Pesto Chicken Tortellini

Why you’ll love it

In this recipe you get a comforting meal with filling pasta and tender chicken, all smothered in a fabulous basil pesto sauce. Rotisserie chicken makes this quick chicken tortellini that much easier, and adding a splash of cream makes it tasty on a whole other level!

Using store-bought tortellini is one of my favorite pasta shortcuts for a quick dinner. For the photos, I decided to change it up and use tri-color tortellini. You can of course use any color, but I was excited to do something a little different! Thrilling stuff over here, folks.

What you’ll need

Butter – for sautéing

Garlic – to infuse aromatic flavor.

Italian seasoning – love this dried herb blend so much!

Red pepper flakes – they don’t make this spicy. It’s a gentle warmth to better develop the flavors.

Helpful tips

One pot recipes sometimes need to be tweaked a bit. Your particular cookware, stovetop, and even altitude may affect the timing we tested this recipe at!

If it is looking dry before the pasta is done, just add a little more broth (and/or turn down the heat).

Or if there’s a lot of liquid still, crank up the heat and/or just let it sit for longer while the tortellini absorbs the liquid.

How to make pesto chicken tortellini

Melt the butter in a skillet. Sauté the garlic (while stirring) until fragrant. Stir in the Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, pesto, broth, and cream, followed by the tortellini. Increase the heat, and let it bubble gently.

Stir in the chicken, and continue cooking until it’s warmed through, the pasta is cooked, and the sauce thickens. Take the skillet off the stovetop, and stir in the mozzarella until it’s melted/incorporated. Season with salt & pepper.

Tools for this recipe

Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

This automatic soap dispenser is so handy for washing your hands mid-recipe.

Here is the most adorable ravioli-shaped spoon rest.

This is the garlic press I use and colander for the pasta.

Substitutions and variations

Add in a handful of fresh baby spinach towards the end of the cooking time.

I don’t recommend subbing the cream for something lower fat. It could curdle and won’t result in the desired texture.

Go ahead and change up the variety of tortellini if you wish!

What to serve with chicken pesto tortellini

My top recommendation is this Cheesy Garlic Bread or crusty Sourdough along with a big Caesar salad with my 10-minute Homemade Caesar Dressing and Garlic Parmesan Croutons. The best!

Or drizzle some of my bright Green Goddess Dressing with your favorite salad greens.

Finish the meal with some Watergate Salad (spoiler alert: it’s a dessert).

Leftovers and storage

Store any leftovers in the fridge for a few days in a covered container.

Warm it up on the stove over a low heat. Keep in mind that over time, the tortellini may soften up and/or absorb some of the sauce, so add a splash of broth/cream if needed when reheating.

This one won’t freeze well.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter

2 cloves garlic minced

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional, or to taste

1/4 cup pesto

1.5 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy/whipping cream

2 (9 ounce) packages refrigerated cheese tortellini

2 cups shredded cooked/rotisserie chicken

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Add the butter to a skillet over medium heat. Once it melts, add the garlic and sauté for about a minute, stirring constantly.

Stir in the Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, pesto, chicken broth, and cream until smooth, then mix in the tortellini. Increase the heat to medium-high, and once it starts to bubble, cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Cooking the tortellini in the sauce helps thicken it by releasing starch. Reduce the heat if it starts to boil like crazy.

Stir in the chicken and cook it for another minute or two until it's warmed through and the sauce has thickened to your liking. Add a splash more cream if the sauce reduces too much.

Take the pan off the heat and add in the mozzarella. Stir/toss until melted. Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve immediately.