Creamy Pesto Tortellini Skillet (Printable View)

Tender cheese tortellini and rotisserie chicken enveloped in creamy pesto sauce. A quick, flavor-packed skillet dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta & Protein

01 - 1 (20 oz) package shelf-stable cheese tortellini
02 - 2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded with skin and bones removed

→ Sauce

03 - 1 cup heavy cream
04 - 1/2 cup basil pesto
05 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables & Garnish

08 - 2 cups baby spinach
09 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large skillet of salted water to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions, typically 3-4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
02 - Pour heavy cream into the same skillet and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Stir in pesto and Parmesan until smooth and slightly thickened, approximately 2 minutes.
03 - Add shredded rotisserie chicken and cooked tortellini to the skillet. Stir to coat evenly with the sauce.
04 - Fold in baby spinach and cherry tomatoes. Cook for 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted and sauce is creamy and bubbling.
05 - Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something from a cozy Italian restaurant
  • The rotisserie chicken shortcut means you get maximum flavor with minimal effort
02 -
  • Do not let the cream come to a rolling boil or it might separate and become grainy instead of silky smooth
  • The sauce continues thickening as it sits off the heat, so remove it from the stove while it still looks slightly looser than you want
03 -
  • Cook the tortellini directly in the skillet to save yourself from washing an extra pot
  • Reserve a splash of the pasta water before draining in case you need to thin the sauce later
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