Creamy Garlic Chicken Tortellini (Printable)

Chicken and tortellini in a luscious garlic cream sauce with wilted spinach and Parmesan.

# What You’ll Need:

→ 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 (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
02 - While the tortellini cooks, season the diced chicken breasts evenly with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 5–7 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Reduce heat to medium and add the heavy cream along with the grated Parmesan cheese. Stir continuously until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.
05 - Add the fresh spinach to the skillet, stirring gently until wilted, about 1–2 minutes.
06 - Return the seared chicken to the skillet along with the cooked tortellini. Gently toss everything together until evenly coated in the creamy sauce. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and fresh chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It delivers the richness of a restaurant pasta dish in under forty minutes, which feels like bending the rules of time.
  • The creamy garlic sauce clings to every fold of the tortellini, making each bite feel indulgent without requiring any fancy technique.
02 -
  • Do not walk away from the garlic, because thirty seconds of distraction turns fragrant into bitter and the whole sauce suffers for it.
  • Reserve a splash of the tortellini cooking water before you drain it, because a tablespoon or two can rescue a sauce that has gotten too thick.
03 -
  • Let the chicken sit in the seasoning for even five minutes while the water boils and you will notice a deeper flavor than if you rush it straight into the pan.
  • Pull the skillet off the heat just before the sauce looks perfect, because it will continue to thicken as it sits and you do not want it turning paste on the plate.

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