Amazing 40-Min Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies

Oh, the 5 PM panic! You look at the clock, the kids are already asking what’s for dinner, and all you have are random ingredients that don’t seem to match up. We’ve all been there, right? That was me last Tuesday until I remembered my back-pocket lifesaver: this magnificent Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies. Seriously, it’s pure magic in a skillet. I had this comforting, rich pasta dish on the table faster than I could decide what streaming service to watch later. It’s satisfying, it uses up whatever vegetables you happen to have lying around, and honestly, that cheesy cream sauce is just pure happiness. Trust me, this recipe belongs in your weekly rotation!

Why This Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies Recipe Works So Well

Listen, I don’t have time for complicated meals during the week, and I bet you don’t either! This dish hits that sweet spot where hearty flavor meets lightning speed. It’s designed for those nights when you need dinner done without a ton of fuss. If you’re looking for more quick wins like this, you absolutely have to check out my collection of easy dinner recipes—it’s a lifesaver!

Quick Prep and Cook Time for Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies

• Prep is just 15 minutes! I promise, most of that is just chopping carrots.
• The whole meal is ready in about 40 minutes total, making this the ultimate **Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies** for a Tuesday night.
• It’s all done in one big skillet, which means cleanup is a breeze—my favorite part!

Simple Flavor Building Techniques

Even though it’s fast, we aren’t sacrificing taste, nope! The secret to making this dish taste like it simmered all day is simple: sear that chicken first, get it nice and golden, then use those browned bits for flavor when you cook your onions. That technique is foundational; it adds so much savory depth before the cream even enters the picture. It’s true what they say—a little extra step goes a long way!

Gathering Ingredients for Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies

Okay, time to gather our supplies for this weeknight wonder! When I list ingredients, I list them exactly how I need them prepared, because that’s half the battle won right there. We want zero guesswork when we get to the stove. If you’re looking for other easy skillet meals that use similar produce, you can peek at my easy broccoli chicken rice skillet recipe. It’s perfect for batch cooking!

For this dish, you need to grab everything before you turn the burner on. That way, when things start moving fast, you’re prepared!

Ingredient Clarity and Specifics

First up, we need about a tablespoon of olive oil to get things rolling. Then, grab your protein: one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and you simply must cut those into nice bite-sized pieces before you start cooking. For the aromatics, we need one small onion, chopped finely, and two cloves of garlic that you’ve minced up small.

Now for the veggies! I use one cup of carrots, sliced thinly, and one cup of happy little broccoli florets. For the star of the show, you’ll need one 9-ounce package of refrigerated cheese tortellini—the fresh kind cooks so much better than the dried for this sauce. Then, we need two cups of chicken broth, one full cup of heavy cream to get that perfect richness, and half a cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Don’t forget that half teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning, and of course, salt and black pepper to your own liking!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies

Alright, let’s get cooking! Since we prepped everything, this is going to fly by. If you’re getting into one-pot meals, this is right up the alley of my one-pot chicken burrito bowl recipe, but trust me, the cream on this tortellini is unbeatable!

Browning the Chicken and Sautéing Aromatics

First things first, get that large skillet nice and warm over medium heat and add your tablespoon of olive oil. Toss in the chicken pieces we cut earlier and cook those until they have a really nice golden brown color and they’re cooked all the way through. Now, this is important: take the chicken out of the pan and set it someplace safe while we build the rest of our flavor base. Don’t let it sit in the pan getting dry!

Next, toss in the chopped onion. You want to cook that down just until it starts getting soft, which takes maybe three minutes. Then, add your minced garlic. Garlic burns fast, so only give it about 60 seconds until it smells absolutely amazing, and then move on!

Cooking the Tortellini and Building the Cream Sauce for Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies

Time for the veggies! Dump in your sliced carrots and broccoli florets. Stir those around for about five minutes; we want them softened up a bit but still holding their shape. Next, pour in the two cups of chicken broth. You need to bring that mixture up to a nice gentle simmer. Once it’s simmering, go ahead and add in those refrigerated cheese tortellini. This is key: cook them only according to the package directions—usually about five to seven minutes. Don’t wander off!

Once the tortellini are done, we go straight to the good stuff. Stir in the heavy cream, the grated Parmesan, and that Italian seasoning. Keep stirring gently, letting it cook just until the sauce thickens up a little bit. It shouldn’t be gluey, but thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Finishing and Seasoning the Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies

We’re almost there! Just return that gorgeous cooked chicken back into the skillet with the creamy sauce and noodles. Give everything a gentle stir to make sure the chicken gets nice and coated and warmed back up through. Now is the time to taste it! A little salt and black pepper to really make those flavors pop. Heat it through for just a minute or two more, and then you’re ready to eat!

Expert Tips for Perfect Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies

I’ve made this dish so many times now that I’ve picked up a few little tricks that I think take it from great to absolutely unforgettable. These aren’t in the main steps because they are just little nudges, but they help stop common issues before they even start! If you love making restaurant-quality meals at home, you might also enjoy checking out my guide to awesome Olive Garden recipes at home.

Here are my top three things to keep in mind when you are making your Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies:

First, and this is huge for any cream sauce, always add your cream and cheese *off the direct high heat*. If you dump the heavy cream in while the broth is still boiling aggressively, you risk the sauce breaking or getting grainy once the cheese hits it. I usually knock the heat down to low after the tortellini is tender, let it just barely bubble, then stir in the cream and cheese slowly. It melts together perfectly that way.

Second, when you are cooking your carrots and broccoli, don’t crowd the pan! If you try to cram too many veggies in there, they steam instead of getting that little bit of tender color we want. If you’re doubling the recipe, I’d honestly cook the veggies in two separate batches. A little caramelization on those vegetables really beefs up the flavor profile of the whole dish.

Finally, don’t skip seasoning throughout the process. I always put salt and pepper in with the chicken, a little dash when the broth is going, and definitely a final check at the end. When you cook the tortellini, the salted broth seasons the pasta itself, but the sauce needs its own kick. I often sneak in a tiny pinch of garlic powder right when the cream goes in, just for an extra punch of savory flavor in that beautiful Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies sauce.

Ingredient Substitutions and Notes for Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies

One thing I absolutely love about this simple recipe is how wonderfully adaptable it is. Life happens, pantries look different day-to-day, and that’s totally fine! If you’re doing a pantry raid, I’ve got some good news for you. If you’re curious about baking alternatives, I have some great resources over on my cream of mushroom soup mix recipe page, but for this pasta, substitutions are super straightforward.

First, let’s talk about those vegetables. The recipe calls for fresh carrots and broccoli, which I love because they have a great bite, but if you have a bag of frozen veggies staring at you, use them! Just toss the frozen ones right into the skillet when you add the chicken broth. You might need to cook them an extra minute or two, but honestly, they work perfectly fine in this Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies. No stress!

Swapping Out the Cream for Lighter Options

If you want that rich, decadent feel but are trying to cut back on the fat, I’ve done this swap many times. You can absolutely replace the heavy cream with half-and-half. Now, be warned: using half-and-half will result in a slightly thinner sauce because it doesn’t have as much fat content. To fix that, I just let the sauce simmer uncovered for a minute or two longer so it reduces and thickens up nicely before returning the chicken.

Parmesan Cheese Alternatives

Parmesan is fantastic because it melts beautifully and adds that sharp, salty kick we need. If you run out of Parmesan—and I’ve been there, staring sadly at an empty wedge—you can substitute it with an equal amount of grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Pecorino is made from sheep’s milk, so it’s tangier and saltier than Parmesan. If you use Pecorino, taste your sauce before adding extra salt at the end, because it dials up the savory flavor really fast!

Herb Variations for Your Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies

While the Italian seasoning blend is my go-to because it’s easy, sometimes I want to switch up the herb profile depending on what else I have fresh. If your Italian seasoning jar is looking dusty, try swapping it out for a teaspoon of dried thyme mixed with half a teaspoon of dried basil. That combination gives the sauce a lovely, slightly woodsy aroma that complements the chicken and cream so well, making your Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies feel extra gourmet!

Serving Suggestions for Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies

Now that you’ve created this perfectly comforting bowl of goodness, what do you serve alongside it? When you have such a rich and complete meal like this Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies, you really don’t need much else, but a little something on the side balances out all that beautiful creaminess.

I generally lean toward things that offer a little fresh crunch or acidity to cut through the richness of the Parmesan and heavy cream. It just keeps everything tasting bright and light!

Honestly, my number one suggestion is always crusty bread. I mean, who doesn’t want a slice of French bread or a chunk of sourdough just for mopping up every last drop of that sauce left in the bowl? It’s non-negotiable in my house. If you have a few extra minutes, you must try making some homemade bruschetta!

You can find my favorite easy recipe for bruschetta recipe, and it’s amazing because the tomatoes give you that sharp, cool topping that tastes incredible next to the warm, savory tortellini. If bread isn’t your thing, a super simple green salad is perfect.

Keep the salad dressing light—a simple vinaigrette made with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and cracked black pepper is all you need. No creamy ranch needed here, we have enough cream in the pasta dish, right? A little side salad or some good bread and your Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies is an absolutely perfect dinner!

Storage and Reheating Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies

Oh, the glorious leftovers! I always try to make a little extra of this Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies just so I can snack on it the next day. But you have to treat cream sauces right, or they get sad and strange in the fridge, you know?

The main problem when storing anything creamy is that the fats and the liquid sometimes separate when they get cold. It’s not dangerous, but it’s slimy, and nobody wants slimy tortellini!

