Creamy Garlic Parmesan Tortellini Chicken (Printable)
Silky garlic-Parmesan cream coats tortellini, chicken and broccoli for a satisfying 40-minute weeknight dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 ounces), cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Pasta
02 - 18 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini
→ Vegetables
03 - 2 cups broccoli florets (about 7 ounces)
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Dairy
05 - 1 and 1/2 cups heavy cream
06 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Pantry
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
10 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Garnish
11 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to package directions, adding broccoli florets for the final 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
02 - Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season evenly with salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add seasoned chicken and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and fully cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.
04 - In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.
05 - Lower heat to medium. Pour in heavy cream, stirring to deglaze pan. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until fully melted and sauce starts to thicken, about 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Return cooked tortellini, broccoli, and chicken to the skillet. Gently toss to coat all ingredients in the sauce. Stir in crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Packed with creamy sauce, tender pasta, and crisp-tender broccoli, it’s the quickest way I know to make a weeknight feel special.
- No one ever guesses how simple it is to pull off—the “wow” factor always outpaces the actual work.
02 -
- Once, I let the sauce simmer too long and it thickened much more than expected—pull it off the heat as soon as it coats the spoon.
- Switching to freshly grated Parmesan instead of pre-shredded was a revelation—the texture of the sauce became impossibly smooth.
03 -
- Let the cooked chicken rest for a minute before adding back in—this helps keep it juicy inside.
- Heating the cream before stirring into the pan keeps the sauce from separating.