Creamy Parmesan Chicken and Spinach Tortellini.
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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Creamy Parmesan Chicken and Spinach Tortellini
Every bite is layered with delicious flavors...an easy no-fuss dinner that everyone will love!
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.
Our Favorite Recipes
Potato and Wild Mushroom Burrata Pizza.
Good morning! This looks amazing and I would love to make it this weekend but I cannot Pin or print it…
Hey Wende,
Sorry you are having issues, but everything is working on our end:) I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
will be making this soon with few subs will dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya
Hope you love the recipe Ramya!!
DISREGARD! it finally worked! Thank you for all the amazing recipes!!!
Awesome!! Thanks Wende!
Can’t wait to try this recipe, thanks very much!
I hope you love the recipe Carmen!! xTieghan
This recipe looks amazing! What could I use in place of the dry white wine as I do not use alcohol when I cook?
Hey Esra,
You can use chicken broth in place of the wine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can this be made ahead of time?
Hey Betsy,
How far in advance do you want to make this? My only concern would be the chicken might dry out. I hope you enjoy the recipe! xTieghan
Hi! Love your recipes. Can I use 1/2 and 1/2 instead of heavy cream on this? Or would it be better to use coconut milk? Those are my two options and gone are the days that I run to the store for one item. thanks!
Hey Michaela,
I think either one would be great, you could even do a combo of the two! I hope you love the dish, let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
So you cook the tortellini before addin to the rest of the ingredients
Hey Suzanne,
Since the recipe calls for fresh tortellini, it will cook if you follow the instructions as is, no need to cook it ahead of time. I hope you enjoy the recipe, let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
This was awesome, my husband and I loved it!!!
Hey Donna,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Nice recipe!
I buy large packages of boneless skinless chicken breast then cut and pound.
Depending on size of breast cut in half or third.
Use a plastic shopping bag and flat tenderising mallet and pound all chicken thin.
Wrap filets individually in plastic wrap
Stack and freeze.
Filets thaw very fast and would work perfectly on this recipe.
Thanks so much!
Looks amazing, definitely gonna try!
What do you think about making this with shrimp?
Hey Pamela,
Thanks! I think shrimp would work well here, I would just adjust your time accordingly. I hope you love the dish, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
The recipe information states that it is 6 servings but the recipe only calls for 4 cutlets. For 6 servings, wouldn’t I need 6 cutlets?
Thank you!
Hey Teresa,
If you want each person to have their own cutlet then yes I would use 6. I hope you love the dish, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can’t wait to make this!
PLMK what skillet(s) you recommend. I need something that can go from stovetop to oven.
Thank you!
Hey Kelly,
Here is the link for my go to skillet:
https://api.shopstyle.com/action/apiVisitRetailer?id=859417890&pid=uid3696-43323264-41&aid=43342403&utm_content=productwidget%3A600f09db1486e86780d93490&utm_medium=referral
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Everything came together beautifully. Full of flavor and just so delicious.
Hey Colleen,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Hey! Thanks for the recipe, looks quite delicious. I have frozen tortellini- do you recommend thawing it or throwing it in at the same time in the recipe as fresh tortellini?
Hey James,
You can add it as is, the tortellini will thaw and cook in the dish. I hope you enjoy the recipe! xTieghan
This was VERY good! My husband loved it and even had seconds!! I added mushrooms with the shallots and a little more olive oil to account for them…and I will also add the spinach when I put back in the chicken next time, we like our spinach not so dark green. Great recipe!!
Hey Tanya,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday💕 xTieghan
Is there an error in the recipe? It says 6 servings but only 4 pieces of chicken? I feel like I should increase the amount of each ingredient for a family of 4.
No Error! just use 4-6 chicken cutlets. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Look very good I can wait to doit
Thanks so much Betsy! xTieghan
To Alana, Tieghan answered the same question you had, that Teresa asked….Please check out Tieghans response.
Am I cooking the tortellini first?
Hey Kim,
The recipe calls for fresh tortellini, so you do not need to cook it first, you can follow the recipe as is:) xTieghan
Made this tonight. So good!
Thanks so much for trying the recipe Holly! xTieghan
Very tasty. Have requests to have this weekly! Lol
Hey Chantal,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Have the best weekend☀️ xTieghan
Can you use canned milk instead of canned coconut? Or Whole milk instead of cream?
Hey Rebecca,
Sure, any of those would work. I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
So tasty! My family loved it !
So glad to hear this!! xTieghan
Easy recipe and the results are AMAZING!
