Creamy Garlic Chicken Tortellini (Print View)
Chicken and cheese tortellini in a luscious creamy garlic spinach sauce, ready in 40 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 12 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Pasta
02 - 17.6 oz (about 1 pound) fresh refrigerated cheese tortellini
→ Vegetables
03 - 3 cups (3 oz) fresh spinach, roughly chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
→ Dairy & Cream
06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1.75 oz)
08 - 2 tablespoons cream cheese
→ Pantry Staples
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
→ Garnish
13 - Extra grated Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the cheese tortellini and cook according to package directions until they float and are tender. Drain through a colander and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and dried Italian herbs. Add the chicken to the hot skillet in a single layer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
03 - Reduce the heat to medium. In the same skillet with the rendered drippings, add the chopped onion and sauté for about 3 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to let it brown.
04 - Pour in the heavy cream and add the cream cheese and grated Parmesan. Stir continuously and let the sauce simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until all the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth and velvety.
05 - Add the chopped fresh spinach to the skillet and fold it into the sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is just wilted and bright green.
06 - Return the seared chicken and cooked tortellini to the skillet. Gently toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are evenly coated in the creamy garlic sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Serve immediately in warmed bowls. Garnish with extra grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in the same pan you cook the chicken in, so every bit of flavor stays right where it belongs.
- It tastes like something you would order at a cozy Italian restaurant, but it is on the table in about forty minutes with barely any fuss.
02 -
- Do not rush the chicken sear because those golden brown bits on the bottom of the pan are what give the sauce its depth and savory backbone.
- Add the spinach at the very last moment so it retains its bright green color rather than turning murky and overcooked.
03 -
- Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels before searing so they develop a proper crust instead of steaming in their own moisture.
- Grate your Parmesan from a block rather than using pre-shredded because the anti-caking agents in bagged cheese prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce.