Description
A fast and simple pasta dish featuring chicken and pesto tossed with cheese tortellini.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound cheese tortellini
- 1 pound cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed
- 1 cup prepared basil pesto
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook tortellini according to package directions. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the tortellini.
- While the pasta cooks, combine the pesto and heavy cream in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir until the mixture is warm and smooth.
- Add the cooked chicken to the skillet and stir to coat with the pesto sauce.
- Add the drained tortellini to the skillet. Toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- If the sauce seems too thick, add the reserved pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to your preference.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter sauce.
- For added texture, stir in 1/2 cup of toasted pine nuts before serving.
- Use rotisserie chicken to reduce prep time further.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 850
- Fat: 40
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 20
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 110
Keywords: chicken, pesto, tortellini, pasta, quick dinner, easy meal