This Chicken Broccoli Tortellini in Parmesan Garlic Sauce recipe? It was born out of pure, beautiful chaos. I was having one of those days, staring into my fridge like it was a black hole, and saw a lonely pack of tortellini, a single chicken breast, and some broccoli that was looking at me with pleading eyes. I had zero plan. None. But what started as a desperate “please-let-this-be-edible” moment somehow morphed into the most-requested dinner in my house. I’ve probably made it a hundred times since, tweaking it here and there to get that sauce just right. It’s my little kitchen miracle, and I swear, it’s proof that sometimes the best food happens when you just throw things in a pan and hope for the best.

Your Shopping List for Creamy Perfection

Alright, let’s get our ducks in a row. Here’s everything you’ll need to make this magic happen. Think of it as our cast of characters for tonight’s delicious performance.

The Stars of the Show:
- 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped up into bite-sized chunks.
- 1 big (20-ounce) package of cheese tortellini. The fresh kind is amazing, but frozen totally works too!
- About 4 cups of fresh broccoli florets. This is usually one large head.
For that Dreamy, Creamy Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced up nice and fine. And yes, I mean five. Don’t be shy.
- 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour. This is our secret weapon for a thick sauce.
- 2 cups of whole milk. If you’re feeling extra decadent, use half milk and half heavy cream. I won’t tell.
- 1 cup of low-sodium chicken broth. Using low-sodium lets us control the saltiness later.
- 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Get the real stuff if you can; it melts so much better than the stuff in the green can.
- 1 teaspoon of salt.
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.
- A little pinch of red pepper flakes. This is optional, but it gives a tiny, warm background heat that’s just so good.
A Little Something Extra:
- A handful of fresh parsley, chopped up, for making it look pretty at the end.

Let’s Talk Timing

I am NOT about spending hours in the kitchen on a weeknight. This recipe gets that.

Prep Time: Give yourself about 15 minutes. This is for all the chopping. I usually put on a good podcast for this part.
Cook Time: Roughly 25 minutes of you at the stove.
Total Time: You’re looking at about 40 minutes from start to diving in with a fork. Not bad, right?

Step-by-Step to Your New Favorite Dinner

Ready? Let’s do this. Just follow along, and I promise you’ll be sitting down to a bowl of pure happiness. I’ve tossed in all my little secrets that really make a difference.

Step 1: Cook the Tortellini & Broccoli

First up, get a big pot of water on the stove and salt it like the sea. Once it’s boiling like crazy, dump in your tortellini and cook it based on what the package says. Now here’s my favorite little shortcut: for the last 3 minutes of cooking time, throw the broccoli florets right into the same pot. It saves you a dish to wash and steams the broccoli perfectly so it’s tender but not mushy. Genius, right? Drain everything and just set it aside for a few.

Step 2: Get That Chicken Golden

While your pasta water is doing its thing, grab a big skillet. Melt one tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Toss in your chicken pieces, give ’em a little sprinkle of salt and pepper, and let them cook until they’re golden brown and cooked all the way through, which usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Scoop the chicken out of the skillet onto a plate. The hardest part is not eating all these little golden nuggets before they make it back into the sauce.

Step 3: Let’s Build that Amazing Sauce

Okay, deep breath. This is where the magic happens. Using the same skillet (all those cooked chicken bits are pure flavor!), melt the other 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add your minced garlic and stir it around for just about 30 seconds. You just want to smell it, not see it get brown. Burnt garlic is a tragedy we must avoid at all costs. Now, sprinkle the flour over the butter and whisk it constantly for about a minute. It’ll make a sort of paste—this is called a roux, and it’s going to make our sauce so velvety.

Step 4: Time to Get Creamy

Slowly, and I mean sloooowly, pour in the chicken broth while you keep whisking. This is the key to a lump-free sauce. Once that’s all smooth, slowly whisk in the milk. Let the whole thing bubble gently for a few minutes until you see it start to get thicker. It’s working! Turn the heat way down to low, and now it’s time for the cheese. Stir in that glorious Parmesan and keep stirring until it’s all melted into one smooth, beautiful sauce. Give it a taste. Does it need more salt? More pepper? You’re the boss. Add what you think it needs.

Step 5: The Grand Finale

It’s time to bring everyone together for the party. Gently add the cooked chicken, the tortellini, and the broccoli back into the skillet with that incredible sauce. Give it all a good, gentle stir. You just want to coat everything in that Parmesan garlic love. Let it all hang out on low heat for a minute or two so all the flavors can officially become best friends. And that’s it! You just made the best Chicken Broccoli Tortellini in Parmesan Garlic Sauce ever.

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How to Serve It Up

You can totally just eat this straight out of the pan (I have), but if you want to make a whole thing of it, here are my go-to’s:

For Mopping Purposes: You NEED something to get every last drop of that sauce. It’s a crime to leave any behind. A side of super crusty garlic bread is basically a requirement in my house.
A Little Green on the Side: This dish is pretty rich, so a simple green salad with a zippy lemon vinaigrette cuts through it perfectly. It’s like a little reset button for your taste buds between bites.
More Cheese, Obviously: I always put out a little bowl of extra grated Parmesan on the table. Everyone loves adding a little extra snowstorm of cheese on top of their bowl. Sprinkling some fresh parsley on top also makes it look fancy and adds a nice, fresh flavor.

Why I’m Completely Obsessed With This Recipe

Look, I could talk about this dish all day. It’s that one recipe that tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant but is secretly so easy you can pull it off on a Tuesday night. It’s cozy, it’s comforting, and it makes everyone in my family happy, which is no small feat. This Chicken Broccoli Tortellini in Parmesan Garlic Sauce is basically a warm hug in a bowl.

Seriously, you have to try this. And when you do, please come back and tell me all about it in the comments! Did you love it? Did you add something else? I love hearing your kitchen stories!

Yield: 4-6 servings

Chicken Broccoli Tortellini

A creamy, dreamy, and easy weeknight dinner! Cheesy tortellini, tender chicken, and broccoli are all coated in a luscious Parmesan garlic sauce.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 (20-ounce) package fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
4 cups fresh broccoli florets
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk (or half milk, half heavy cream for extra richness)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Step 1:

Get a big pot of water boiling for the pasta once its ready toss in the tortellini then in the last 3 minutes of cooking throw in the broccoli and drain it all and set it aside

Step 2:

While the pasta cooks melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a big skillet over medium-high heat add the chicken season it with salt and pepper and cook til its golden and cooked through then take the chicken out and put it on a plate for later

Step 3:

In that same skillet melt the other 3 tablespoons of butter then add the minced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds until you can smell it just dont let it burn then whisk in the flour and let it cook for another minute

Step 4:

Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking like crazy so you dont get lumps then slowly whisk in the milk let it bubble for a few minutes til it thickens up a bit

Step 5:

Turn the heat to low and stir in all that yummy Parmesan cheese until its completely melted and the sauce is super smooth then give it a taste and add more salt and pepper if it needs it

Step 6:

Time to put it all together just add the cooked chicken tortellini and broccoli back into the skillet and give it all a gentle stir to coat everything in that amazing sauce let it hang out on the heat for a minute then serve it up hot

Notes

Note 1

Seriously dont walk away when the garlic is cooking it goes from perfect to burnt super fast

Note 2

Using a block of Parmesan and grating it yourself is way better the pre-shredded stuff can make the sauce gritty

Note 3

That little pinch of red pepper flakes doesnt make it spicy it just adds a little something special in the background you should try it

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 421Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 600mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 37g

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