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Creamy Parmesan Chicken and Spinach Tortellini…the best any night of the week dinner that feels extra special. Lightly breaded chicken seared until golden with nutty browned butter. The chicken is finished in a simple white wine pan sauce with spinach and parmesan cheese. It’s delicious, especially with an extra sprinkling of parm on top. Every bite is layered with delicious flavors and the creamiest sauce. The perfect way to spend a relaxing night in the kitchen with family and friends.
Some nights require something fun, while other nights require something crazy easy, but yet still totally delicious. Tonight we needed crazy easy and totally delicious. And that’s exactly what this chicken tortellini is. I can’t really tell you what inspired this, but what I can say is that this entire year I’ve really been on a cheesy tortellini kick. This cute little cheese-filled pasta has made its way into many recipes. This dish is just yet another and proves it has many ways of being delicious.
I love simple skillet dinners like this. This is an idea I’ve had in the back of my head for a bit now. I finally made it, and it actually turned out better than the picture I had in my head. That rarely happens with recipes, so I knew right away this dish was special.
Jumping right into the details of this one!
The simple details.
If you love a good skillet seared crispy chicken, you’ll love this slight twist even more. It’s all about that creamy parmesan sauce. It’s hinted with garlic and butter and really just one of those sauces that everyone loves.
Start with the chicken. If you’ve made chicken parmesan this is very similar. Simply dredge the chicken through a mix of flour, then pan-sear it in a hot skillet. This allows the chicken to form a nice golden crust on the outside. Using thin chicken cutlets is key. The thin chicken cooks evenly and browns nicely in a short amount of time.
Tip: if your grocery store does not carry chicken cutlets, as a swap, try asking your butcher to pound out chicken breasts for you. This is super easy to do at home, but truthfully…it’s just not that much fun. The butcher can quickly pound out the chicken and save you the trouble…and the mess.
Also, you can easily make this chicken gluten-free by replacing the flour with almond flour. Or use your favorite gluten-free flour blend (I like cup4cup).
Once the chicken is seared, pull it out of the skillet and toss in a bit of butter, shallots, garlic, and plenty of thyme. Again, allow that butter to brown, creating an even more delicious flavor around the garlic. Now, stir in the spinach and let it wilt into the butter.
At this point, add in the wine, simmer until reduced, then stir in the tortellini and cream. Allow everything to simmer and thicken into a delicious creamy sauce. I add the tortellini towards the end of cooking to ensure it doesn’t get mushy in the creamy sauce. It only needs a few minutes to soften before it’s ready to serve. When the tortellini is just about ready, I add the chicken back to the skillet and let it cook another minute or two until everything has warmed throughout.
SIMPLE.
Finish it up.
I like to first spoon the chicken out onto a plate, then spoon the sauce and tortellini over the chicken, really submerging the chicken in the sauce. The saucier, the better.
And then lastly, I squeeze a little lemon over top for a layer of freshness.
Yummm…and super easy. Perfect for just about any night of the week. I love how quickly and easily this comes together. It really is one of those “no fuss”, easy, delicious dinners that everyone loves. Already excited to make it again very soon.
Cannot wait!
Looking for other skillet dinners? Here are a few to try:
One Skillet Cheesy Cuban Chicken Rice Bake
Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo
One Skillet French Onion Tater Tot Casserole
Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake
Lastly, if you make this Creamy Parmesan Chicken and Spinach Tortellini be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Creamy Parmesan Chicken and Spinach Tortellini
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 732 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 4-6 chicken cutlets or 3 boneless chicken breasts sliced in half horizontally
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme)
- red pepper flakes
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 3/4 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
- 3/4 cup heavy cream or canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- juice from 1 lemon
Instructions
- 1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour and garlic powder in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken through the flour mix, pressing to adhere.2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken and sear on both sides until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet.3. To the skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, the shallots, garlic, thyme, and a pinch each of red pepper chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook 3-4 minutes, until fragrant. Add butter and spinach. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until the spinach is wilted.4. Pour in the wine and broth. Cook 8 minutes until reduced slightly, then add the tortellini and cook another 2 minutes. Pour in the cream and add the parmesan, stirring until melted and creamy. Add the chicken back to the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes or until warmed through and the sauce has thickened slightly. 5. Serve the chicken topped with the spinach cream sauce. Squeeze over a bit of lemon juice and a sprinkling of parmesan.
This post was originally published on March 10, 2021
Made this for dinner tonight and it was so yummy!
Hey Karie,
I am so glad that you liked this recipe, thanks for giving it a go! Happy Friday? xTieghan
This was so tasty! This meal came together in 30 minutes with many ingredients I already had in my fridge. Adding this to the rotation!
Hey Liza,
I am so glad that you liked this recipe, thanks for giving it a go! Happy Friday? xTieghan
Made this last Sunday! It was fab, everyone loved it!
One thing I’d change is replace the double cream with single or maybe even evaporated milk and some cornflour to thicken. That’s just my head always looking for ways to cut unnecessary calories ?
Hey Victoria,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Hi, If I wanted to make this with oyster (or black trumpet) mushrooms instead of chicken, how many ounces/lbs. would you suggest? And would you perhaps add more spinach in this case? Thanks in advance!
Hey Jenny,
I would do 2-3 cups of mushrooms to your liking and totally more spinach would be great! I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
I made the chciekn tortellini spinach for a group of friends last night wow a real hit and so easy
Hey Karen,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! ☘️ xTieghan
This recipe is amazing! The flavours all work so well together and the chicken is tender and tasty! Thank you!
Hey Wendy,
Thanks for making this recipe! I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
Made this tonight. My family enjoyed it and I would make it again with a few changes. I bought thin chicken cutlets but the chicken used up the oil and were getting dry so I took them out before they were fully cooked. I would cut the chicken into smaller pieces so it would cook faster and use up less of the oil. When I added the tortellini, there wasn’t enough liquid to submerge the tortellini so I would add more chicken broth. By the time the tortellini and chicken were cooked through, the tortellini had absorbed most of the liquid so it was a big glop.
, not saucy as the directions state. Flavor was good but it needs some tweaks.
Thanks for trying the recipe Gina! xTieghan
I made this over the weekend! Girlfriend and I loved it! That sauce is incredible!! Only thing ,I did extra was zest the lemon and add to the sauce for a nice zing! Thanks. I’ve made a few of your dishes and the always turn out wonderfully.
Hey John,
Thanks for making this recipe! I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
Delicious! And very easy!
Thanks so much Sara! xTieghan
Delicious!! Added 8 oz sliced baby Bella mushrooms. Will make this again & again!
Hey Diane,
Thanks for making this recipe! I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
This turned out so amazing! We added capers for an additional tangy, salty taste.
100% recommend!
Hey Leah,
Thanks for making this recipe! I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
Curious why no pin ability?
Hey there,
You should be able to pin for Pinterest:) It is working on our end!
This was an absolutely glorious dinner! Soooo delicious! My British/Polish husband who–for context–won’t eat anything that isn’t a potato or a bland pierogi, gave it a 10/10. Unsolicited! He went back for thirds, and I hid the leftovers in the back of the fridge so I could eat them for breakfast. Thank you, Tieghan, for giving me a Sure Thing to add to the repertoire! xo
Hey Marie,
Thanks for making this recipe! I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
THIS is the BEST Meal I Have ever Had!!!!! Super delicious and easy. Can hardly wait to make it again in the dinner rotation. Thanks
Hey Susan,
Thanks for making this recipe! I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
This is heaven ! Creamy and savory and totally satisfying.
Hey Paige,
I am absolutely delighted that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for making it! Have the best week☀️ xTieghan