You’re going to absolutely love this easy 30-minute Chicken Tortellini Alfredo! It’s creamy and so incredibly delicious.
Made with juicy pan-seared chicken breast, your favorite tortellini pasta, and a quick and easy homemade Alfredo sauce.
This chicken tortellini Alfredo is perfect for weeknights. It requires just a few basic ingredients and everything cooks very fast. It’s one of our family’s go-to dinners!
There’s nothing better than a cozy home cooked meal, especially when it’s quick and easy! With life getting busier lately, making dinner has felt a bit daunting. That’s where easy dinners really helped.
We’ve made this Chicken Tortellini Alfredo twice in the past weeks, and trust me, it’s as simple and delicious as it sounds.
This dish is made with juicy pan-seared chicken, your favorite store-bought tortellini, and a 5-minute creamy Alfredo sauce. It always turns out wonderfully creamy!
The great thing is that you can customize it! Swap out the chicken for shrimp, mix in some veggies, or throw in whatever else you’ve got in your fridge. It’s a versatile and delicious weeknight recipe. You’ll love it!
If you’re looking for more easy pasta recipes, check out my Chicken Broccoli Alfredo, Cajun Chicken Alfredo, and Creamy Salmon Pasta.
Why we love making this chicken tortellini alfredo:
- Quick and easy: With just a handful of ingredients and simple steps, this weeknight recipe comes together in no time. 30 minutes is all you need!
- Creamy, rich, and comforting: That homemade alfredo sauce is pure goodness.
- Family-friendly: There’s no denying that even picky eaters will love this chicken tortellini alfredo!
- Customizable: Use your favorite protein or throw in a few veggies. This is such a versatile recipe.
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Ingredient Notes
The ingredients needed to make chicken tortellini alfredo are pretty simple. Below, I included a few ingredient notes that I hope you find helpful. As always, the full ingredient list with quantities can be found in the recipe card down below.
- Chicken breasts: For 4 servings, I use about two or three medium sized chicken breasts. Use a meat mallet to pound them to about ½ inch thick for even cooking.
- Garlic powder: Used to season the chicken, along with salt and pepper.
- Olive oil to pan-sear the chicken
- Your favorite tortellini: Use your favorite store-bought tortellini here. I really like cheese tortellini, and I buy the fresh-made ones (Rana or Buitoni brands) that come in the refrigerated section. Frozen tortellini works too.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and flavor to the homemade alfredo sauce.
- Minced garlic: I prefer to use fresh garlic here. Mince it finely so it incorporates well into the sauce.
- Heavy cream: This is the base for our creamy and rich Alfredo sauce. I would not recommend using half-and-half or milk since they may not be thick enough.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated is best so it melts into the sauce. Pre-shredded cheese usually contains starches that may turn your sauce gritty.
- Italian parsley: Provides that pop of color and a touch of freshness to balance out the richness of the cream.
- Salt and pepper to taste
Step-by-Step Tutorial
30 minutes is all you need to make this creamy chicken tortellini alfredo! Here’s a quick step-by-step on how I make it.
Step 1 | Cook the Chicken
Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat a few drizzles of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and sear the chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until golden brown and fully cooked through in the center. Once done, remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside to rest for a few moments before slicing it into smaller pieces.
Step 2 | Cook the pasta
Meanwhile, let’s cook the tortellini! Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and run through cold water to fully stop the cooking process.
Step 3 | Make the alfredo sauce
In the same skillet that you used to cook the chicken (wipe it clean first), melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the minced garlic for 1 minute or so until fragrant.
Then, stir in the heavy cream and bring to a low simmer. Slowly add the grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until smooth, creamy, and incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4 | Toss and serve
Return the cooked tortellini and toss with the alfredo sauce. Serve with the sliced chicken, and finish with a generous sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley and more cheese. Enjoy the chicken tortellini warm – it’s the best!
Pairing and Serving Ideas
Good side dishes can really make a great meal extra amazing! It’s all about how every dish complements each other to create a whole experience.
Because the chicken tortellini Alfredo is a simple dish, I like to keep the sides simple as well. Garlic bread and a quick salad are the way to go!
- Cheesy Garlic Bread: This one’s my favorite garlic bread recipe ever! It’s ultra cheesy and perfectly garlicky and buttery. For a quick option, use your favorite store-bought garlic bread.
