Description
This CrockPot Chicken Tortellini is a comforting and easy slow cooker recipe featuring tender chicken breasts cooked in a flavorful marinara sauce with Italian herbs, paired with cheesy tortellini and fresh baby spinach. Finished with creamy mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and a touch of heavy cream for richness, this meal is perfect for a hearty dinner with minimal prep time.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Dairy
- 1 ½ lbs chicken breast (about 4 medium breasts)
- 1 lb cheese tortellini
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Vegetables
- 2 cups baby spinach
Liquids and Sauces
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
Seasonings and Spices
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion granules
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning mix
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
Other
- Olive oil spray
Instructions
- Prepare Slow Cooker: Spray the slow cooker thoroughly with olive oil spray to prevent sticking and to make cleanup easier.
- Arrange Chicken: Place the chicken breasts in a single layer inside the slow cooker to ensure even cooking.
- Add Sauce and Spices: Pour the marinara sauce evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle garlic powder, onion granules, Italian seasoning mix, paprika, and red chili flakes on top.
- Cook Chicken: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and set it to LOW heat. Allow the chicken to cook for approximately 4 hours until it is tender and fully cooked.
- Shred Chicken: Using two forks, shred the cooked chicken breasts directly in the slow cooker to mix well with the sauce.
- Mix Chicken and Sauce: Thoroughly combine the shredded chicken with the marinara sauce inside the cooker to infuse flavors.
- Add Pasta and Dairy: Stir in the cheese tortellini, shredded mozzarella cheese, and heavy cream, making sure everything is evenly distributed.
- Cook Tortellini: Continue cooking on LOW for an additional 30 minutes to cook the tortellini through and melt the cheese.
- Add Spinach: Stir in the baby spinach and cook for 10 more minutes, just enough time for the spinach to wilt but stay vibrant.
- Finish and Season: Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese on top. Taste the dish and adjust the seasoning with salt or pepper if needed before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute fresh tortellini with frozen, just add extra cooking time as needed.
- If your slow cooker runs hot, check the dish at 3 hours to prevent overcooking chicken.
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- This dish stores well and tastes even better the next day after flavors meld.
- Add crushed red pepper or chili flakes for extra heat if preferred.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 530mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: CrockPot Chicken Tortellini, slow cooker chicken recipe, easy dinner recipes, Italian chicken tortellini, creamy chicken pasta
