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This Italian-inspired chicken tortellini recipe is a delicious and easy dinner packed with tender chicken bites, fresh zucchini, melty cheeses, and hearty tortellini. It’s a picky-eater-approved meal that comes together in one pot and is ready in just 30 minutes!
You guys, my family loved, loved, loved this meal! Normally, I try to stay away from pasta and tons of cheese, but some dishes just deserve to be talked about. I mean, how can anyone say no to recipes like marry me chicken pasta?! Ugh. And that’s exactly the case with this one-pot Italian chicken tortellini recipe—creamy, cozy, and absolutely irresistible!
This recipe is my quick and easy way of combining pasta and chicken when time is of the essence! If you’ve been around for a while, you might remember when I made my creamy chicken pesto tortellini a few months back. That recipe left me with extra frozen cheese tortellini, so I decided to whip up something just as simple but with a different twist—this time with marinara sauce, zucchini, and a one-pot approach. And best of all? It’s ready in 30 minutes!
What Is Chicken Tortellini
Chicken tortellini is a hearty pasta dish made with cheese-stuffed tortellini and tender chicken, tossed in a flavorful sauce. It’s a versatile meal that can be made with marinara, Alfredo, pesto, or even a light broth for a cozy, satisfying dinner!
Recipe Ingredients
- Olive oil – Used for sautéing. You can swap it with avocado oil, vegetable oil, or even butter.
- Garlic – I like to use fresh garlic, but if you’re out, use ½ teaspoon garlic powder instead.
- Chicken breasts – Cut into bite-sized pieces for quick, even cooking. Chicken thighs work great, too, for extra juiciness.
- Dried oregano – Adds that classic Italian herb flavor. Swap with Italian seasoning, dried basil, or thyme.
- Salt and black pepper – Season to taste! Garlic salt, seasoned salt, or white pepper can also work here.
- White wine – Enhances the sauce with a subtle depth. If avoiding alcohol, use chicken broth with a splash of lemon juice or white vinegar.
- Chicken broth – Low sodium is best, but you can use vegetable broth or even water in a pinch.
- Marinara sauce – Any store-bought or homemade tomato sauce works. You can even use crushed tomatoes with extra seasoning.
- Cream cheese – Makes the sauce creamy and rich. For a lighter option, try plain yogurt.
- Zucchini – You can swap it with yellow squash, spinach, or mushrooms.
- Frozen cheese tortellini – Do not thaw the tortellini. You can also use any short pasta like ravioli, penne, or fusilli.
- Fresh mozzarella – Melts beautifully on top. Try shredded mozzarella, provolone, or even Parmesan if needed.
- Fresh basil ribbons – For garnish. Swap with parsley, arugula, or a sprinkle of dried basil.
How To Make Chicken Tortellini
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the oil in a large skillet, then toss in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook the chicken. Add the bite-sized chicken pieces, season with oregano, salt, and pepper, and cook until they’re browned and cooked through. Once done, remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the white wine and chicken broth. In the same skillet, stir in the marinara sauce and cream cheese, cooking until the cheese is fully melted and combined.
- Add the liquids. Slowly whisk in the wine and broth mixture, making sure everything blends smoothly.
- Bring it all together. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, then stir in the sliced zucchini and frozen tortellini. Cover the skillet and let everything simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
- Melt the cheese. Remove the skillet from the heat, lay the fresh mozzarella slices over the top, and place under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and melted.
- Finish & serve. Sprinkle fresh basil ribbons over the chicken tortellini and serve it warm with crunchy grissini!
Katerina’s Recipe Tips
- Cooking Tortellini: Fresh tortellini cooks quickly. To prevent overcooking, monitor it closely and remove it from the heat once tender.
- Creamy Sauce Consistency: For a richer sauce, consider incorporating heavy cream or half-and-half. If the sauce gets too thick, adjust by adding a splash of chicken broth or pasta water to achieve your desired consistency.
- Protein Alternatives: Substitute chicken with Italian sausage, shrimp, or even omit the meat for a vegetarian version.
- Vegetable Additions: Incorporate vegetables like spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, or bell peppers to add color and nutrients.
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Chicken Tortellini Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 ounces (about 3) chicken breasts, cut up into bite size pieces
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano, or Italian seasoning
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup white wine
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 3 ounces cream cheese, cut up in chunks
- 2 small zucchini, sliced into half moons
- 1 box (9 ounces) frozen cheese tortellini
- 4 slices fresh mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil ribbons, for garnish
Instructions
- Saute the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet that's also oven-safe. Add the garlic to the heated oil and cook for 20 seconds.
- Cook the chicken. Stir in the chicken pieces, then the oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes or until the chicken is browned on all sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- Combine the liquids. In a mixing bowl, combine the wine and the chicken broth; stir until well incorporated. Set aside.
- Cook the sauce. Add the marinara sauce and cream cheese to the skillet; cook and stir over medium-high heat until the cheese is melted and everything is well combined. Slowly whisk in the prepared chicken broth mixture; whisk until incorporated.
- Bring it all together. Add the chicken back into the skillet and stir in the zucchini slices and the frozen tortellini. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cover and cook for 10 to 11 minutes or until the pasta is done.
- Melt the cheese. Remove from heat and arrange slices of fresh mozzarella over the top. Set under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted.
- Finish and serve. Remove the chicken tortellini from the oven and garnish it with ribbons of basil. Serve.
Nutrition
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.
Is it cooking wine or alcohol
This was awesome! Thank you so much! I thought it was crazy adding cream cheese to marinara sauce but I’m absolutely amazed! Soooooo good!
My family and I were getting back from a LONG day of soccer and outside work when we got back in at 7:00PM, and trying to figure out what to make for dinner. We found we had tortellini in the freezer and figured to look up recipes and came across this one! Talk about an easy ONE POT WONDER MEAL!! This was so easy and SO DELICIOUS!! Thank you for this!!
Very happy you liked it! Thank you! Funny thing is, almost every time that we have one of those super LONG soccer days, I get home and get straight to fixing this exact recipe. Nothing satisfies my “athletes” more than a pot of pasta with chicken. 😃
Came out great ! So delicious and my family was in awwe ! Thanks for the recipe.