Description
A rich, comforting Italian-American pasta dish with tender cheese tortellini and garlic parmesan cream sauce prêt in 20 minutes. Quick, high-protein, and restaurant-quality with a cheese-pull finish.
Ingredients
1 lb Chicken Breast, cut into 1-inch bite-sized pieces
20 oz Cheese Tortellini (fresh or refrigerated preferred)
2 cups Heavy Cream (full-fat for best sauce stability)
4 cloves Garlic, freshly minced for pungent aroma
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated (aged preferred)
4 tbsp Butter
Salt to taste
Ground Black Pepper to taste
1 tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley, for garnish
4 oz Fresh Mozzarella, cubed
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook tortellini according to package instructions until tender (about 3-4 minutes). Drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.
Heat 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and sauté with garlic, cooking until golden and just done (4-5 minutes). Set chicken aside.
Melt remaining 2 tbsp butter in the same skillet, add heavy cream, and simmer over low heat until slightly thickened (2-3 minutes). Gradually stir in parmesan until smooth and emulsified.
Return chicken to the pan, add drained tortellini and a splash of pasta water if needed. Toss to coat in the sauce
Stir in cubed mozzarella and remove from heat. Fold until cheese is melted and sauce is glossy.
Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
Use fresh mozzarella for optimal melting consistency
Refrigerated tortellini reduces overall cook time by ~50%
Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce thickness if needed
Aged parmesan enhances the sauce’s depth of flavor
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 100mg