Marry Me Chicken Tortellini (Print Version)

Cheese tortellini and chicken in a creamy, sun-dried tomato garlic sauce with Italian herbs and Parmesan.

# Components:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
04 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
05 - ½ teaspoon paprika

→ Pasta

06 - 1 pound store-bought cheese tortellini

→ Sauce

07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - ⅔ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
10 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
11 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon chicken broth
13 - 1 cup heavy cream
14 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Garnish

15 - Fresh basil leaves, chopped
16 - Extra Parmesan cheese for serving

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to package instructions, then drain and set aside.
02 - Pat the chicken breasts dry and season with kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken breasts for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate, let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - Reduce heat to medium, add butter and minced garlic to the same skillet, and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes, dried Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes.
06 - Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the skillet. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
07 - Add heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Stir continuously until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes.
08 - Return sliced chicken and cooked tortellini to the skillet. Toss gently to coat evenly in the sauce and warm through for 1 to 2 minutes.
09 - Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and additional Parmesan cheese before serving immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce clings to every crevice of the tortellini, so each bite is creamy and rich without feeling heavy.
  • It tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen, but youre really done in forty minutes start to finish.
  • Leftover sauce thickens overnight and makes an even better lunch the next day, tossed with a little pasta water to loosen it up.
02 -
  • Dont skip the resting step for the chicken, cutting it too soon means all the juices run out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of the pre-shredded kind, the anti-caking agents in bagged cheese can make your sauce grainy and broken.
  • If the sauce looks too thick after you add the tortellini, splash in a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water to loosen it up and bring back the silky texture.
03 -
  • Let the skillet get properly hot before adding the chicken, that initial sizzle is what gives you the golden crust that makes the whole dish taste deeper.
  • Save a mugful of pasta water before you drain the tortellini, its starchy and salty and can save a sauce that got too thick or broke slightly.
  • Taste the sauce before you add the tortellini and adjust the salt then, once the pasta goes in it soaks up seasoning fast and its harder to fix.
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