So good you want to lick your plate !
Hey Ingrid,
Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Easy. Tasty. I added sautéed mushrooms.
Thanks so much Ken! xTieghan
To quote my husband, “oh man, I would bath in that sauce”. Soo fragrant and delicious.
Hey Pam,
I am absolutely delighted that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for making it! Have the best week☀️ xTieghan
Another beautiful and tasty dish. Made this tonight for my son and husband. They loved it and it was so easy.
Hey Carole,
I am absolutely delighted that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for making it! Have the best week☀️ xTieghan
Super easy to put together and delicious! Easy enough to pull off on a weeknight too!
Hey Leigh,
I am absolutely delighted that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for making it! Have the best week☀️ xTieghan
Made this tonight and it is freaking amazing! The flavors are perfect, but the best part is how quick and simple the recipe is. I left out the tortellini and just served it over pasta. Seriously delicious!
Hey Julie,
I am absolutely delighted that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for making it! Have the best week☀️ xTieghan
This is heaven ! Creamy and savory and totally satisfying.
Hey Paige,
I am absolutely delighted that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for making it! Have the best week☀️ xTieghan
THIS is the BEST Meal I Have ever Had!!!!! Super delicious and easy. Can hardly wait to make it again in the dinner rotation. Thanks
Hey Susan,
Thanks for making this recipe! I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
This was an absolutely glorious dinner! Soooo delicious! My British/Polish husband who–for context–won’t eat anything that isn’t a potato or a bland pierogi, gave it a 10/10. Unsolicited! He went back for thirds, and I hid the leftovers in the back of the fridge so I could eat them for breakfast. Thank you, Tieghan, for giving me a Sure Thing to add to the repertoire! xo
Hey Marie,
Thanks for making this recipe! I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
Curious why no pin ability?
Hey there,
You should be able to pin for Pinterest:) It is working on our end!
This turned out so amazing! We added capers for an additional tangy, salty taste.
100% recommend!
Hey Leah,
Thanks for making this recipe! I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
Delicious!! Added 8 oz sliced baby Bella mushrooms. Will make this again & again!
Hey Diane,
Thanks for making this recipe! I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
Delicious! And very easy!
Thanks so much Sara! xTieghan
I made this over the weekend! Girlfriend and I loved it! That sauce is incredible!! Only thing ,I did extra was zest the lemon and add to the sauce for a nice zing! Thanks. I’ve made a few of your dishes and the always turn out wonderfully.
Hey John,
Thanks for making this recipe! I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
Made this tonight. My family enjoyed it and I would make it again with a few changes. I bought thin chicken cutlets but the chicken used up the oil and were getting dry so I took them out before they were fully cooked. I would cut the chicken into smaller pieces so it would cook faster and use up less of the oil. When I added the tortellini, there wasn’t enough liquid to submerge the tortellini so I would add more chicken broth. By the time the tortellini and chicken were cooked through, the tortellini had absorbed most of the liquid so it was a big glop.
, not saucy as the directions state. Flavor was good but it needs some tweaks.
Thanks for trying the recipe Gina! xTieghan
This recipe is amazing! The flavours all work so well together and the chicken is tender and tasty! Thank you!
Hey Wendy,
Thanks for making this recipe! I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
I made the chciekn tortellini spinach for a group of friends last night wow a real hit and so easy
Hey Karen,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! ☘️ xTieghan
Hi, If I wanted to make this with oyster (or black trumpet) mushrooms instead of chicken, how many ounces/lbs. would you suggest? And would you perhaps add more spinach in this case? Thanks in advance!
Hey Jenny,
I would do 2-3 cups of mushrooms to your liking and totally more spinach would be great! I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Made this last Sunday! It was fab, everyone loved it!
One thing I’d change is replace the double cream with single or maybe even evaporated milk and some cornflour to thicken. That’s just my head always looking for ways to cut unnecessary calories 😊
Hey Victoria,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
This was so tasty! This meal came together in 30 minutes with many ingredients I already had in my fridge. Adding this to the rotation!
Hey Liza,
I am so glad that you liked this recipe, thanks for giving it a go! Happy Friday🌷 xTieghan
Made this for dinner tonight and it was so yummy!
Hey Karie,
I am so glad that you liked this recipe, thanks for giving it a go! Happy Friday🌷 xTieghan
I make your recipes all the time but wow this one was soooo good! We’ll definitely be making this again!
