Crockpot Chicken Tortellini (Print)
Slow-cooked chicken and cheese tortellini in a rich, creamy vegetable broth for a comforting family dinner.
# Ingredient List:
→ Poultry
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lb)
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 cups baby spinach (about 2 oz)
03 - 2 medium carrots, sliced into rounds
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Soup Base
06 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
07 - 1 can (13.5 fl oz) evaporated milk or half-and-half
08 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend
09 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Pasta
11 - 1 lb refrigerated cheese tortellini
→ Dairy
12 - 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
13 - 1/2 cup cream cheese, cubed and softened
# How-To Steps:
01 - Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the sliced carrots, diced onion, minced garlic, chicken broth, dried Italian herbs, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir gently to combine.
02 - Cover and cook on the low setting for 6 to 7 hours or on the high setting for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and fork-tender.
03 - Carefully remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker. Shred the meat using two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the pot.
04 - Stir in the evaporated milk (or half-and-half) and the cubed cream cheese. Continue stirring until the cream cheese has fully melted and the broth is smooth and creamy.
05 - Add the cheese tortellini and baby spinach to the slow cooker. Stir to incorporate, cover, and cook on the high setting for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the tortellini are tender and the spinach has wilted.
06 - Stir in the shredded Parmesan cheese just before serving. Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It practically cooks itself while you go about your day, making it the closest thing to having someone else make dinner for you.
- The creamy broth soaked into every bite of cheese tortellini is the kind of comfort that makes everyone go back for seconds without asking permission.
02 -
- Do not skip the step of softening the cream cheese first, because cold cubes dropped into hot broth will seize into stubborn little lumps that never fully dissolve no matter how aggressively you stir.
- If you want to use rotisserie chicken to save time, add it at the creamy step instead of the beginning so it does not turn to stringy mush after hours in the slow cooker.
03 -
- Cut your chicken breasts in half horizontally before adding them to the slow cooker so they cook faster and more evenly, which also means less time waiting and more consistent shredding.
- Stir the Parmesan in off the heat rather than while the cooker is still running to keep the cheese smooth and prevent it from turning grainy on the bottom of the pot.