Storing Your Leftovers Properly

The key to great storage is containment and speed. Don’t leave the leftovers sitting on the counter cooling down for hours—get them into the fridge quickly! Spoon your leftover Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies into a shallow, airtight container. I prefer a wide, shallow container over a tall deep one because it helps the food cool down faster in the fridge, which is always the safest move. You should be able to keep this safely for about three to four days. If you’re squeezing it in, use your phone to quickly snap a picture of the leftovers so you remember what it is, ha!

The Best Way to Reheat Creamy Tortellini

If you try to reheat this straight from the fridge in the microwave, it’s going to grab onto the heat weirdly. The sauce will likely seize up and become gloopy. We want to reintroduce moisture gently. So, please, don’t just blast it on high power for three minutes straight.

Instead, put the portion you plan to eat into a small saucepan over low or medium-low heat. This is where you add about a tablespoon or two of liquid for every cup of pasta you are heating. You can use milk, half-and-half, or even just plain water or chicken broth. Stir it continuously as it warms up slowly.

See how the sauce starts absorbing that extra liquid and smooths right out? Once it’s steaming gently all the way through, it’s ready. If you need to use the microwave, put a few drops of milk over the top before heating in short, 45-second bursts, stirring well between each burst. Slow and easy reheating is the secret to salvaging any cream sauce!

Frequently Asked Questions About Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies

I gathered up a few of the questions I get asked most often about this recipe, especially from folks who are trying to make it vegetarian or who are worried about their sauce consistency. If you want to sneak in some different meat options besides chicken, I’ve got a whole guide on other chicken pasta variations you might enjoy!

Can I make this Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies recipe vegetarian?

Absolutely, you totally can! Since the flavor foundation is built on those sautéed vegetables and the gorgeous cheese sauce, taking out the chicken is super simple. You should skip Step 1 entirely. When you get to Step 3, just add an extra tablespoon of olive oil (or butter!) to the pan before tossing in the onions and garlic. You can also add one cup of your favorite hearty vegetable, like chopped mushrooms or diced zucchini, right along with the carrots and broccoli to make it extra filling!

My sauce turned out too thin! What went wrong when I made my Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies?

Oh, that happens to the best of us, usually because the heavy cream wasn’t reduced enough or maybe the tortellini added too much liquid when they went in. Don’t stress, we can fix it right now! Take the pan off the high heat immediately—we don’t want it to separate. In a tiny cup, mix about a tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water until it’s perfectly smooth (that’s a slurry!). Drizzle that mixture into the simmering sauce while you stir constantly. Let it bubble gently for just a minute, and you should see it start to thicken right up! If you need more thickening power, just remember that grated Parmesan is your friend, too!

Can I freeze this tortellini dish?

Here’s the hard truth: cream and dairy sauces just don’t like the freezer very much. When they thaw, the texture often becomes grainy or breaks apart, and it looks really unappetizing. For the best results, I highly recommend only making what you know you’ll eat within three to four days in the fridge. If you absolutely must freeze something, it’s better to cook the chicken and vegetables separately, freeze those components, and then assemble the sauce fresh when you reheat everything. But honestly, this Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies is so quick, it’s hardly worth the freezer hassle!

Why do I have to remove the chicken before cooking the vegetables?

This is an E-E-A-T tip right here! Chicken breast cooks much faster than the onions, garlic, and carrots, especially when cut into bite-sized pieces. If you leave the chicken in the pan while you’re softening the onions and simmering the broth, that chicken will turn dry and stringy by the time the tortellini are perfectly al dente. Pulling it out lets the chicken rest and stay juicy, and when you toss it back in at the very end, it just warms up perfectly in that hot sauce!

Nutritional Snapshot

I always look at the nutrition facts just to get a general idea, though if I’m being honest, when I’m tearing into a bowl of cheesy pasta, I’m not usually counting milligrams of sodium! But for those of you who like to track these things—and good for you for being organized—here is a general rundown of what you might see in one serving of this wonderful Creamy Chicken Tortellini With Veggies.

Please keep in mind, these numbers are just estimates based on the measurements listed in the recipe. If you swap heavy cream for half-and-half, or if you use low-sodium broth, those numbers are going to change! It’s just a snapshot, not a guarantee, so treat it as a helpful guideline rather than gospel.

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: Around 550 calories—a nice, hearty dinner portion!
• Fat: About 30 grams total fat.
• Protein: We get a whopping 35 grams of protein, mostly in that chicken and the cheese, which keeps you full until breakfast.
• Carbohydrates: Roughly 45 grams.
• Sugar: Very low, only about 5 grams, which speaks to the natural sweetness of the carrots, not added sugar.
• Sodium: This one is a bit higher at 650mg, so if you’re watching sodium, use a low-sodium chicken broth option!

See? It’s a balanced meal. You get your fats from the delicious cream, your protein from the chicken, and a little bit of fiber and carbs from the tortellini and those colorful veggies we added in. It truly is a complete dinner experience right there in one skillet!

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