Creamy Garlic Chicken Tortellini (Printable Version)
Juicy chicken and cheese tortellini in a velvety garlic cream sauce with wilted spinach. Ready in 40 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced (about 12 oz)
→ 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 (optional)
14 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the cheese tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
02 - While the tortellini cooks, season the diced chicken breasts generously 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, 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 and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
04 - Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.
05 - Add the fresh baby spinach to the skillet and stir gently until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes.
06 - Return the seared chicken to the skillet along with the cooked tortellini. Gently toss everything together until evenly coated in the creamy garlic sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley.
# Expert Insights:
01 -
- It tastes like something you would pay twenty two dollars for at a cozy neighborhood Italian spot, except it comes together in your own kitchen with barely any fuss.
- The sauce clings to every fold of that cheesy tortellini like it was always meant to be there, and the spinach wilts down so even the veggie skeptics do not complain.
02 -
- Do not walk away while the garlic cooks because thirty seconds of distraction turns fragrant into bitter and that flavor runs through the whole dish.
- Reserve a splash of the tortellini cooking water before you drain it, because a tablespoon or two can rescue a sauce that gets too thick off the heat.
03 -
- Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels before seasoning them, because moisture is the enemy of a good golden sear.
- Grate your Parmesan from a wedge on the fine holes of a box grater so it melts seamlessly into the sauce without any grainy texture.