Crockpot Chicken Tortellini (Printer-friendly)
Tender chicken and cheese tortellini in a creamy slow-cooked vegetable sauce for effortless weeknight dinners.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lb), cut into large chunks
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 cups fresh baby spinach
03 - 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
04 - 1 cup celery, diced
05 - 1 medium onion, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Broth, Soup & Cream
07 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
08 - 1 can (10 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
→ Pasta
10 - 18 oz refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
→ Spices & Seasonings
11 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend
12 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
→ Optional Garnish
14 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - Fresh parsley, chopped
# How-To Guide:
01 - Arrange the chicken pieces, sliced carrots, diced celery, onion, and minced garlic evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - Pour in the chicken broth and condensed cream of chicken soup. Sprinkle in the dried Italian herbs, black pepper, and salt. Stir everything together until well combined.
03 - Secure the lid and cook on the low setting for 4 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and the vegetables have softened.
04 - Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
05 - Stir in the cheese tortellini, heavy cream, and fresh baby spinach. Fold gently to incorporate without breaking the pasta.
06 - Cover and switch the slow cooker to the high setting. Cook for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, until the tortellini is tender and the spinach has wilted.
07 - Taste the dish and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You literally toss everything in, walk away for four hours, and come back to something that tastes like you stood over a stove all afternoon.
- The cheese tortellini soaking up that creamy broth is the kind of comfort food moment that makes everyone go quiet at the dinner table.
02 -
- Frozen tortellini needs five to ten extra minutes and tends to release more starch, which actually thickens the broth in a delicious way.
- Do not be tempted to add the tortellini at the beginning with everything else, because four hours of slow cooking will turn it into complete mush.
03 -
- Sear the chicken chunks in a hot skillet for two minutes before adding them to the crockpot for a depth of flavor that is absolutely worth the extra pan.
- Stir the cream in slowly and off the heat if possible, because cold cream dumped directly into hot liquid can curdle and look broken.