Description
A creamy, flavorful one-pot pasta dish that combines tender chicken, cheese-filled tortellini, and a spicy garlic butter sauce. Perfect for quick weeknight dinners or casual entertaining.
Ingredients
Chicken
1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized cubes
Pasta
1 package (9 oz / 250 g) refrigerated cheese tortellini
Spicy Garlic Butter Sauce
4 tbsp unsalted butter
6 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tsp red chili flakes (adjust to taste)
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Liquids & Creaminess
1 cup (240 ml) chicken broth
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
Freshness & Garnish
1 cup baby spinach leaves (optional)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Extra Parmesan for serving
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken: Pat chicken dry, season with salt, pepper, and half the smoked paprika.
Sear the Chicken: In a large skillet or pot, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 5–7 minutes until golden. Remove and set aside.
Build the Sauce: Lower heat to medium. Add 2 tbsp butter, garlic, chili flakes, cayenne, and Italian seasoning. Sauté for 1 minute.
Add Liquids: Stir in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Add heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook Tortellini: Add tortellini to sauce. Simmer 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender.
Combine Chicken & Spinach: Return chicken to pot. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Stir in Parmesan until creamy.
Finish: Taste and adjust seasoning. Simmer 2 minutes more. Serve hot.
Notes
Adjust chili flakes and cayenne to control heat.
Do not overcook tortellini; it should remain slightly firm.
Add a splash of broth when reheating to restore creaminess.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner / Pasta
- Method: One-Pot, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (¼ of recipe)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 690 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg
Keywords: One-pot chicken pasta, spicy chicken tortellini, garlic butter tortellini, creamy chicken pasta, easy weeknight dinner