When you've got an impossibly busy schedule pull out this quick & easy recipe.
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❤️ Why you'll love it
- This easy pasta dinner cooks so quickly—including prep, the total recipe time is only 20 minutes.
- Though this rich dish is hearty, well-rounded, and full of flavor, everything comes together in just one large skillet!
- Everyone loves a copycat recipe, and this one is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters.
When you don't have much time to spend in the kitchen cooking and cleaning, let this copycat Panera Bread chicken tortellini Alfredo recipe come to your rescue!
Plus, with staple ingredients like chicken breasts, parmesan cheese, and chicken broth, you likely won't even need to go grocery shopping.
Next time try this cream cheese pasta. It takes just 15 minutes!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- First, season the cubed chicken and sear it until golden brown. Add the stock.
- Next, add the broccoli and the tortellini pasta to the simmering skillet.
- Once the veggies have steamed and the pasta cooked, pour in the heavy cream.
- Finally, finish with parmesan cheese and stir to melt.
🥫 Storage
In my experience, everyone always seems to ask for a second helping when this tortellini alfredo copycat recipe is on the menu.
However, if you happen to have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
To reheat the dish, simply place the leftover chicken, pasta, and veggies back into your skillet or a microwave-safe container and heat, stirring occasionally, until everything is warmed through.
If the mixture feels too thick after reheating, you can add a splash more of heavy cream to revive that deliciously creamy sauce.
This does not freeze well.
📖 Variations
- Instead of using raw chicken breasts or thighs, you can make this dish with leftover rotisserie chicken. Simply cut or shred the rotisserie into bite-sized pieces, and add them to the skillet with the stock.
- If you don't have a lot of fresh broccoli on hand, you can replace it (or supplement it) with frozen veggies: broccoli, cauliflower florets, peas, and spinach are all great options. However, don't thaw the veggies before cooking—simply add them straight to the skillet as the recipe instructions indicate.
- For a pop of additional flavor, consider sprinkling the dish with some fresh parsley, romano cheese, or toasted bread crumbs just before serving it.
- Do you have a family-favorite homemade alfredo sauce just waiting to be used up? You can substitute the heavy cream and cheese with your special sauce—just add it to the skillet, heat, and serve!
- Don't worry if you realize you've run out of olive oil. Simply melt butter in the skillet and use that to sear your chicken, instead.
💭 Things to know
These tips will help you create the perfect chicken tortellini alfredo—your family won't even know it's not Panera Bread take-out!
Expert Tip: When cutting your chicken breasts or thighs, try to make sure that each piece is roughly the same size to ensure even cooking. Otherwise, smaller bites may dry out before the larger pieces are cooked through.
- Make sure to use your largest skillet to give all of the ingredients enough room to cook evenly and thoroughly.
- The sauce will thicken as it simmers and cools. If yours is looser than you'd prefer, you have a few options to thicken it. First, you can sprinkle about a tablespoon of flour over the mixture and let that simmer for a few minutes, stirring well to combine.
- Alternatively, you can add a few tablespoons of cream cheese, if you have it on hand. Let the cheese melt and simmer until the alfredo sauce has thickened to your liking.
👩🍳 FAQs
Yes. Though this recipe is best enjoyed fresh, cooked leftovers can be frozen for up to three months. Seal the cooled leftovers in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Then, thaw the frozen meal in the refrigerator for up to three days, before reheating per the storage instructions above.
Yes, you can! To make a non-dairy copycat version of Panera's Chicken Tortellini Alfredo, simply replace the heavy cream and cheese from this recipe with your favorite jar of dairy-free alfredo sauce. Heat until warm and serve!
📚 Related recipes
Looking for more easy, quick, and filling dinner ideas? Here are some of our favorites:
- This Sausage Alfredo Skillet Dinner is just as simple to make as the Panera Bread Chicken Tortellini Alfredo recipe, but with a tasty cajun flair!
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is flavorful, comforting, and, as with all the best recipes, make-ahead-friendly and freezable, too! So versatile!
- Juicy chicken, flavorful mushrooms, hearty spinach, and, of course, ultra-cheesy ravioli—need I say more? Make this 15 Minute Chicken Alfredo Ravioli tonight!
- Creamy lasagna soup is a deliciously easy twist on your favorite lasagna..
- Need something fast? Try this easy, one pot taco spaghetti.
🍽️ Serve with...
Make this one-pot-meal into a feast with these delicious sides:
- Soft Garlic Breadsticks (a Fazoli's restaurant-style copycat recipe!)
- Creamy Bacon and Pea Salad
- Italian Greenbean Salad
- Cinnamon Gelato (can't forget dessert!)
📞 The last word
This seriously tastes like the Panera chicken tortellini Alfredo recipe... maybe better.
And it's such an easy dinner there's no reason not to enjoy it often!
If you've got some leftover ham try this tortellini all panna - it's another lightening quick recipe.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Chicken Tortellini Alfredo
Print Pin Recipe SaveEquipment Needed
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, or thighs
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons seasoning salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 20 ounces cheese tortellini, refrigerated
- 8 ounces broccoli
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup Parmesan, grated
Instructions
- Cut chicken breast into 1" pieces.
- Sprinkle the chicken breasts with the Italian Seasoning and garlic salt.
- Add the olive oil and chicken to a heavy skillet.
- On medium heat, stir the chicken breast occasionally and brown chicken breast until golden.
- Add the stock to the skillet and bring to a simmer.
- Add the tortellini and broccoli; cover.
- Cook for 7 minutes.
- Add the cream and Parmesan.
- Simmer uncovered until smooth and thickened.
Notes
- Make sure to use your largest skillet to give all of the ingredients enough room to cook evenly and thoroughly.
- The sauce will thicken as it simmers and cools. If yours is looser than you'd prefer, you have a few options to thicken it. First, you can sprinkle about a tablespoon of flour over the mixture and let that simmer for a few minutes, stirring well to combine.
- Alternatively, you can add a few tablespoons of cream cheese, if you have it on hand. Let the cheese melt and simmer until the alfredo sauce has thickened to your liking.
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