Creamy Pesto Tortellini Skillet (Printable)

Tender cheese tortellini and rotisserie chicken in a creamy pesto sauce. A quick, flavor-packed Italian-American skillet dinner for four.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta & Protein

01 - 1 (20 oz) package shelf-stable cheese tortellini
02 - 2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded with skin and bones removed

→ Sauce

03 - 1 cup heavy cream
04 - 1/2 cup basil pesto
05 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables & Garnish

08 - 2 cups baby spinach
09 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large skillet of salted water to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions, typically 3–4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
02 - In the same skillet, pour heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Stir in pesto and Parmesan until smooth and slightly thickened, approximately 2 minutes.
03 - Add shredded rotisserie chicken and cooked tortellini to the skillet. Stir to coat evenly with the sauce.
04 - Fold in baby spinach and cherry tomatoes. Cook for 1–2 minutes until spinach is wilted and sauce is creamy and bubbling.
05 - Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil leaves and extra Parmesan as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Its ready in 25 minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • The one-skillet method means you spend less time cleaning and more time eating
  • Rotisserie chicken shortcuts your prep work without sacrificing flavor
02 -
  • Dont let the cream come to a rolling boil or it might separate and turn grainy
  • Spinach looks like a mountain when you add it but wilts down dramatically in seconds
03 -
  • Save some pasta water in case your sauce gets too thick
  • Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly than cold from the fridge
Go Back