Description
Marry Me Chicken Tortellini is a creamy, comforting skillet dish featuring tender chicken, cheese tortellini, and a rich sun-dried tomato and parmesan sauce enhanced with garlic and spinach. Ready in just 30 minutes, this recipe combines quick-cooking ingredients for a delicious, family-friendly meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Black pepper, to taste
- Italian seasoning, to taste
- Paprika, to taste
Base Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 (19 oz) bag frozen cheese tortellini
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced thin
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 cups chopped baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Season the bite-sized chicken pieces evenly with black pepper, Italian seasoning, and paprika to prepare them for cooking.
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and cook until they turn golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté garlic and sun-dried tomatoes: In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium-low and melt the butter. Add minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, sautéing until fragrant to build the base flavor for the sauce.
- Add liquids and seasoning: Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream. Whisk in Italian seasoning, black pepper, and paprika. Stir the mixture until it begins to bubble, which activates the flavors.
- Incorporate parmesan cheese and chicken: Gradually add the finely shredded parmesan cheese, stirring continuously until it melts smoothly into the sauce. Return the cooked chicken pieces to the skillet.
- Add spinach and tortellini; simmer: Stir in the chopped baby spinach and frozen tortellini. Allow the mixture to simmer gently for about 5 minutes, until the spinach wilts and the tortellini are heated through, completing the dish.
Notes
- Use fresh baby spinach for best texture and flavor; frozen spinach may release too much water.
- For a lighter option, substitute half-and-half or whole milk for heavy cream, but the sauce will be less rich.
- To streamline cooking, thaw tortellini before adding if preferred, but frozen works fine.
- Adjust seasoning according to taste; consider adding crushed red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- This dish pairs well with a crisp green salad or garlic bread for a complete meal.
