Creamy Garlic Chicken Tortellini (Print View)
Chicken and tortellini tossed in a luscious garlic cream sauce with wilted spinach for a comforting weeknight dinner.
# Ingredient List:
→ Meats
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
→ Pasta
02 - 18 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
→ Vegetables
03 - 3 cups fresh baby spinach
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
→ Dairy & Pantry
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
→ Seasonings
11 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
12 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
13 - Additional Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
14 - Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving (optional)
# How to Make:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
02 - Season the diced chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes.
05 - Add the fresh spinach to the skillet and stir gently until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes.
06 - Return the cooked chicken to the skillet along with the drained tortellini. Gently toss everything together until evenly coated in the creamy sauce. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in one skillet and coats every tortellini like a velvet blanket.
- It tastes like something you would order at a neighborhood Italian spot but takes barely forty minutes from cutting board to plate.
02 -
- Do not walk away while the garlic cooks because it goes from golden to bitter in seconds and that burnt flavor will ruin the entire sauce.
- Reserve a half cup of tortellini cooking water before you drain it because a splash can loosen the sauce if it gets too thick while you are assembling.
03 -
- Pat the chicken completely dry before seasoning because moisture is the enemy of a good sear and wet chicken steams instead of browning.
- Grate the Parmesan as finely as you can manage so it melts smoothly into the cream without leaving stringy clumps behind.