The green, white, and red of the Italian flag have already colored and flavored salads, sandwiches, and pizzas. Now it makes its mark on a steaming bowl of soup! Caprese Soup has the creamy mozzarella, rich vibrant tomatoes, and aromatic basil that makes Caprese Caprese, but with extra savory additions like juicy chicken and fluffy gnocchi to make sure every bite is genuinely hearty and satisfying! With a tangy and sweet balsamic drizzle, Caprese Soup will make you rethink making chicken noodle when you need a spoonful of comfort.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 1 teaspoon dried basil or Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 large shallots, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine (may substitute with broth)
- 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, stems reserved, packed, and divided
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 12 ounces gnocchi, fresh or frozen
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
- 1 cup croutons
Directions
Step 1 –Pat the chicken dry and season it with the dried basil, the pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the salt.
Step 2 –In a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
Step 3 –Add the chicken to the hot oil and cook, flipping occasionally, until the chicken reaches 160 degrees F internally in the thickest parts, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Step 4 –Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent it with foil. It should come up to 165 degrees F internally.
Step 5 –In the same pot over medium heat, add the remaining olive oil and the shallots.
Step 6 –Cook the shallots, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes.
Step 7 –Add the garlic to the shallots and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 8 –Add the tomato paste to the shallot mixture and cook, stirring, until the paste darkens, about 4 minutes.
Step 9 –Stir the wine into the shallot mixture, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by 2/3.
Step 10 –Stir the tomatoes into the shallot mixture.
Step 11 –Tie the reserved basil stems together and add it to the pot.
Step 12 –Cook, breaking down the tomatoes with a wooden spoon, until thickened and jammy, about 10 minutes.
Step 13 –Add the broth and 1 tablespoon of the salt and simmer until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.
Step 14 –In a small saucepan over high heat, add the vinegar and the sugar.
Step 15 –Bring the vinegar mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Step 16 –Reduce the heat for the small saucepan to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Step 17 –Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. There should be no pink remaining. If there is, add it to a frying pan to cook until no pink remains.
Step 18 –Remove and discard the basil stems from the pot.
Step 19 –Add the gnocchi and the remaining salt to the large pot and cook, stirring, until the gnocchi is cooked through, about 4-6 minutes.
Step 20 –Add the chicken and 1/2 of the fresh basil to the soup, stirring and allowing to heat through.
Step 21 –Serve the soup topped with the mozzarella, the croutons, the remaining basil, and the balsamic glaze.
