Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Tortellini (Print version)

Creamy tortellini with chicken, pesto, spinach and tomatoes, slow-cooked until tender and melty.

# 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 (about 6.3 oz) basil pesto sauce
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)

# Method:

01 - Lightly grease the inside of a 5-6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray or a thin coating of oil.
02 - Spread the cubed chicken breasts evenly across the bottom 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 layer.
04 - Arrange the halved cherry tomatoes and roughly chopped baby spinach over the aromatics.
05 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, chicken broth, and basil pesto sauce until smooth and well blended.
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 stand for 5 minutes until the cheese melts.
12 - Sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes and torn fresh basil leaves if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent all day at the stove, but the slow cooker does ninety percent of the work for you.
  • The combination of pesto, cream, and three cheeses makes every bite feel indulgent without requiring any fancy technique.
02 -
  • Add the tortellini only in the last hour or they will absorb too much sauce and fall apart into starchy disappointment.
  • Refrigerated tortellini performs far better than frozen in this recipe because frozen releases extra water and dilutes the cream sauce.
03 -
  • Grease the slow cooker generously because baked-on cheese is one of the hardest things to scrub off any surface.
  • Let the casserole rest for five minutes after the final cheese melt so the sauce thickens slightly and servings hold their shape.

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