Description
A bold, creamy, and satisfying pasta dish made in a single pot. Tender chicken, cheese-filled tortellini, and a garlic butter sauce with a spicy kick come together in under 40 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights or cozy family dinners.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Sauce & Pasta:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 (20-ounce) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Optional: juice of ½ lemon for brightness
Instructions
Cook chicken: Toss chicken with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Cook chicken 6–7 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Make garlic butter base: Add butter to the same skillet. Once melted, stir in garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in Italian seasoning.
Deglaze & simmer: Pour in chicken broth, scraping browned bits from the pan. Add cream and stir. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook tortellini: Add tortellini. Simmer uncovered for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender and sauce thickens.
Combine: Return chicken to the pot. Stir to coat everything in the sauce. Simmer 2 minutes more.
Finish & serve: Turn off heat. Stir in Parmesan until creamy. Garnish with parsley and lemon juice if using. Serve hot.
Notes
Use fresh tortellini for best texture and quick cooking.
Add Parmesan off the heat to avoid clumping.
Cook chicken in batches if pan is crowded to ensure browning.
Adjust spice level gradually — you can always add more flakes at the end.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: One-Pot / Skillet
- Cuisine: American-Italian Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
Keywords: One-pot spicy garlic butter chicken tortellini, chicken tortellini skillet, garlic butter pasta, creamy chicken tortellini