Description
Creamy Marry Me Tortellini blends bacon, chicken, creamy sauce & tortellini for irresistible comfort in one dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¼ pound bacon, diced (a good smoky kind works best)
- 1 large chicken breast (about 16 ounces), cut into bite-sized pieces
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Coarse ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoons flour (for dredging)
- Olive oil, for cooking (about 1–2 tablespoons)
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 ounces jarred roasted red peppers, sliced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 20 oz fresh tortellini (e.g. spinach & ricotta)
- ½ – 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ½ cup basil leaves, torn or roughly chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken & Bacon
- Season chicken pieces with kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Dust lightly in flour to coat—this helps with browning and thickening.
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook diced bacon until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving bacon fat in the pan.
- Brown the Chicken
- Add a bit of olive oil if needed. Add chicken pieces to the hot skillet. Brown on all sides (about 4–5 minutes), until golden but not fully cooked through. Then remove and set aside with bacon.
- Sauté Aromatics
- Reduce the heat to medium. In the same pan, add sliced onion. Sauté until translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds, until fragrant.
- Build the Sauce Base
- Stir in the jarred roasted red peppers and tomato paste. Cook for a minute or two to allow the tomato paste to deepen.
- Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up browned bits on the bottom. Let the broth simmer for 2–3 minutes.
- Add Tortellini & Finish Cooking
- Add the fresh tortellini to the simmering sauce. If needed, add more broth or water so tortellini can cook properly.
- Stir in red pepper flakes, then return chicken and bacon to the pan. Simmer until tortellini is tender (fresh tortellini cooks quickly, usually in 3–5 minutes).
- Cream & Cheese Finish
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream. Let it warm through but do not let it boil.
- Add grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until melted and sauce is smooth.
- Add Greens and Herbs
- Fold in baby spinach and torn basil leaves. Cook just until the spinach wilts and basil releases its aroma.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or more red pepper flakes as desired.
Notes
Use fresh tortellini rather than dried where possible for best texture—it becomes tender in just a few minutes.
Letting chicken rest a few minutes after browning helps it stay juicy.
Don’t overheat cream after adding the Parmesan, or the sauce may split; low and gentle heat is key.
If your sauce seems too thick, use a splash more chicken broth or a little water to reach the desired consistency.
Parmesan quality matters: fresh-grated rather than the powdered pre-shredded kind gives much better flavor and melting.
Keywords: Marry Me Tortellini