Marry Me Chicken Tortellini: Creamy, cheesy pasta with juicy chicken, herby sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach—all in one pan for a deliciously easy meal.
The Best Marry Me Chicken Tortellini
Two of my all-time favorite comfort foods are Marry Me Chicken and Chicken Tortellini. I had to combine them, and the result blew me away. This dish has everything you love about creamy tortellini, with the bold flavor of Marry Me Chicken.
It’s rich and satisfying but lighter than most creamy pastas—no heavy cream or half-and-half, and you won’t even miss them!
Ingredients
- Butter: Go with unsalted to make sure you can control the saltiness.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: I use the oil for extra flavor. Buy pre-chopped to save time.
- Mushrooms: Baby Bella mushrooms work best.
- Minced garlic: Use jarred garlic to save time.
- Flour: Helps thicken the sauce. Whisk until smooth to keep sauce smooth.
- Seasonings: Bring out bold flavors.
- Milk: Whole milk works best.
- Chicken broth: Use a good-quality brand for the best flavor.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds saltiness and rich flavor.
- Cheese-filled tortellini: Rana® is my favorite.
- Rotisserie chicken: You can also use leftover baked or grilled chicken.
- Baby spinach: Brings color and freshness.
How To Make Marry Me Chicken Tortellini
- Preheat & Cook Veggies: Use chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil for more flavor.
- Make Sauce: Slowly add the liquid while whisking to keep the sauce smooth.
- Mix Together: Use fresh tortellini from the fridge so it cooks evenly.
- Bake & Finish: Stir halfway to help everything cook evenly.
- Serve & Store: Tortellini absorbs sauce over time, so it’s best eaten fresh.
Recipe Shortcuts
- Use store-bought rotisserie chicken or, even better, pre-shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Buy sliced mushrooms to skip chopping.
- Grab pre-washed baby spinach to save time.
- Get grated Parmesan from the deli so you don’t have to grate it.
What To Serve With Marry Me Chicken Tortellini
- Italian Salad: Fresh greens with a light dressing.
- Roasted Veggies: Try asparagus, Brussels sprouts, or broccoli.
- Foccacia: Perfect for soaking up the sauce.
- Green Beans: Tossed with almonds and garlic.
- Caprese Salad: Mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and balsamic glaze.
- Quinoa Salad: Mixed with lemon, herbs, and veggies.
Storage
Leftovers?
Marry Me Chicken Tortellini is best served hot, straight from the oven!
As it cools, the pasta soaks up the sauce, making it less saucy.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
When reheating, add a splash of broth to bring the sauce back to its original texture.
More Easy One-Pan Dinners:
- One-Pan Tikka Masala cozy and full of flavor
- One-Pot Spaghetti pasta cooks right in the sauce
- Baked Ravioli Lasagna with store-bought short-cuts
- Sausage Tortellini Bake tastes like a restaurant meal
- One Pan Italian Sausage and Veggies a reader favorite
Marry Me Chicken Tortellini
Marry Me Chicken Tortellini features creamy, cheesy pasta with tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach—all in one pan for and easy, irresistible meal!
Equipment
- Oven-safe pan 3.5-quart
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes plus 1 tbsp oil, see note 1
- 8 ounces mushrooms thinly sliced, I love Baby Bella
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional, add to heat preference, up to 1/2 tsp
- 1-1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 7/8 cup grated Parmesan 7/8 cup = 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp; divided, see note 2
- 9 ounces refrigerated Rana’s tortellini 2-1/2 cups, see note 3
- 1-1/2 cups shredded/diced rotisserie chicken see note 4
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach coarsely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle and preheat to 425°F.
- In a large (3.5 quart) oven-safe pan over medium-high heat, heat 1 tbsp oil from the sun-dried tomatoes. Add mushrooms and cook for 2–3 minutes. Then add sun-dried tomatoes and cook another 2–3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer everything to a separate plate.
- In the same pan, melt remaining 4 tbsp butter. Sprinkle flour over the melted butter and whisk briskly until smooth. Continue cooking and whisking constantly for 1–2 minutes. Stir in Italian seasoning, paprika, red pepper flakes (if using), plus salt and pepper to taste.
- While whisking constantly, very gradually pour in the milk and chicken broth until the mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3–5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and gradually add 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese at a time, stirring until melted.
- Return the cooked veggies (along with accumulated liquid) to the pan. Add rotisserie chicken, tortellini, and chopped spinach. Gently stir to combine, ensuring the tortellini is submerged in the liquid as much as possible and smooth into an even layer.
- Place pan in oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven, stir everything well, and press into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons of Parmesan over the top and bake for an additional 3 minutes.
- Remove from oven, season with additional salt and pepper if needed, and garnish with fresh herbs if desired. Serve immediately for best results, as the tortellini will continue to absorb the sauce if left to sit.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, preferably julienne cut and packed in herbs for extra flavor.
Note 2: Use fresh Parmesan from the deli section or grate from a block of Parmesan using the small holes of a cheese grater.
Note 3: Fresh refrigerated tortellini that cooks in boiling water within 4–5 minutes is recommended for accurate timing and liquid quantities.
Note 4: Any leftover cooked chicken, particularly herbed rotisserie chicken, works well in this recipe.
Storage: Best served immediately! Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a splash of broth to bring the sauce back to its original texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 652kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 1135mg | Potassium: 1385mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 2449IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 478mg | Iron: 12mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you use the Parm cheese that you shake out or the kind that melts? I hope thats not a stupid question
Not stupid at all! The kind that melts (I freshly grate)
Used at least another cup of liquid before putting it in the oven (milk an broth)
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed! 🙂
The flavors in this dish are absolutely perfect together! I always enjoying trying new meals; this one instantly secured a spot on the menu rotation!
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment Kat 🙂
Made this for the first time tonight and it was delicious. My sun dried tomatoes were not in oil but I figured I’m adding oil to cook it in any way and it worked out fine. Also, I only had roughly a cup of spinach so I took some frozen chopped kale out of the freezer and ran a little water over it until it was thawed and added a cup of that to make up the difference. (I also did this to give the dish more variety as we do not like mushrooms so those were not added either) I say that so that if someone else wants to make the dish without all the ingredients listed that it is still very tasty and a versatile dish indeed! We loved it! Thank you so much for this recipe. I’m sure I will make it again.
I’m so happy to hear you guys loved this so much! Thanks so much for taking the time to write this comment Saundra! 🙂
Amazing recipe! The family loved it!!????
Yay! So happy to hear! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
Hi, I’m a little confused on the Pasta. Is the pasta uncooked or cooked but refrigerated?
Uncooked and refrigerated
I’ve made it with and without chicken, We actually liked it better without. Delicious!
Glad to hear that! Thanks for the comment and review Mary 🙂
Delicious! My whole family loved it! Poached chicken while sautéing the veg & sauce & was all ready to combine at the same time.
So happy to hear that! Thanks Maggie for the comment and review 🙂
This looks yummy! Can I prepare this in a skillet, transfer to a baking dish and bake? And if I want to make it a 9×13 size, would I double the ingredients? Thanks!
You can! I’m not sure on how much you’ll need to fill a 9×13 pan; sorry I’ve never tried that for this recipe! I’d think either 1.5 to 2x the recipe.
Can pasta be substituted for the tortellini?
This was an excellent dinner dish, wife loved it!
I’ve never tried pasta for the tortellini, it would need to be partially cooked beforehand though and likely need a different amount of liquid (I’m not sure all the amounts/changes without personally testing). Glad this dish was enjoyed 🙂