This is the weeknight dinner that belongs in permanent rotation. Diced chicken seared until golden in a buttered skillet, garlic and zucchini softened in the same pan, chicken broth and heavy cream poured in and brought to a gentle simmer, and then frozen cheese tortellini dropped in directly and cooked in the sauce until tender. Finish with a full jar of pesto, Parmesan, baby spinach, and a squeeze of fresh lemon, and you have a one-pan dinner that is creamy, herby, slightly bright from the lemon, and deeply satisfying in a way that takes twenty minutes and dirties exactly one pot.

The pesto is doing significant work here. A whole small jar stirred into the cream sauce at the end turns a straightforward cream pasta into something that tastes deeply herby and aromatic, and the Parmesan adds a salty, nutty depth that makes the sauce taste slow-cooked.

Ingredients Needed to Make Pesto Chicken Tortellini Skillet

One skillet worth of ingredients. Here’s what you need:

Frozen cheese tortellini (Rosina Foods is the recommended brand; the frozen tortellini cooks directly in the sauce without thawing)
Chicken breast or thighs, diced (thighs stay juicier; breast works equally well)
Olive oil and butter (the combination for searing the chicken)
Creole Trinity and Herb seasoning and onion powder (the seasoning on the chicken before searing)
Salt and pepper
Garlic cloves, minced (added with the zucchini after the chicken is seared)
Zucchini, diced small (adds texture and a mild, fresh vegetable element)
Chicken broth (the liquid base the tortellini cooks in)
Heavy cream (the rich, creamy component of the sauce)
Pesto, one small jar (the herby, garlic-forward ingredient that transforms the cream sauce)
Parmesan, grated (adds salty, nutty depth and helps thicken the sauce slightly)
Baby spinach (wilted in at the end with no cooking required beyond the residual heat)
Fresh lemon juice (the brightening finish that makes the dish taste vibrant rather than heavy)
Crushed red pepper flakes, optional

How to Make Creamy Pesto Chicken Tortellini

1

Sear the Chicken
Heat the large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter together and let the butter melt and foam. Add the diced chicken and season immediately with the Creole Trinity and Herb seasoning, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Spread into a single layer and let it sear undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes to develop golden color before stirring. Continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through and golden. The fond left on the bottom of the pan from the sear will dissolve into the cream sauce and add depth.

2

Add the Aromatics
Add the minced garlic and diced zucchini directly to the skillet with the seared chicken. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant and the zucchini has begun to soften slightly. Don’t let the garlic brown.

3

Build the Sauce
Pour the chicken broth and heavy cream into the skillet. Stir to combine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

4

Cook the Tortellini
Add the frozen cheese tortellini directly into the simmering cream broth without thawing. Stir to submerge as much of the tortellini as possible and cover the skillet. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tortellini is completely tender and the sauce has thickened slightly as the tortellini releases starch.

5

Finish the Sauce
Reduce the heat to low. Add the pesto, grated Parmesan, baby spinach, and fresh lemon juice. Stir gently until the pesto is fully incorporated into the cream sauce, the Parmesan has melted, and the spinach has wilted completely into the dish. Add the crushed red pepper flakes if using. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.

6

Serve
Serve directly from the skillet into wide, shallow bowls with extra grated Parmesan and cracked black pepper over the top. Serve immediately while the sauce is creamy and hot.

Creamy Pesto Chicken Tortellini Skillet

This creamy pesto chicken tortellini skillet cooks diced chicken, frozen cheese tortellini, zucchini, and spinach in a pesto cream sauce in one pan in 20 minutes.

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Ingredients

1/2 38 oz bag Rosina Foods Cheese Tortellini frozen
1–1½ lbs chicken breast or chicken thighs diced
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp Creole Trinity & Herb seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
Salt + pepper to taste
3–4 cloves garlic minced
1 small zucchini diced small
1¼ cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 small jar 6oz pesto
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1–2 hand fulls baby spinach
1 lemon squeezed
Optional: crushed red pepper flakes
Extra parmesan for topping

Instructions

Heat a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter.
Add diced chicken and season with Creole Trinity & Herb, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sear until golden brown and cooked through.
Add garlic and zucchini. Cook for 2–3 minutes until slightly softened.
Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream and a little more seasoning. Stir together and bring to a gentle simmer.
Add the frozen Rosina Foods Cheese Tortellini directly into the skillet. Stir, cover, and let simmer for about 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tortellini is tender.
Lower heat and stir in pesto, parmesan cheese, spinach, lemon juice, and optional red pepper flakes. Stir until creamy and the spinach is wilted.
Top with extra parmesan and cracked black pepper before serving.