Marry Me Chicken Tortellini (Printable)

Cheese tortellini paired with juicy chicken in a rich sun-dried tomato cream 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

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook cheese tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season evenly with kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and sear 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and fully cooked. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - Reduce heat to medium in the same skillet. Add unsalted 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, stirring frequently.
06 - Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
07 - Add heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Stir continuously until cheese melts and sauce thickens into a creamy consistency, about 2 to 3 minutes.
08 - Return sliced chicken and cooked tortellini to the skillet. Toss gently to coat with sauce. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until heated through.
09 - Sprinkle chopped fresh basil and additional Parmesan cheese over the dish. Serve immediately.

# Top Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but you'll be sitting down to eat in under 45 minutes
  • The sauce clings to every fold of the tortellini in the most satisfying way
  • It's fancy enough for guests but easy enough that I make it on random Wednesdays when I need a win
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even richer the next day
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the chicken—wet chicken steams instead of searing, and you'll miss out on all that caramelized flavor
  • Let the sauce simmer gently after adding the cream; if it boils too hard, it can break and look grainy instead of smooth
  • Taste before serving and adjust the salt—Parmesan is salty, so you might not need as much as you think
03 -
  • Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining the tortellini—if your sauce gets too thick, a splash of that starchy water will loosen it up without diluting the flavor
  • Let the chicken rest after cooking; cutting into it too soon releases all the juices onto the cutting board instead of keeping them inside where they belong
  • Grate your own Parmesan fresh—it melts smoother and tastes sharper than the pre-grated kind, which often has additives that make the sauce grainy
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