Marry Me Chicken Tortellini (Print)

Tender chicken and cheese tortellini tossed in creamy sun-dried tomato garlic sauce, perfect for dinner.

# Ingredients:

→ 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

# Instructions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry. Season with kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika evenly.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and thoroughly cooked. Transfer to plate; rest 5 minutes, then slice thin.
04 - Reduce skillet heat to medium. Melt butter and add minced garlic, sautéing 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, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes.
07 - Add heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese; stir continuously until sauce is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
08 - Return sliced chicken and cooked tortellini to the skillet. Gently toss to coat with sauce and heat through for 1 to 2 minutes.
09 - Sprinkle chopped fresh basil and extra Parmesan cheese over the top. Serve immediately.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in less time than it takes to cook pasta, so you're not sweating over the stove.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes do all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, which means you can skip the fussy reductions.
  • Looks restaurant-quality but tastes like something a friend made in their own kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the chicken; wet chicken won't sear properly and you'll end up steaming it instead of browning it, which changes everything.
  • If your cream sauce looks like it's about to break (getting grainy), lower the heat immediately and stir in a splash of pasta water to smooth it out.
03 -
  • Keep the heat medium once you add cream; high heat curdles the dairy and turns your beautiful sauce into something sad and separated.
  • The leftover sauce freezes beautifully for up to three months, so make an extra batch when you're in the zone.
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