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Crockpot Chicken Tortellini

Crockpot chicken tortellini is a creamy Italian-American main dish with tender shredded chicken, cheese tortellini, and wilted spinach simmered in a slow-cooker sauce. The broth thickens with melted cream cheese and heavy cream for a smooth, spoonable texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and broth base
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 3 cup chicken broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 8 oz cream cheese, cubed
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Tortellini and finishing
  • 1 package (20 oz) refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
  • 2 cup fresh spinach
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the slow-cooker base
  1. Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.
  2. Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
  3. Place the cream cheese cubes on top of the chicken and broth mixture.
  4. Cook on low for 5–6 hours or high for 2.5–3 hours until the chicken is tender (cover and do not lift the lid during cook time).
Shred and make the creamy sauce
  1. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
  2. Stir the cream cheese into the broth until smooth, then add the heavy cream and stir to combine (look for a glossy, uniform creaminess).
Cook tortellini and wilt spinach
  1. Add the cheese tortellini, cover, and cook on high for 20–30 minutes until cooked through (the pasta should be tender and no longer firm).
  2. Stir in the shredded chicken and fresh spinach until the spinach wilts, then serve garnished with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil (the sauce should look thick and cling to the tortellini).

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, stir until the cream cheese is fully melted before adding the heavy cream; if it looks lumpy, keep stirring until glossy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave with a splash of broth to loosen. Freezing is not recommended because cream sauce and tortellini can change texture. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and reduce the cream cheese to 4 oz for a less rich sauce.