- Salads: Try our family’s favorite House Salad recipe. For something fancier, try this Roasted Cauliflower Salad, or for something simple, pair with our Lemon Arugula Salad.
- Appetizers: Our go-to appetizer for Italian dinners is Caprese Skewers!
More Weeknight Pasta Recipes
If you love pasta for dinner, you have to try our top comforting weeknight pasta recipes! They all take 30 minutes to make, which is perfect for busy nights. These also reheat pretty well.
If you have more time in your hands and want to make something more ambitious, you have to try my newest Sunday pasta recipes: Italian Meatballs (with spaghetti, of course!) and Short Rib Ragu with Pappardelle. So good!
Recipe FAQs
If you have a specific one you love, go for it. My store carries freshly made Alfredo sauce in the refrigerated section and it’s amazing. I personally don’t like canned sauce, but feel free to use that as well.
Yes! It may take a few extra minutes to cook. Follow package instructions.
While this dish is best served fresh, you can prepare the components ahead of time. Store the cooked chicken and cooked tortellini. When ready to eat, make the sauce and toss everything together (the sauce doesn’t store very well).
Yes! Shrimp or steak are great options here. You can even add veggies, such as broccoli florets or spinach.
Tips for Success
- Use your favorite store-bought tortellini, I like cheese tortellini. I’d recommend using the fresh refrigerated kind rather than frozen, as fresh has a better texture when cooked (I use Buitoni or Rana brands). However, frozen will work too.
- The homemade alfredo sauce doesn’t store very well overnight (the butter may separate from the cream), so I’d recommend making it fresh. It only takes 5 minutes.
- Use FRESHLY grated parmesan cheese for the sauce. Pre-shredded cheese contains added starch that can make the sauce turn gritty.
- If you’d like to use store-bought Alfredo sauce, I’d recommend the fresh ones in the refrigerated section that come in tubs. I like Buitoni’s brand. Try to avoid canned Alfredo – I personally think these have a weird aftertaste.
- Prep ahead: For a quicker recipe, cook the chicken and pasta the day before and keep refrigerated. When ready to eat, make the sauce and just toss everything to combine until warm.
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Chicken Tortellini Alfredo
Equipment
- 12-inch skillet non-stick preferred
Ingredients
- 3 medium boneless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil for the pan
- 1 pound your favorite tortellini pasta - I like cheese tortellini, see note below
- Fresh chopped Italian parsley - for garnish
For the Alfredo sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 cups heavy cream - plus more as needed
- 1 ½ cups FRESHLY grated parmesan cheese - see note
- Ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken to an even ½ inch thick. Season both sides with Kosher salt (about ¼ teaspoon per side), ground black pepper, and garlic powder (also about ¼ teaspoon per side), and a few drizzles of olive oil.
- Heat a few drizzles of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken, about 6-7 minutes per side, until golden brown and fully cooked through in the center (165 degrees F in the center). Transfer to a plate and let it rest. Then, cut into smaller slices.
- Meanwhile, cook the tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain and run through cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
- Make the alfredo sauce: Wipe the skillet clean. Then, melt the butter and add the minced garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the heavy cream and bring to a low simmer. Then, gradually stir in the freshly grated cheese until melted, creamy, and fully incorporated.
- To the sauce, add the cooked tortellini and stir until fully combined. Serve with the sliced chicken, freshly chopped parsley, and more parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy warm!
Notes
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese is best here. Pre-shredded cheese usually contains starches that may turn your sauce gritty.
- Use heavy cream. Do not use milk or half-and-half . You need the thickness of the cream to achieve a creamy sauce.
- Prep ahead: While this dish is best served fresh, you can prepare the components ahead of time. Store the cooked chicken and cooked tortellini. When ready to eat, make the sauce and toss everything together (the sauce doesn’t store very well).
- Store leftovers in containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave oven until warm.
- Chicken: Swap with your favorite protein here. Shrimp or steak are great options.
- Add-ins: Broccoli florets, spinach, asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini.
Kv says
Turned out great! I used up what I had leftover in the frig and freezer. Added in leftover turkey from thanksgiving and fresh spinach. I added both to white sauce along with tortellini and heated gently.
Judy says
Easy and quick. Both of my adult kids liked it.
Matt says
Liked this recipe quite a lot. I’ve made it twice already and it’s always been a hit. Pretty quick and easy.