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This filling and flavorful, Creamy Chicken Tortellini Pasta recipe makes the perfect weeknight dinner. Pan-seared chicken, 4 cheese tortellini, fresh veggies and a creamy tortellini sauce make this an unforgettable dish.
This pasta comes packed with fresh vegetables, chicken, and filling tortellini. I love the creamy sauce that covers the cheesy tortellini!
If you’re looking for other delicious pasta recipes, why not also try my Simple Pesto Tomato Pasta!
Why you’ll love this Creamy Chicken Tortellini
- A well balanced meal. This Creamy Chicken Tortellini is an all in one meal. You have protein, veggies, and carbs in this tasty recipe meaning no extra meal prep! You make this one creamy pasta recipe and serve a balanced meal everyone will enjoy!
- An easy pasta recipe. Weeknight dinners should be easy! This recipe takes 30 minutes to make and keeps everyone full and happy! Win-win!
- Creamy! This recipe is lusciously creamy, made with cream cheese and half and half – rich, flavorful and super hearty.
Ingredients you’ll need
- 4 Cheese Tortellini- These soft pasta rings are stuffed with delicious gooey cheese.
- Chicken- Cube or slice chicken tenders into 1 inch pieces for bite sized eating.
- Olive Oil– For cooking the chicken and the vegetables to perfection.
- Vegetables- Sliced mushrooms, diced onions and garlic, fresh spinach, and halved cherry tomatoes provide a flavor packed nutrition to this creamy pasta recipe.
- Creamy Tortellini Sauce- A dreamy, creamy sauce made up of parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomato pesto, cream cheese, half and half, and reserved pasta water smothers this delicious tortellini chicken pasta.
- Garnish- Finish this creamy tortellini dish with fresh chopped basil, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper.
How to make this Creamy Chicken Tortellini
- Cook the pasta – Cook tortellini according to package directions.
- Pan sear the chicken – Heat olive oil in a large skillet, then season and pan sear the chicken. Set aside.
- Cook the sauce – In the skillet, add the veggies, garlic and sauce ingredients, mix and cook for 2-3 mins.
- Cook together – To the skillet, add the chicken, cheese, basil and cook for a few mins. Finally add in the pasta and mix together, cook for 1-2 mins.
- Garnish, serve and enjoy!
Recipe notes and tips
- Immediately stir the pasta after you drop it in the water. This prevents it from sticking.
- Make sure to reserve some pasta water for the sauce, this makes sure the sauce is nice and robust.
- Cube the chicken into bite sized chunks.
- Use refrigerated tortellini rather than frozen so it cooks more quickly.
- You can sub chicken tenders for cubed boneless chicken breast or thighs.
- If you don’t have a large skillet, you can use a large pot or wok.
- Garnish this filling creamy pasta recipe with some basil leaves or Parmesan cheese.
- Feel free to mix up your veggies!
- For a vegetarian meal, try swapping the chicken out for white beans.
FAQ’s
What is tortellini?
Tortellini is a ring shaped pasta that can be stuffed with different fillings such as meat, cheese, or pestos. This Italian style pasta is also referred to as “belly button” pasta because it looks kind of like a belly button. It makes an excellent weeknight dinner ingredient because they cook quickly and are super filling.
The different kinds of tortellini determine where you can find it in the store. Dried tortellini will be on the pasta aisle with the other traditional style pastas while refrigerated tortellini will be in the refrigerated foods section. I used refrigerated tortellini in this recipe but either can work perfectly!
Do I have to use tortellini?
If tortellini isn’t your bag, or you don’t have any to hand, you can totally make this with any type of pasta you like. Simply cook the pasta al dente and add it right into the recipe as you would the tortellini. Pasta like penne or fusilli is great, as they have all those nook and crannies to grab that lovely cream pasta sauce!
Can I use other proteins?
You can easily swap in a different protein to change the flavor. Ground chicken or turkey is an obvious choice, as well as sliced chicken or turkey sausage. To make life super duper easy you can even use rotisserie chicken.
This creamy pasta recipe also works well with seafood, try it with shrimp or salmon! Just keep in mind shrimp cooks quick, so adjust cooking time slightly.
Can I make this Creamy Chicken Tortellini ahead of time?
