Creamy One Pot Chicken Tortellini Recipe + Video
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This one pot Chicken Tortellini Recipe makes an easy weeknight dinner featuring tender chicken thighs tossed in a rich and creamy cheese sauce. This chicken and tortellini dish is hearty, comforting, and only takes 30 minutes to make! Perfect for busy at-home chefs who are looking for something easy and tasty!!
The whole family will love the delicious flavor of this meal!
Your taste buds will crave the cheese tortellini and chicken, making it one of those chicken recipes that you can whip up in a jiffy. New recipes like this make the best easy weeknight meals!
I also love how simple it is to make this delicious dinner recipe.
Combining chicken and tortellini makes my favorite meal, and I’ll usually just pair it with a nice side salad to complete it.
Having a simple one-pan meal like this can really warm your belly on a cold night! And if you like spice, add a few chili flakes for some heat!
Chicken Tortellini Recipe
Busy weeknights mean there isn’t a lot of time to get dinner on the table. One pot meals to the rescue!
There are so many amazing flavors going on in this chicken and tortellini recipe!
You’ve got the intensely sweet, tart flavor of sun-dried tomatoes, a rich, creamy, cheesy sauce that coats everything, and the salty, smoky flavor of bacon.
Mmm… bacon — it really does make everything better!
All of those ingredients are cooked together with fresh baby spinach, chicken thighs with crispy skin, and cheese tortellini for a one pot dinner that the entire family will love.
Recipe Video
Be sure to watch the video! Look for it in the recipe card, at the bottom of this post.
But this one pot chicken tortellini recipe isn’t the only easy meal to save me time!
You can also make Mexican chicken and rice, Greek chicken pasta, and even spaghetti all in the same pot — and clean up is a breeze. The fewer dishes I have to wash, the better!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Chicken Thighs – Boneless, skin-on cuts work best for creamy chicken thigh recipes.
But, you could also use bone-in thighs or even chicken breasts if you have them on hand. - Tortellini – Head to the refrigerated aisle in the supermarket to find your tortellini.
You could also use frozen if you prefer, but do note that it will take a bit longer to cook. You can use spinach tortellini or cheese tortellini for this easy recipe. - Parmesan – Also adds a bit of sharpness to the dish, cutting through the cream to bring you the perfect flavor.
I’ve also added some mozzarella cheese for more flavors, too. - Bacon – Like I said… bacon makes everything better! That said you could also use sliced prosciutto instead.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes – You can use sun-dried tomatoes in oil or dry-packed varieties for creamy chicken tortellini.
Don’t forget to add other seasonings for fun flavor. Dried basil, fresh parsley, fresh garlic, and Italian seasoning are just a few delicious options. And don’t forget the garlic bread!
Helpful Tips to Make Cheese Tortellini with Chicken
- Save time with these bacon hacks.
Did you know that you can find pre-cooked bacon at most grocery stores? If you don’t have time to cook it yourself, using the pre-cooked stuff is a great option too.
You could also use your air fryer! You’ll have perfectly cooked bacon in just about 10 minutes.
- If you don’t have a skillet big enough, any large pot will work.
Don’t let a lack of equipment stop you from making this chicken tortellini recipe! I swear by my handy-dandy skillet, but you could also use a large pot.
As long as it’s big enough to hold all of the ingredients, you’ll be fine.
- Get a smooth and silky sauce every time.
When you add the chicken stock and heavy cream to the skillet or pot, make sure to whisk vigorously until the mixture turns smooth.
This prevents lumps from forming and will give the sauce in your chicken tortellini recipe a velvety consistency.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Skillet – This is my go-to pan that I’ve had for over a decade! It heats evenly and cleans up beautifully with a little baking soda, so it still looks brand new.
- Whisk – These have held up for over 10 years and are still as good as the day I bought them. With 3 sizes, there is a whisk for every job!
Creamy Chicken Thigh Recipes FAQ
You can! Cheese is my go-to, but you could also use pasta filled with spinach and ricotta or even ones stuffed with mushrooms for extra veggies.
One of the reasons why this is one of my favorite creamy chicken thigh recipes is that there are so many ways to make it your own!
If you like spicy foods, consider adding cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. You could also incorporate fresh herbs like thyme or basil. Get creative with it!
Yes! Make sure that your cheese tortellini with chicken has cooled completely before placing it in an airtight container.
It will keep for 2-3 months, though I recommend using it sooner as freezing may affect the texture and consistency.
Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating on your stovetop as instructed below!
Storing and Reheating Leftover Chicken and Tortellini
Store any leftover chicken and tortellini in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3-4 days.
You can use your microwave to reheat single servings — heat in 30-second bursts until warmed through.
For larger portions, use your stovetop. Add the cheese tortellini with chicken to a pot or skillet and heat over medium until warm.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Creamy One Pot Chicken Tortellini Recipe + Video
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs, boneless, skin-on
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 clove garlic, finely diced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 20 ounces tortellini, refrigerated
- 4 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1 ounce sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 ounces baby spinach
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the chicken thighs (skin down). Cook chicken thighs for about 6 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Remove chicken from skillet and place on a plate covered with foil.
- Add 2 tablespoon of remaining olive oil and the garlic to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute. Then add flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour chicken stock and heavy cream into the skillet whisking until the mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil and add Parmesan cheese.
- Turn heat down to medium and add tortellini, bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach to the cream sauce. Cover pot and let cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally to make sure the tortellini is coated in the sauce and doesn’t stick to the bottom of the skillet.
- After 5 minutes nestle the chicken thighs into the pasta and continue to cook with the lid on for 3-4 minutes until tortellini is heated through.
- Serve with a little more Parmesan sprinkled on top.
Video
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published December 2017, updated and republished September 2024
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would love the calorie count on this and other recipes
This was so easy and so scrumptious, serving for Easter dinner
Looks delicious! Should the tortellini be cooked before adding to the sauce?
I was thinking the same thing and I think the answer is yes. Says until tortellini is warmed through rather than cook.
Made this tonight. We enjoyed it. Only thing I will do differently next time is add a little more chicken broth and heavy cream to make it a little bit more creamier.
Can this be done in an Instant Pot?
Delish! Substituted cream with 2% milk & deleted sun-dried tomatoes since the grocery store forgot to put them in my cart. Lol
This is so easy to make when I come home from work, it’s simple and all I have to clean is one pot! This one is a staple in my house
I have never cooked with tortellini before. I notice that the recipe calls for 20oz of refrigerated tortellini but it does not specify if you can use the 5-cheese kind or not. can you buy plain refrigerated tortellini? because I am having NO luck lol if you cannot buy plain refrigerated tortellini, can you buy the dry pasta and use that? if so, how many oz of dry pasta would I buy? I now have all the ingredients except for the tortellini lol
This dish is easy to make and absolutely delicious!
Made this for dinner tonight…it was delicious! I did add some extra half and half (instead of heavy cream) and chicken stock because we love creamy sauces. Definitely will make this again!
Made this for dinner tonight…it was delicious! I did add some extra half and half (instead of heavy cream) and chicken stock because we love creamy sauces. Definitely will make this again!