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:
1 ½ lbs (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
For the Sauce and Pasta:
4 tbsp unsalted butter
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
½ cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp hot sauce (such as sriracha)
20 oz (570 g) cheese tortellini (fresh or refrigerated)
½ cup reserved pasta water (if needed)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
Season Chicken: Coat chicken with smoked paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
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.
Make Garlic Butter Base: Reduce heat to medium. Melt butter, add garlic and red pepper flakes, sauté 30 seconds.
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.
Cook Tortellini: Add tortellini directly into sauce. Cover and simmer 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pasta water if sauce gets too thick.
Combine and Serve: Return chicken, toss to coat. Simmer 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve hot.
Notes
Adjust spice level by increasing or reducing cayenne, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes.
Use shrimp, sausage, or rotisserie chicken instead of chicken breast for variety.
Add spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, or roasted red peppers for extra nutrition.
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