Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Tortellini (Printable version)

Comforting slow-cooked tortellini with chicken, creamy pesto sauce and melted cheeses for an easy one-pot dinner.

# What you'll need:

→ Meats & Protein

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lb), cubed
02 - 2 cups (about 7 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
03 - 1/2 cup (about 1.8 oz) grated Parmesan cheese

→ Pasta

04 - 21 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini

→ Vegetables

05 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauces & Dairy

09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 3/4 cup basil pesto sauce (store-bought or homemade)
11 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

→ Seasonings

12 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
13 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
14 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Lightly grease the inside of a 5-6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray or a thin coat of oil.
02 - Spread the cubed chicken evenly across the base of the slow cooker. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Scatter the finely chopped onion and minced garlic over the seasoned chicken.
04 - Arrange the halved cherry tomatoes and roughly chopped baby spinach over the aromatics.
05 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, low-sodium chicken broth, and basil pesto sauce until smooth and well combined.
06 - Pour the pesto cream mixture evenly over the layered ingredients in the slow cooker.
07 - Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan over the sauce.
08 - Stir gently to combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours.
09 - After 3 hours, gently fold in the refrigerated cheese tortellini until evenly distributed.
10 - Re-cover and continue cooking on LOW for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the tortellini are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
11 - Scatter the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over the top. Cover and let the cheese melt for 5 minutes before serving.
12 - Finish with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes and fresh basil leaves if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The slow cooker does nearly all the work while you go about your day, and the result tastes like you stood over a stove for hours.
  • That creamy pesto sauce clings to every tortellini like it was meant to be there, making each bite ridiculously comforting.
02 -
  • Do not add the tortellini at the beginning with everything else, or they will turn to mush by the time the chicken is done.
  • Resist lifting the slow cooker lid repeatedly, because each time you peek you add roughly 15 to 20 minutes to the cooking time.
03 -
  • Grease your slow cooker generously at the start, because burnt cheese on ceramic is a cleaning nightmare you do not want to face at ten oclock at night.
  • Let the finished casserole rest uncovered for five minutes before scooping, because it thickens up beautifully and holds its shape on the plate instead of spreading into a soupy puddle.

Return