CrockPot Chicken Tortellini
This CrockPot Chicken Tortellini delivers silky, restaurant-quality creaminess with tender chicken and perfectly cooked tortellini all from one pot with minimal effort. It’s kid-friendly, flexible, and freezer-smart for busy weeknights.
Equipment
- Crockpot
- Forks
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1.5-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs (thighs = juicier)
- 1 small onion finely diced or 1 tsp onion powder
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced or 1 tsp garlic powder
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp dried basil optional
- 1/2-1 tsp kosher salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 8 oz cream cheese cut into cubes, light or regular
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half (milk works; sauce will be lighter)
- 1/2-3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 18-20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini (frozen also works; see FAQs)
- 2 cups baby spinach roughly chopped, optional
- 1-2 tbsp cornstarch optional for thicker sauce
- 2 tbsp cold water for cornstarch slurry, optional
- red pepper flakes optional for heat
- lemon zest optional for brightness
Instructions
- Lightly spray the CrockPot with cooking spray for easier cleanup.
- Add onion, garlic, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Nestle chicken breasts or thighs into the seasoned broth.
- Cook on Low for 4–5 hours or on High for 2–3 hours, until chicken reaches 165°F and shreds easily.
- Transfer chicken to a plate and shred with two forks. Return it to the CrockPot.
- Add cream cheese cubes and Parmesan. Cover and cook on High for 10–15 minutes to melt, then stir until smooth.
- For a thicker sauce, stir in a cornstarch slurry (1–2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water). Cook on High for 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Pour in heavy cream or half-and-half. Stir to combine.
- Stir in refrigerated tortellini and spinach. Cook on High for 15–25 minutes, stirring once, until tortellini is just tender. Avoid overcooking.
- Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. A pinch of lemon zest brightens the sauce.
- Turn off heat and let sit 5 minutes; this helps the sauce cling to the pasta.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with extra Parmesan and cracked pepper.
Notes
Choose thighs for juicier chicken and add tortellini only at the end to avoid mushiness. This recipe is freezer-smart if you freeze the chicken base separately.