You can prep this pasta recipe in advance and then reheat it when ready. Be sure to cook the pasta al dente, as you’ll be reheating it, you don’t want it to become a mush! Reheat it in a pan as it could get rubbery in the microwave.
Other creamy pasta recipes
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this deliciously Creamy Chicken Tortellini recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it and share it with your friends and family!
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Creamy Tortellini Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 20 oz. Cheese Tortellini, refrigerated, stuffed with cheese
- 1.5 lbs. Chicken Tenders, cubed or sliced
- 4 Tbsps. Olive Oil, split in two
- 8 oz. Cremini Mushroom, sliced
- 1 small Onion, petite diced
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 handful Fresh Spinach
- 1½ cup Cherry Tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- ⅓ cup Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
- 4 oz. Cream Cheese, full fat
- 2 cups Half and Half, or sub with ½ heavy cream and ½ milk
- 1 cup Pasta water, reserved from cooking the pasta
- ¼ cup Fresh Chopped Basil, packed
- 1 tsp. Black Pepper, split in two
- 1 tsp. Salt, split in two
Instructions
- Cook tortellini according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water for later.
- Meanwhile, cube the chicken into 1 inch pieces, dice the onion, slice the mushroom, cut the tomatoes in half, mice the garlic, and chop the basil.
- Heat 2 Tbsps. of olive oil in a large skillet and pan sear the chicken until fully cooked and browned. Salt and pepper them while they cook with ½ tsp of each. Once the chicken obtains a golden color, remove and set aside in a bowl. Cover to preserve moisture.
- In the same skillet, add the remaining 2 Tbsps. of olive oil and bring to medium heat. Add the onions and allow them to sauté until tender and translucent in color.
- Add in the sliced mushrooms, minced garlic and sauté until tender.
- Add the half and half, cream cheese, pasta water, black pepper, salt, pesto, and tomatoes. Mix well to melt the cheese. Cover to cook on low for 2-3 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken up.
- Next, add in the chicken, parmesan cheese, fresh basil and fresh spinach. Mix and cover to cook again on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Finally, add in the cooked tortellini and mix everything together to coat the tortellini with the sauce. Cook for another 2-3 minutes and then remove to serve.
- Garnish with some basil leaves and shaved parmesan cheese.
Video
Notes
- Immediately stir the pasta after you drop it in the water. This prevents it from sticking.
- Make sure to reserve some pasta water for the sauce, this makes sure the sauce is nice and robust.
- Cube the chicken into bite sized chunks.
- Use refrigerated tortellini rather than shelved tortellini so it cooks more quickly.
- You can sub chicken tenders for cubed boneless chicken breast or thighs.
- If you don’t have a large skillet, you can use a large pot or wok.
- Garnish this filling creamy pasta recipe with some basil leaves or Parmesan cheese.
- Feel free to mix up your veggies!
- For a vegetarian meal, you can remove the chicken out.
Can this be made in a crock pot?
I never tried but I am sure you can.
Just made it for supper today very delicious
Glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for leaving a review.
This dish is absolutely incredible. Easily one of the best pasta dishes I’ve ever had.
This dish is now a household staple and I’m going to keep coming back for more of Mima’s recipes.
Thank you very much!
Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for leaving a review.
It was delicious, My husband and all four boys kept coming back for more! Looks like an addition to our recipes! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi Mrs. Marin,
Glad to hear you all enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for leaving a review.
Delicious! Thank you will make again and again.😁
Thanks for leaving a review Bev! Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe.
My second time to make this dish. We love it.
Hi Helen,
Happy to hear you are enjoying this recipe. Thanks for the review.
I have a question, what if I do not have half-and-half or heavy cream? What can I substitute instead?
You may add 1-1.5 tbsps of flour to the pan after step 5 and saute the mixture for about a minute before going to the next step. You will use milk instead of the heavy cream or half and half. The flour will allow the sauce to thicken up since the milk doesnt thicken up like heavy cream. You can also add to the quantity of parmesan cheese for a more rich flavor.
This was amazing!!!! Soooo good!! Wasnt hard to make and my family loved it !! I will make this again
Hi Holly!
Thanks for leaving a review. Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
This was amazing!!!! Soooo good!!