Marry Me Chicken Tortellini (Creamy Mexican Chipotle Sauce)

A plate of creamy tortellini pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, pieces of chicken, and parmesan cheese, garnished with chopped parsley, served on a blue ceramic plate with a fork.

Marry Me Chicken Tortellini (Creamy Mexican Chipotle Sauce)

This Marry Me Chicken Tortellini adds a bold touch of smoky chipotle and sun-dried tomatoes for a deeper, richer flavor, while keeping the creamy Parmesan sauce. It’s a cozy Mexican-Italian fusion dinner full of comforting, restaurant-quality flavor made easy in one pan.

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine Italian, Mexican

Keyword #easydessert, chicken tortellini skillet, chipotle marry me chicken, creamy marry me chicken pasta, Marry Me Chicken Tortellini, one pan chicken tortellini

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 546kcal

Author Michele Feuerborn

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) (cut into 1-inch bite sized pieces)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3-4 cloves minced garlic
1-2 teaspoons adobo sauce (plus 1 or 2 chopped chipotle pepper for spicy, optional)
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes sliced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (reduce to ½ cup for low-carb option)
19 ounces cheese tortellini (refrigerated or frozen)
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Fresh cilantro chopped (or parsley)

Instructions

1. Sear the Chicken:

Season: Pat the chicken (cut up into bite-sized cubes), dry with paper towels. Season generously on both sides with salt, black pepper, and chili powder.
Brown: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden brown.
Remove: Transfer it to a plate and set aside
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), Salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

2. Bloom the Flavors:

Sauté: Reduce heat to medium. Add the minced garlic to the pan and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Spice: Stir in the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Cook for 1 minute while stirring. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute. This blooms the spices and deepens the flavor.
3-4 cloves minced garlic, 1-2 teaspoons adobo sauce, ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

3. Make the Sauce and Simmer the Tortellini

Deglaze: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth. Scrape the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon for maximum flavor.
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Add Cream: Stir in the heavy cream.
1 cup heavy cream
Cook Pasta and Chicken: Add the tortellini, making sure it’s mostly submerged. Return the chicken (and any juices) to the skillet. Cover and simmer for 9-11 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). The liquid should reduce and thicken slightly around the pasta.
19 ounces cheese tortellini

4. Finish:

Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan until smooth. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
½ cup Parmesan cheese, Fresh cilantro

Notes

Spice Level: Use only adobo sauce for mild; add chopped chipotle for spicy.
Sauce Too Thin? Make a cornstarch slurry stirring 2 TBL cornstarch and 2 TBL cold water together, and then stirring into the sauce.
Sauce Too Thick? Add a splash of warm broth.
Dairy-Free: Use Silk Plant Cream and dairy-free Parmesan

Nutrition