Chicken tortellini alfredo is plump cheese tortellini tossed in a rich, silky garlic Parmesan cream sauce and topped with slices of golden, juicy pan-cooked chicken. It’s comfort food that tastes special but comes together in 30 minutes, so it works for a weeknight as well as a cozy weekend dinner.
How to make chicken tortellini alfredo: pound and season chicken breasts and cook them 6 to 7 minutes per side to 165°F, boil the tortellini until al dente, then make a quick sauce of butter, garlic, heavy cream and Parmesan in the same skillet and toss the tortellini in it. Top with the sliced chicken.
Why You’ll Love It
- 30 minutes from start to the table.
- No flour in the sauce. Just butter, garlic, cream and Parmesan.
- Cheese inside and out: cheese-filled pasta in a cheesy cream sauce.
- Feeds 4, with sliced chicken on every plate.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken. Three medium boneless chicken breasts, seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder, about 1/4 teaspoon of salt and of garlic powder per side.
Tortellini. One pound of cheese tortellini, whichever kind you like. Cook it according to the package directions, since refrigerated, frozen and dried tortellini all cook for different times.
Heavy cream. Two cups, plus a little more on hand to loosen the sauce if it gets too thick.
Parmesan. One and a half cups, freshly grated, plus more for serving.
Butter and garlic. Four tablespoons of unsalted butter and 3 cloves of finely minced garlic start the sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 medium boneless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, for seasoning the chicken
- Salt and pepper, for seasoning the chicken; about 1/4 teaspoon of salt and of garlic powder per side
- Olive oil, for the pan and a few drizzles on the chicken
- 1 pound cheese tortellini, your favorite
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 cups heavy cream, plus more as needed
- 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh Italian parsley, chopped, for garnish
How to Make Chicken Tortellini Alfredo
1. Pound and season the chicken. Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken to an even 1/2 inch thick. Season both sides with salt, black pepper and garlic powder, and a few drizzles of olive oil.
2. Cook the chicken. Heat a few drizzles of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken about 6 to 7 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through, 165°F in the center on a food thermometer. Move it to a plate and let it rest, then cut it into smaller slices.
3. Cook the tortellini. Meanwhile, cook the tortellini according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and run it through cold water to stop the cooking. Set it aside.
4. Make the sauce. Wipe the skillet clean. Melt the butter, add the garlic and cook about 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the heavy cream and bring it to a low simmer. Gradually stir in the Parmesan until melted, creamy and fully mixed in.
5. Toss and serve. Add the tortellini to the sauce and stir until combined. Serve with the sliced chicken, chopped parsley and more Parmesan on top, warm.
How to Make a Smooth Alfredo Sauce
The sauce is only four ingredients, so the way you handle them is everything. Done right, it’s glossy and silky and clings to every tortellini.
Keep it low. Once the cream is in, bring it to a low simmer, not a boil. Before the cheese goes in, turn the heat down as low as it will go.
Add the Parmesan a little at a time. Sprinkle it in by the handful, stirring until each addition melts before you add the next. Keep stirring until the sauce is creamy and the cheese is fully mixed in.
Use freshly grated cheese. Grate the Parmesan yourself, from a block.
Loosen it if it’s thick. If the sauce gets too thick, stir in a splash more cream to loosen it. You can also save 1/2 cup of the tortellini cooking water before draining and add a little of that instead.
| Tortellini type | Typical cooking time |
|---|---|
| Refrigerated | 2 to 3 minutes |
| Frozen | 3 to 5 minutes |
| Dried | 10 to 11 minutes |
Always go by your package directions, and stop at al dente.
Tips for Success
How do I keep the chicken juicy?
Pound them to an even 1/2 inch first, cook 6 to 7 minutes per side, and take them off as soon as the center reads 165°F. Let them rest before slicing.
Why did my tortellini go mushy?
It kept cooking after draining. Stop at al dente, and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking before it goes into the sauce.
Variations
- Rotisserie chicken: skip cooking the breasts and stir in 2 1/2 cups of diced or shredded cooked chicken.
- Italian seasoning: add 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning to the sauce.
- Baked with a crumb top: sprinkle breadcrumbs over the finished dish and bake at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes, until just browning.
- Spinach and tomatoes: add 1 cup chopped spinach and 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days. USDA FSIS lists cream sauces among foods that don’t freeze well, so this one is best kept in the fridge. Reheat covered, stirring in a splash of cream if it’s thick, until it reaches 165°F.
What to Serve With It
If you love creamy pasta, try chicken broccoli alfredo pasta bake, Italian chicken pasta or creamy spinach and mushroom gnocchi next. For more Alfredo, there’s baked chicken ricotta meatballs with spinach Alfredo sauce and steak gorgonzola Alfredo, and creamy garlic chicken is a good weeknight chicken in cream sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use Alfredo sauce with tortellini?
Yes. The cheese filling and the Parmesan cream sauce go together well, and the sauce coats every piece.
What is the difference between chicken Alfredo and chicken tortellini Alfredo?
Both are chicken in a cream and Parmesan sauce. Chicken Alfredo is usually made with fettuccine; chicken tortellini Alfredo swaps in cheese-filled tortellini.
What kind of sauce goes well with chicken tortellini?
A creamy Parmesan Alfredo like this one. A lighter version made with butter, a little flour, chicken broth, cream and a splash of lemon juice also works.
Final Notes
Start the tortellini water before the chicken goes in the pan, and everything finishes at the same time. Tell me in the comments what you served on the side.
Chicken Tortellini Alfredo
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Ingredients
- 3 medium boneless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder for seasoning the chicken
- salt and pepper for seasoning the chicken; about 1/4 teaspoon of salt and of garlic powder per side
- olive oil for the pan and a few drizzles on the chicken
- 1 pound cheese tortellini your favorite
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 cups heavy cream plus more as needed
- 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- ground black pepper to taste
- fresh Italian parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken to an even 1/2 inch thick. Season both sides with salt, black pepper and garlic powder, and a few drizzles of olive oil.
- Heat a few drizzles of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken about 6 to 7 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through, 165°F in the center on a food thermometer. Move it to a plate and let it rest, then cut it into smaller slices.
- Meanwhile, cook the tortellini according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and run it through cold water to stop the cooking. Set it aside.
- Wipe the skillet clean. Melt the butter, add the garlic and cook about 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the heavy cream and bring it to a low simmer. Gradually stir in the Parmesan until melted, creamy and fully mixed in.
- Add the tortellini to the sauce and stir until combined. Serve with the sliced chicken, chopped parsley and more Parmesan on top, warm.
Notes
Nutrition
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