Hey Sophie,
I am so glad that you liked this recipe, thanks for giving it a go! Happy Friday🌷 xTieghan
This was soooo good. We both had seconds and devoured it.
Hey Liz,
Thanks a lot for making this recipe, it makes me so glad that it was enjoyed. Have the best weekend!! xTieghan
I’d love to make this next week, but I only have dry/store-bought tortellini, not fresh. In this situation, do you recommend that I cook the tortellini prior to putting it into the sauce, or just boiling it longer in the skillet? Thank you!
Hey Alexandra,
I would cook the tortellini according to package instructions and then add to the skillet. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I just made this, and it is absolutely incredible! Perfect, and I would not change a thing! Definitely a beautiful dish that would be dazzling enough to serve to guests!
Hey Madonna,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Outstanding! We loved it.
So glad to hear this Linda!! xTieghan
I made this for my fiancé and I tonight and it was delicious! Flavorful but still a light meal. Will definitely be adding into our meal rotation!
Hey Morganne,
I really appreciate you giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed.🌷 xTieghan
Tiegan,
I think this just may be the very best recipe you have come up with. It was truly delicious and it also reheated well the next day. It is a real keeper.
Thanks
Hey Bruce,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This recipe was AMAZING. All the flavors worked so well together. My fiancé (who isn’t a fan of vegetables) liked the spinach in the dish! I will definitely be making this again!!
Hey Zoe,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Sounds so yummy! Thoughts on using frozen spinach instead of fresh? Would you thaw and add at the same point?
Hey Ashlee,
Frozen spinach would work just fine, I would thaw and drain before adding. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Oh man, we just made this and this was one of those things I sat back and said, “man! I can’t believe I made this!” It was my favorite recipe yet! My kids and husband loved it too! Like cleaned the plate loved it! This is for sure a recipe to try and keep! Absolutely delicious!
Hey Kaitlin,
I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
I can confirm it was delicious !
Hey Lisa,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
So yummy!!!
Thanks so much Karen! xTieghan
This was incredible- restaurant worthy! Possibly the best dish I’ve made and it was a breeze to make. I did do one sub and that was rigatoni instead or tortelini and it was perfect
Hey Parker,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! xTieghan
I just made this recipe and it was excellent! The taste was really exceptional. Good job!
Hey Randy,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so excited that it was enjoyed! Happy Friday! xTieghan
how many does this serve?
Hey Beth,
This recipe makes 6 servings. I hope you love the dish, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Time to buy your recipe book, my printer is worn out from all these yummy recipes 🙂
Thanks so much Kelly❤️
I made this dish for my family last week. It was delicious. I followed the recipe but added a cup or two more of spinach. My kids (ages 8 and 4) loved it (minus the spinach). We will make this again. Thank you!
Hey Andrea,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I am delighted that it was enjoyed!! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
Tieghen! I made this recipe last week and then your Key Lime Pie recipe for dessert. They were soooo delicious that my husband almost fell off of his chair. Thank you for taking my cooking to a (much) higher & improved level!
Hey Maria,
So so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
It was so good! Thank you for the recipe! 😃
Hey Johanna,
So great to hear! Love that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for making it! Have a great week🌟 xTieghan
The only thing better than this dish for dinner is this dinner for lunch the next day! Amazing!
Jennie
Hey Jennie,
So great to hear! Love that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for making it! Have a great week🌟 xTieghan
I’m looking forward to making this tonight or tomorrow! Can I sub orzo in place of the tortellini? Do I need to cook the orzo separately and then just combine for serving?
Hey Kristin,
Yes, that would work well, I would cook on the side and then add to the final dish. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Incredible! I can’t wait to make this for everyone I know. It hits the spot and satisfies the taste buds with so many incredible flavors. (I used rice wine since I didn’t have any white wine on hand, so I’ll be sure to try that next.) It also only took a half hour to put together. A recipe to keep forever!
Hey Sophia,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Monday! xTieghan
It turned out incredible! Very simple recipe with delicious results! Thank you 😍
Hey Shana,
Thanks so much! I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
Making this tonight but someone in my family does not care for thyme, what would you recommend in place of it?
Hey Michaela,
Another herb you enjoy will work in place of the thyme! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
i made this for company and then had the pleasure of pasing this recipe onto a few friends who all raved about it,, thanks for these awesome recipes
Hey Karen,
Happy Monday! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
This is a perfect 10! Taste is amazing. The creativity and ease of your recipes are wonderful. Thanks for new ideas in the kitchen.
Hey Candy,
I am so glad this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xxTieghan