Marry Me Chicken Tortellini (Print View)

Tender chicken and cheese tortellini in a rich, creamy sun-dried tomato and garlic sauce.

# What You’ll Need:

→ 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

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini following package directions. Drain and set aside.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season evenly with salt, black pepper, and paprika.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked. Transfer to a plate and rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - Reduce skillet heat to medium. Add butter and minced garlic; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes, dried Italian herbs, and optional red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
06 - Pour in chicken broth and scrape up browned bits from the pan. Simmer gently for 2 minutes.
07 - Add heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Stir continuously until cheese melts and sauce thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes.
08 - Return sliced chicken and cooked tortellini to the skillet. Toss gently to coat with sauce. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes until heated through.
09 - Sprinkle chopped fresh basil and extra Parmesan over the dish. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes, so you can have restaurant-quality dinner without the stress.
  • The sauce is so silky and rich it tastes like you've been simmering it for hours, but you haven't.
  • It's elegant enough to serve when someone special is coming over, but casual enough for a weeknight when you just want something delicious.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the pan when you sear the chicken—if you do, you'll steam it instead of brown it, and that's the whole game.
  • The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools, so err on the side of creamy when you're cooking rather than thick.
  • If your Parmesan doesn't seem to melt smoothly, your heat is too high and the cream might break—keep it at a gentle medium.
03 -
  • Buy your Parmesan as a wedge and grate it yourself—the flavor is noticeably better and it melts like a dream instead of clumping up.
  • Keep that pasta water close by—a little starch is magic for binding sauce to noodles and adjusting consistency on the fly.
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