Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Tortellini (Printable)
Creamy slow-cooked tortellini with tender chicken, pesto, spinach and melty mozzarella for a comforting weeknight meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats & Protein
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lb), cubed
02 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (about 7 oz)
03 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1.8 oz)
→ Pasta
04 - 21 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
→ Vegetables
05 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauces & Dairy
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 3/4 cup basil pesto sauce (store-bought or homemade)
11 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
→ Seasonings
12 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
13 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
14 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Lightly coat the inside of a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray or a thin layer of oil.
02 - Spread the cubed chicken breasts evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker and season with salt and black pepper.
03 - Scatter the finely chopped onion and minced garlic over the chicken, then layer the halved cherry tomatoes and chopped spinach on top.
04 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, chicken broth, and basil pesto until smooth and well blended.
05 - Pour the pesto cream mixture evenly over the layered ingredients in the slow cooker.
06 - Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of Parmesan over the sauce, then stir gently to combine all ingredients.
07 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on the LOW setting for 3 hours.
08 - After 3 hours, gently fold in the refrigerated cheese tortellini, re-cover, and continue cooking on LOW for another 45 minutes to 1 hour until the tortellini are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
09 - Top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes until the cheese melts. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes and fresh basil if desired before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The pesto cream sauce tastes like you spent hours reducing it on the stove when the slow cooker actually did everything.
- It freezes surprisingly well so you can make a double batch and have comfort food ready on demand.
- Cheese tortellini absorbs all those flavors and turns into little pockets of joy that make everyone at the table go quiet.
02 -
- Do not add the tortellini at the beginning with everything else or they will dissolve into starchy mush by the time the chicken is done.
- I once used frozen tortellini thinking it would save a trip to the store and the texture turned gummy and unpleasant so stick with refrigerated.
03 -
- Grease your slow cooker insert generously because baked on cream and cheese is a cleaning nightmare you want to avoid at all costs.
- Taste the pesto before you mix it into the cream sauce because brands vary wildly in saltiness and intensity and adjusting early saves the whole dish.