Description
Creamy garlic parmesan tortellini with chicken & broccoli combines Italian comfort with weeknight convenience. Rich cheese sauce coats tender pasta, complementing juicy chicken and fresh broccoli, making dinner feel like a gourmet experience you’ll crave again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 package (20 oz/567 g) refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp butter (optional, for extra richness)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Skillet Preparation: Heat olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium-high heat to create an ideal cooking surface.
- Chicken Seasoning: Thoroughly coat chicken pieces with Italian herbs, salt, and pepper for maximum flavor infusion.
- Protein Searing: Brown chicken until fully cooked, developing a golden exterior while maintaining interior tenderness, then set aside.
- Aromatic Base: Sauté minced garlic in the same skillet, releasing its fragrant essence and building foundational flavor.
- Vegetable Integration: Add broccoli florets, quickly sautéing until vibrant green and slightly crisp.
- Sauce Creation: Combine chicken broth and heavy cream, whisking to form a luxurious, velvety base for the dish.
- Pasta Cooking: Introduce tortellini to the creamy liquid, covering and simmering until pasta becomes perfectly tender and absorbs the sauce’s rich flavors.
- Cheese Enhancement: Fold in parmesan cheese, allowing it to melt and naturally thicken the sauce while adding depth.
- Final Assembly: Return chicken to the skillet, warming through and allowing ingredients to harmonize; optional butter addition can increase sauce richness.
- Serving Presentation: Plate the creamy tortellini dish, garnishing with fresh parsley and performing a final seasoning adjustment to ensure perfect flavor balance.
Notes
- Quick Chicken Searing: Pat chicken dry before seasoning to achieve a perfect golden-brown exterior and prevent steaming.
- Garlic Timing Trick: Add minced garlic near the end of cooking to prevent burning and maintain its delicate, sweet flavor profile.
- Cream Sauce Stability: Lower heat when adding cream to prevent separation and ensure a smooth, consistent sauce texture.
- Tortellini Doneness Check: Taste a tortellini to confirm it’s al dente – should be tender but still have a slight bite in the center.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 680
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg