium dice

Salt & black pepper to taste

Start by sweating the mirepoix and olive oil until the onions begin to get translucent. Add the garlic. Cook five more minutes on medium heat stirring frequently. Add the fennel seed, crushed red pepper, cumin, coriander and tomato paste. Cook briefly for about two minutes to activate the oils in the spices. Add the chicken broth, fresh thyme, bay leaf and lemon. Simmer approximately 20-25 minutes. Remove the lemon halves. Add the chicken meat and fresh parsley. Bring back up to a low boil. Add the frozen gnocchi. It’s up to you how much you add, I like to keep some in the freezer for another meal. As soon as the gnocchi float, they are done, about three minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve with a simple green salad to make it a full meal.

*Chef Notes

I like to cut my mirepoix pretty large in this soup as it makes it feel a bit more hearty. I am also a big fan of garlic so the more the better.