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Creamy Tuscan Chicken Tortellini Bake (Easy Crockpot Dinner Recipe)

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This creamy Tuscan chicken tortellini bake combines tender chicken, cheesy tortellini, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach in a rich, velvety sauce—all made effortlessly in the crockpot. It’s a comforting, crowd-pleasing Italian-inspired dinner perfect for busy weeknights or special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 20 oz refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
  • 3–4 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and thinly sliced
  • 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • Fresh basil, chopped or torn, for garnish (optional)
  • Extra Parmesan, for serving

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken dry and cut into large bite-size pieces (about 1.5-inch cubes). Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and slice the sun-dried tomatoes. Roughly chop the spinach if desired.
  2. Add chicken pieces to the bottom of a 5-6 quart slow cooker. Season with salt, pepper, and half the Italian seasoning. Top with onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. Do not add tortellini yet.
  3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream, chicken broth, cream cheese, remaining Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes until mostly smooth.
  4. Pour the cream mixture evenly over the chicken and veggies in the crockpot. Gently stir to combine, ensuring chicken is mostly covered by liquid.
  5. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours, until chicken is cooked through and tender. Stir once or twice during cooking if possible.
  6. 20-30 minutes before serving, stir in tortellini and half the Parmesan cheese. Re-cover and cook on high until tortellini is just tender and sauce is thickened.
  7. Squeeze in lemon juice, stir, and taste for seasoning. Adjust salt, pepper, or add a splash of broth if needed. Top with remaining Parmesan and fresh basil before serving.
  8. Let rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving to thicken the sauce.

Notes

Add tortellini only at the end to prevent mushiness. Use room temperature cream cheese for a smooth sauce. Adjust liquid as needed based on your slow cooker. For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream or Greek yogurt for cream cheese. Gluten-free pasta can be used if needed (cook separately and add at the end).

Nutrition

Keywords: Tuscan chicken, crockpot, slow cooker, tortellini bake, creamy pasta, Italian dinner, easy weeknight meal, comfort food, family dinner, one-pot meal

Find it online: https://realityeats.com/creamy-tuscan-chicken-tortellini-bake-easy-crockpot-dinner-recipe/