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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.
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.
I have a VERY picky husband, I made this recipe on a whim one night and he loved it! He says he will try anything I make from your website. It is now on our rotating list of weekly dinners and we serve it anytime we have company!
Hey Victoria,
Awesome! So good to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xx
Made this for my husband the other night and we couldn’t believe how good it was! We had to fight each other for the little amount of leftovers we had. Absolutely delicious! Will definitely keep this in my repertoire. Loved.
Hey Mary Ellen,
Happy Labor Day!?? Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This meal was a delight. I was moaning from pure pleasure with each bite!!!!
Everyone at the table was looking at each other with big eyes and saying this meal was very fancy restaurant level flavor and presentation – “Save this recipe!”
I’m a new follower and absolutely LOVE your recipes, Instagram, and website. You are bringing my cooking to a new level of fun and yumminess. Thank Tieghan 🙂
Hey Dru,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe. I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Substitute for White Wine while pregnant? Since it takes too long to cook off the alcohol in it, not worth the risk. Let me know!
Hey Meg,
You can use chicken broth in place of the wine. I hope the recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I had one problem with this recipe – there wasn’t enough liquid to cook all the tortellini. I took it out and cooked it by itself for just a minute them put it back in. Other than that it was delicious! Next time I’ll cook the tortellini before I put it in.
Hey Alice,
Awesome!! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for giving it a try! You want to make sure you are using fresh tortellini:) xTieghan
Can this be made ahead, warmed and then served? I want to double the recipe and serve to my crowd.
Looks delish xo
Amy
Hey Amy,
Sure, that would be just fine to do. I hope the recipe turns out amazing, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
We made this last night – soooo yummy & soooo simple!! My son & his wife will be visiting next week before being stationed in Hawaii – think we will be making this again for them!!
Hey Cheryl,
Wonderful! Thanks so much for making this dish, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Another winner in our house! I don’t know what else to say about it, other than it is delicious and you must make it!
Hey Mallory,
Wonderful! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
So delicious! I didn’t reduce the sauce enough but it was still so tasty. I substituted light cream and it still worked well. Another winner! Thank you.
Hey Katy,
Wonderful! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
I’m making this recipe tonight for 4 adults and 4 kids so 8 total. Should I double it or will it be too much for the skillet?
Hey there,
I would double the recipe but I would use a skillet large enough to hold everything:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This was soo good! Mine didn’t turn out as creamy as the recipe photo but I think I cooked it down too far. Still delicious and so simple!
Hey Abigail,
Happy Friday!! I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
SOOOO good! I’ve made it twice and instead of spinach I’ve been subbing broccoli and letting it cook in the sauce.
Hey Kinley,
Wonderful! I am so glad this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it! Have a lovely week:) xTieghan
This was so good!!! I didn’t have white wine so I subbed in a few tablespoons of sherry. I doubled the recipe in a 9 quart Dutch oven and it was perfect. Thank you Tiegan!
Hey Rochella,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Have the best week:) xTieghan
Super yummy!!! I can’t wait to make this dish again! (Might add some cherry tomatoes…maybe?!) It was delicious left over too!! Amazing recipes!!!
Hey Jessica,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am so excited that it was enjoyed! Cherry tomatoes would be delicious! xxTieghan
My husband and I loved it!!! Had to modify slightly to red wine since that was all that was in the house, but still delicious 🙂 great job with crafting this combo!!
Hey Erin,
Happy Weekend! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
I served this at an event I hosted last night. It was amazing!! Some of my friends never ever give compliments no matter how pleased or impressed they are with something, but those friends complimented the dinner several times during the course of the evening, and it made my heart happy! Will definitely save this recipe for sure!
Hey there,
Awesome! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan