Olive Garden Chicken Tortellini Alfredo
This Olive Garden Chicken Tortellini Alfredo recipe mixes cheese tortellini, chicken and a creamy alfredo sauce. If you like the Olive Garden version of this dish you need to try making it at home. It is easy and so comforting!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast, or chicken tenders
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 19 oz bag frozen cheese tortellini
- dried parsley, optional garnish
- breadcrumbs, optional
For the Alfredo Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- sea salt & black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the frozen tortellini according to package instructions, removing them 1-2 minutes before fully cooked. Drain well.
- Dice chicken into 1-inch cubes. Combine the cubed chicken with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Toss to coat the chicken evenly.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the seasoned chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium. Add 1/2 cup of unsalted butter and let it melt, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Once butter has melted, add 2 cups of heavy cream while stirring continuously. Bring to a gentle simmer and allow it to thicken slightly for about 3-4 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in 2 cups of freshly grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more cream or milk to reach your desired consistency. Season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the drained tortellini to the skillet with the Alfredo sauce. Stir in the cooked chicken and heat for an additional 1-2 minutes, mixing well to combine.
- Garnish with dried parsley and breadcrumbs {optional} before serving.
- Optional baking: if you want to add breadcrumbs I suggest sprinkling them on at the end of cooking and then bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 5-10 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are just browning.
Notes
- Adjust sauce consistency: If your sauce is too thick, thin it out by adding a little more heavy cream or milk. Conversely, if it’s too thin, allow it to simmer for a few extra minutes to thicken up.
- Cook chicken evenly: Cut the chicken into uniform cubes for even cooking.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Avoid overcrowding the pan and cook the chicken pieces in batches if necessary.
- Stir the sauce continuously: Keep stirring the sauce to prevent the cream from scorching or curdling.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: To reheat the tortellini, place back into a pot and heat up gently on the stovetop until warmed through. Add a splash of milk or cream to loosen the sauce and bring it back to its creamy consistency.
- Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this dish as the sauce contains cream which can split during the freezing and defrosting process.