Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Tortellini with Creamy Parmesan Sauce
By Miles Carr
Servings
4
Level
Easy
About 10 minutes of setup gets this Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Tortellini cooking for a hands-off dinner. Cheese tortellini and shredded chicken are coated in a thick, creamy Parmesan sauce with garlic, Italian herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, and a little red-pepper warmth.
Boneless chicken breasts cook first with low-sodium chicken broth, garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and some of their oil, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Heavy cream and freshly grated Parmesan go in after the chicken is shredded, creating a smooth sauce before refrigerated cheese tortellini is added. The tomato oil is part of the base flavor, while fresh Parmesan helps the sauce melt evenly.
The sauce should bubble and thicken slightly while the chicken cooks, then coat the tortellini after the final stir. Watch the pasta closely during its 30-to-45-minute high-heat finish: tender tortellini should still have a firm bite. Adding it at the beginning is the main mistake, since it absorbs too much liquid and can become gummy or break apart.
Serve immediately with crusty bread and a simple salad, as suggested in the source. Avoid holding the finished tortellini on warm for long, because it continues absorbing sauce. If the sauce seems thick after the cream is added, the source suggests loosening it with extra chicken broth or milk.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Starts with roughly 10 minutes of setup because the slow cooker handles the chicken, broth, tomatoes, and seasonings without stovetop monitoring.
- Keeps cleanup focused on one slow cooker because the chicken cooks, shreds, and returns to the same sauce before the tortellini finishes.
- Uses familiar refrigerator and pantry staples, including chicken, tortellini, broth, cream, Parmesan, garlic, and Italian seasoning, rather than requiring specialty items.
- Avoids a separate pasta pot because refrigerated tortellini cooks directly in the finished sauce during the final 30 to 45 minutes.
- Builds a balanced creamy sauce from salty Parmesan, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes, so each ingredient has a clear role.
- Feeds a hungry group with cheese-filled pasta and shredded chicken, while the slow-cooker method leaves time to prepare bread or salad.
Ingredients
- •1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (1.5-2 lb)
- •9 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
- •7 oz jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (roughly chopped; include a spoonful of oil from the jar)
- •4 cloves fresh garlic (4-5 cloves, minced)
- •1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- •1 cup heavy whipping cream
- •0.5 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- •1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning (divided)
- •salt (to taste, plus more for seasoning chicken)
- •black pepper (to taste, plus more for seasoning chicken)
- •0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt, black pepper, and about half of the Italian seasoning.
- 2
Place the seasoned chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker, keeping them somewhat flat. Sprinkle the minced garlic over the chicken and pour in the chicken broth.
- 3
Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and a spoonful of oil from the jar. Sprinkle the remaining Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes over everything, but do not stir.
- 4
Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F, shreds easily with a fork, and the sauce starts to bubble and thicken slightly.
- 5
Remove the chicken to a cutting board and use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces.
- 6
Pour the heavy cream into the slow cooker and stir gently. Return the shredded chicken, add the grated Parmesan, and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
- 7
Add the refrigerated tortellini and stir gently to submerge it in the sauce. Cover and cook on high for 30-45 minutes, until the tortellini is tender but still firm to the bite.
- 8
Give the dish a final stir. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed, then serve immediately while hot.
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