This pesto chicken tortellini recipe is a simple yet elegant one pan meal! It pairs cheesy pasta with a creamy basil sauce and silky mozzarella stirred into every bite.
Why you’ll love it
In this recipe you get a comforting meal with filling pasta and tender chicken, all smothered in a fabulous basil pesto sauce. Rotisserie chicken makes this quick chicken tortellini that much easier, and adding a splash of cream makes it tasty on a whole other level!
Using store-bought tortellini is one of my favorite pasta shortcuts for a quick dinner. For the photos, I decided to change it up and use tri-color tortellini. You can of course use any color, but I was excited to do something a little different!
What you’ll need
- Butter – for sautéing
- Garlic – to infuse aromatic flavor
- Italian seasoning – love this dried herb blend so much!
- Red pepper flakes – they don’t make this spicy. It’s a gentle warmth to better develop the flavors.
- Pesto – use this Easy Pesto, or grab a jar of your fave variety
- Chicken broth – the base of the sauce
- Heavy cream – to make it luxurious
- Cheese tortellini – I use the refrigerated kind
- Chicken – using rotisserie is simple
- Mozzarella – for even more cheesy goodness
Helpful tips
- One pot recipes sometimes need to be tweaked a bit. Your particular cookware, stovetop, and even altitude may affect the timing we tested this recipe at!
- If it is looking dry before the pasta is done, just add a little more broth (and/or turn down the heat).
- Or if there’s a lot of liquid still, crank up the heat and/or just let it sit for longer while the tortellini absorbs the liquid.
How to make pesto chicken tortellini
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Melt the butter in a skillet. Sauté the garlic (while stirring) until fragrant. Stir in the Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, pesto, broth, and cream, followed by the tortellini. Increase the heat, and let it bubble gently.
Stir in the chicken, and continue cooking until it’s warmed through, the pasta is cooked, and the sauce thickens. Take the skillet off the stovetop, and stir in the mozzarella until it’s melted and incorporated. Season with salt & pepper.
Substitutions and variations
- Add in a handful of fresh baby spinach towards the end of the cooking time.
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream for something lower fat. It could curdle and won’t result in the desired texture.
- Go ahead and change up the variety of tortellini if you wish!
Leftovers and storage
- Store any leftovers in the fridge for a few days in a covered container.
- Warm it up on the stove over a low heat. Keep in mind that over time, the tortellini may soften up and/or absorb some of the sauce, so add a splash of broth or cream if needed when reheating.
- This one won’t freeze well.
This dish comes together in about 25 minutes, making it an easy weeknight dinner that feels anything but ordinary.
