Chicken Tortellini with Cream (Printable)
Tender homemade tortellini filled with chicken and herbs, served in a light Parmesan cream sauce for an elegant dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta Dough
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3 large eggs
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Chicken Filling
04 - 1 cup cooked chicken breast, finely chopped
05 - 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
06 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 garlic clove, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Cream Sauce
11 - 1 cup heavy cream
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
13 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
14 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ For Serving
15 - Fresh parsley, chopped
16 - Extra Parmesan cheese, for garnish
# How-to Steps:
01 - Mound the flour on a clean work surface and create a deep well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well and add the salt. Beat the eggs gently with a fork, gradually pulling in flour from the inner walls until a shaggy dough forms. Knead firmly for 7 to 8 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and springs back when pressed. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine the finely chopped chicken breast, ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped parsley, ground nutmeg, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until all ingredients are evenly distributed and the mixture holds together when pressed.
03 - Unwrap the rested dough and divide it into manageable portions. Roll each portion out to approximately 1/16-inch thickness using a rolling pin or pasta machine. Cut the sheet into 2-inch squares or circles using a knife or pasta cutter. Place a small spoonful of filling in the center of each piece, fold the dough over to form a triangle or half-moon, press the edges firmly to seal out any air, then bring the two bottom corners together and pinch to form the classic tortellini shape.
04 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Carefully drop the tortellini into the water in batches to avoid crowding. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until they float to the surface and the pasta edges are tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a warm plate.
05 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until it begins to foam. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and continue stirring until fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
06 - Gently toss the cooked tortellini in the cream sauce until each piece is evenly coated. Transfer to warmed serving plates or bowls, garnish with additional grated Parmesan and freshly chopped parsley, and serve immediately.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- Homemade pasta is far less intimidating than people think, and this recipe walks you through every fold and seal with confidence.
- The chicken and ricotta filling stays incredibly moist inside those little parcels, and the cream sauce comes together in under five minutes.
- Using rotisserie chicken means you get all the elegance of from scratch tortellini without the extra work of cooking raw poultry.
02 -
- If your dough tears while rolling, it probably needs another minute of kneading, because underworked dough lacks the elasticity to stretch paper thin.
- Squeezing air out of each tortellini before sealing prevents them from bursting open in the boiling water, which I learned after an entire batch split apart on me one disastrous evening.
03 -
- Resting the dough is not optional, because un rested dough fights you every inch and will never roll thin enough to make proper tortellini.
- A pinch of nutmeg in the filling is what transforms this from a basic chicken pasta into something people will ask you to make again and again.