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creamy-chicken-tortellini-pasta in a skillet, garnished with basil and shaved parmesan cheese
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4.82 from 43 votes

Creamy Tortellini Chicken Pasta

This Creamy Tortelini Chicken Pasta recipe is a delicious, creamy, and comforting weeknight meal! It's easy to make and ready in about 30 minutes.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: American
Servings: 3 servings
Author: Mariam Ezzeddine

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 6servings | Calories: 1412kcal | Carbohydrates: 107g | Protein: 95g | Fat: 67g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 295mg | Sodium: 2619mg | Potassium: 1807mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 2250IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 850mg | Iron: 8mg