Description
This One-Pot Spicy Garlic Butter Chicken Tortellini Recipe is a creamy, flavorful meal that combines tender chicken, spicy garlic butter sauce, and cheesy tortellini in one convenient pot. Perfect for a cozy, stress-free dinner, it delivers a rich blend of savory and spicy notes with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 lb chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 tbsp butter
Sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh basil or parsley, chopped
Pasta
- 2 cups fresh cheese tortellini (or ravioli)
Instructions
- Sauté the Chicken: Season the bite-sized chicken pieces with salt and black pepper. In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the chicken pieces and cook until browned and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Make the Garlic Butter Sauce: In the same pot, add a bit more butter if needed and sauté the minced garlic for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes to release their flavor.
- Build the Sauce: Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot to incorporate more flavor. Stir in the heavy cream and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Cook the Tortellini: Add the fresh cheese tortellini to the sauce and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and heated through.
- Combine and Finish: Return the cooked chicken to the pot along with the grated Parmesan cheese. Stir well until the cheese melts and the sauce is creamy. Let the mixture cook together for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped basil or parsley before serving.
Notes
- You can adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes depending on your preferred spice level.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk, though the sauce will be less rich.
- Fresh tortellini cooks quickly; be careful not to overcook it to avoid mushy texture.
- Use fresh herbs like basil or parsley just before serving to preserve their bright flavor.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat nicely on the stovetop or microwave.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: spicy garlic butter chicken, one-pot meal, tortellini recipe, creamy pasta, easy dinner, chicken dinner
