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Easy Creamy Chicken Pesto Tortellini

Thank you, Buitoni, for sponsoring this post! All opinions are 100% my own.

Easy Creamy Chicken Pesto Tortellini – Delicious, super easy dinner with creamy, cheesy tortellini, basil pesto, chicken and spinach.

Easy Creamy Chicken Pesto Tortellini - Delicious, super easy dinner with creamy, cheesy tortellini, basil pesto, chicken and spinach.

Could I BE (<— Chandler’s voice) any more excited to tell you about a super simple dinner that involves tortellini pasta, basil pesto, and chicken?! NO. Definitely not. Know why?

  1. It’s delicious. Cosi delizioso!
  2. It’s easy and quick thanks to Buitoni. With the hectic upcoming Holiday season, YOU (we) need easy and fast, but made at home.
  3. It’s lighter. Yes, it is creamy, but a lightened-up creamy, you’ll see.
  4. It’s delicious! I said that once, but it deserves a second mention.

Easy Creamy Chicken Pesto Tortellini - Delicious, super easy dinner with creamy, cheesy tortellini, basil pesto, chicken and spinach.

Recently, my sister and I were discussing the importance of including protein and veg in our kids’ favorite pasta dishes, and throughout our talk, I mentioned to her a program called, Balance Your Plate. This is Nestlé’s educational program designed to help people build nutritious, delicious and convenient meals that meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans by pairing frozen and refrigerated prepared foods with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy.

Following that advice, I could certainly do only one thing, and that would be to push myself into the kitchen and create this Easy Creamy Chicken Pesto Tortellini.

Easy Creamy Chicken Pesto Tortellini - Delicious, super easy dinner with creamy, cheesy tortellini, basil pesto, chicken and spinach.

First of all, my mouth is in love. With cheesy tortellini. AND basil pesto. I could eat that stuff straight from the container.

Easy Creamy Chicken Pesto Tortellini - Delicious, super easy dinner with creamy, cheesy tortellini, basil pesto, chicken and spinach.

Basil pesto can be used as an accompaniment to my teaspoon at any time, but it also tastes delicious stirred through a big bowl of pasta. Obvi. Buitoni’s Pesto with Basil is exceptionally creamy, and a bit chunky (thanks to the pine nuts), but it’s also very, very tasty and goes great with creamy sauces, dressings and marinades.

Easy Creamy Chicken Pesto Tortellini - Delicious, super easy dinner with creamy, cheesy tortellini, basil pesto, chicken and spinach.

Then we have the tortellini. The very soft, pillowy, Three Cheese Tortellini. They are SO good! Buitoni’s cheesy tortellini are filled with three cheeses including yummy and fresh creamy ricotta, aged Parmesan, and Romano.

Really, this dish might not get much better than this.

Well… Unless you combine all of that in one pan and make a dinner out of it. Then you’re definitely winning.

Easy Creamy Chicken Pesto Tortellini - Delicious, super easy dinner with creamy, cheesy tortellini, basil pesto, chicken and spinach.

Here’s how this will all go down in your kitchen:

First you’re either going to use leftover cooked chicken breasts, rotisserie chicken, OR cut up a few chicken breasts and prepare it yourself, just as I did here.

Easy Creamy Chicken Pesto Tortellini - Delicious, super easy dinner with creamy, cheesy tortellini, basil pesto, chicken and spinach.

In the meantime, you’ll prepare the tortellini – that only takes about 7 minutes – and you will also get the sauce going. We’re talking about some chicken stock, basil pesto, bit of parm cheese, and cream cheese.

Easy Creamy Chicken Pesto Tortellini - Delicious, super easy dinner with creamy, cheesy tortellini, basil pesto, chicken and spinach.

All of that is going to go over our tortellini, chicken, and spinach. Then, simply enjoy this awesome chicken pesto tortellini.

For more information about Buitoni’s products, you can find them on Facebook, InstagramTwitter, and Pinterest.

ENJOY!

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Easy Creamy Chicken Pesto Tortellini - Delicious, super easy dinner with creamy, cheesy tortellini, basil pesto, chicken and spinach.

Easy Creamy Chicken Pesto Tortellini

Katerina | Diethood
Delicious, super easy dinner with creamy, cheesy tortellini, basil pesto, chicken and spinach.
5 from 3 votes
Servings : 4 Serves
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 package 9 ounces Buitoni Three Cheese Tortellini
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/3 cup Buitoni Pesto with Basil
  • 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 4 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese cut up in a few chunks
  • 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • 12 ounces cooked chicken breasts diced
  • 1 bag 10 ounces baby spinach
  • 4 slices fresh mozzarella optional
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil ribbons for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Cook tortellini according to the directions on the package.
  • In the meantime, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet.
  • Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
  • Stir in pesto.
  • Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
  • Whisk in the cut up cream cheese; add parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning, and continue to whisk until you get a creamy sauce.
  • Stir in the chicken and spinach; cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until chicken is heated through and spinach is wilted.
  • Drain the tortellini and add to the skillet; slowly stir to coat.
  • Garnish with fresh basil ribbons and serve.
  • *IF adding the mozzarella cheese; layer the slices over the top of the tortellini mixture and broil in the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, or until cheese on top is melted.
  • Garnish with basil ribbons and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 540 kcal | Carbohydrates: 35 g | Protein: 42 g | Fat: 25 g | Saturated Fat: 7 g | Cholesterol: 115 mg | Sodium: 650 mg | Potassium: 704 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 7260 IU | Vitamin C: 20.6 mg | Calcium: 288 mg | Iron: 4.8 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: easy chicken recipe, pesto pasta recipe
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Nestle. The opinions and text are all mine.

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