Creamy Garlic Parmesan Tortellini Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken and cheese tortellini tossed with broccoli in a garlicky Parmesan cream sauce—comforting weeknight meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 ounces), cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Pasta

02 - 18 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 cups broccoli florets (approximately 7 ounces)
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

05 - 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
06 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Pantry

08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package directions. Add broccoli florets during the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Drain and set aside.
02 - Pat chicken pieces dry and season thoroughly with salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden and juices run clear, about 5–6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
04 - In the same skillet, add butter. Once melted, add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Reduce heat to medium. Pour in heavy cream, stirring to deglaze the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer, then add Parmesan cheese. Mix until smooth and sauce thickens, about 2–3 minutes.
06 - Add the drained tortellini, broccoli, and cooked chicken to the skillet. Toss gently to coat ingredients evenly in the creamy sauce. Stir in crushed red pepper flakes if using.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper if desired.
08 - Serve the dish hot, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley if desired.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • This is weeknight comfort drenched in a velvety garlicky sauce you make with whatever fresh or frozen ingredients are on hand.
  • The creamy cheese and pan-seared chicken make it hard to walk away after just one bowl.
02 -
  • If you rush the sauce on high heat, the cream can split and lose its silkiness.
  • Waiting to add broccoli until the last minutes of pasta cooking keeps it gorgeously green and just crisp.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest a couple minutes before adding to the sauce so the juices don’t thin it out.
  • Grate herbs and parmesan fresh—the aroma as it hits the pot is a game-changer.

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