Description
Creamy, cozy CrockPot Chicken Tortellini with tender shredded chicken, cheese-filled pasta, and spinach—an easy slow cooker dinner the whole family loves.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
4 cups fresh baby spinach (about 4 oz)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water, optional thickener
Instructions
1. Add chicken to a 5–7 quart slow cooker; season with salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and minced garlic.
2. Pour chicken broth over the chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours or on HIGH for 2–3 hours, until the chicken is very tender.
3. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks (or shred directly in the crock with two forks).
4. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Stir in the heavy cream.
5. Add the refrigerated cheese tortellini and stir to coat. Cover and cook on HIGH for 20–30 minutes, until the tortellini is tender but still bouncy.
6. If you prefer a thicker sauce, stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 5–10 more minutes on HIGH, stirring once.
7. Fold in the baby spinach until just wilted, 1–2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt or pepper as needed.
8. Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan; add a pinch of crushed red pepper for gentle heat.
9. Serve immediately while the tortellini is perfectly tender.
10. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream if needed.
Notes
Use frozen tortellini by adding 5–10 extra minutes on HIGH.
Swap heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter sauce (it may be a bit thinner).
Stir in peas or chopped kale instead of spinach, if preferred.
Gluten-free option: use gluten-free tortellini and confirm your broth is certified GF.
Freezing is not recommended—dairy can separate and tortellini may turn mushy.
For meal prep, cook the chicken and broth phase ahead; add cream and tortellini right before serving for best texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 165 mg
Keywords: CrockPot Chicken Tortellini, Tortellini Pasta Crockpot, Recipes For Crockpot Easy, Crock Pot Recipes Easy Healthy, Quick Easy Slow Cooker Meals, Tortellini Crock Pot Recipes, Crockpot Chicken And Tortellini Recipes, Easy Tortellini Recipes Crock Pots, Quick Dinner Ideas Crockpot, 1 Hour Crockpot Meals