Description
A comforting, slow-cooked dish of chicken, cheese tortellini, and rich marinara sauce, perfect for busy weeknights or casual gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- Olive oil spray
- 1 ½ lbs chicken breast (about 4 medium breasts)
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion granules
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning mix
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 lb cheese tortellini
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Spray the insert of your slow cooker with olive oil spray to prevent sticking.
- Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer in the slow cooker.
- Pour the marinara sauce and chicken broth evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle the garlic powder, onion granules, Italian seasoning, paprika, and red chili flakes on top. Gently stir the sauce a little so the seasonings distribute.
- Cover and set the slow cooker to LOW for about 4 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked and easily shreds (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C).
- Remove the chicken breasts and shred them with two forks on a cutting board. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and mix it thoroughly with the sauce.
- Add the cheese tortellini, shredded mozzarella, and heavy cream to the cooker, stirring well to combine. Ensure the tortellini are submerged.
- Cook on LOW for another 30 minutes, or until tortellini are tender but still retain a bit of bite (avoid overcooking).
- Stir in the baby spinach and cook for 10 more minutes so the greens wilt evenly.
- Add grated Parmesan cheese, taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot.
Notes
This recipe is flexible; use boneless thighs, different sauces, or gluten-free alternatives as needed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 280 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 605
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 50g
- Cholesterol: 120mg