Ingredients
19 ounces refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
5 tablespoons butter
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 cups heavy cream also known as whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese plus more for serving
2 1/2 cups cooked chicken diced or shredded
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
chopped fresh parsley optional
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the cheese tortellini. Cook refrigerated tortellini for 2-3 minutes, frozen tortellini for 3-5 minutes, or dried tortellini for 10-11 minutes. Reserve a 1/2 cup of the pasta water for thinning the sauce if needed. Drain the tortellini well.
While the water is coming to a boil. Melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute while stirring.
Whisk in the cream and Italian seasoning. Simmer until slightly thickened but do not boil. Reduce the heat as low as it will go and stir in the Parmesan Cheese until melted.
Add the cooked cheese tortellini and shredded chicken, and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. If desired, sprinkle with a little chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
Use refrigerated, frozen, or dried cheese tortellini. The only thing that changes is the cooking time. Cook refrigerated tortellini for 2-3 minutes, frozen tortellini for 3-5 minutes, or dried tortellini for 10-11 minutes.
Don’t boil the tortellini; instead, simmer them.
Reduce the cream mixture by about 1/3. This usually takes about 10-15 minutes, so start working on the sauce while the water is coming to a boil.
For best taste results, grate your own block of Parmesan cheese instead of purchasing pre-grated Parmesan Cheese.
Use the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce if needed. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and use it when reheating leftovers.
Nutrition
Calories: 735kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 185mg | Sodium: 816mg | Potassium: 230mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1337IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 328mg | Iron: 3mg