Description
A quick and flavorful one-pot meal combining juicy chicken, cheesy tortellini, and a rich spicy garlic butter sauce. Perfect for weeknights, this dish is creamy, indulgent, and ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
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1 ½ lbs (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
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2 tbsp olive oil
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1 tsp smoked paprika
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½ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
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1 tsp garlic powder
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½ tsp onion powder
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1 tsp salt
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½ tsp black pepper
For the Sauce and Pasta:
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4 tbsp unsalted butter
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5 cloves garlic, minced
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1 tsp red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
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½ cup chicken broth
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1 cup heavy cream
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½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
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Juice and zest of 1 lemon
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2 tbsp hot sauce (such as sriracha)
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20 oz (570 g) cheese tortellini (fresh or refrigerated)
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½ cup reserved pasta water (if needed)
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2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
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Season Chicken: Coat chicken with smoked paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
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Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 6–8 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
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Make Garlic Butter Base: Reduce heat to medium. Melt butter, add garlic and red pepper flakes, sauté 30 seconds.
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Build Sauce: Add chicken broth, scrape pan, then stir in cream, Parmesan, lemon juice/zest, and hot sauce. Cook 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
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Cook Tortellini: Add tortellini directly into sauce. Cover and simmer 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pasta water if sauce gets too thick.
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Combine and Serve: Return chicken, toss to coat. Simmer 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve hot.
Notes
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Adjust spice level by increasing or reducing cayenne, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes.
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Use shrimp, sausage, or rotisserie chicken instead of chicken breast for variety.
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Add spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, or roasted red peppers for extra nutrition.
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Stir in mascarpone or cream cheese for a creamier finish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Pasta
- Method: One-Pot, Stovetop
- Cuisine: American Fusion, Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (¼–⅙ of recipe)
- Calories: 610 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 145 mg
Keywords: one-pot spicy garlic butter chicken tortellini, garlic butter chicken tortellini, spicy chicken pasta