Pesto Chicken Tortellini Bake: 1 Great Meal

Pesto Chicken Tortellini Bake is about to become your absolute go-to dish, I just know it! Hello there, I’m Anna, and I’m a passionate food lover who believes that dinner shouldn’t be a chore. My whole mission here is sharing simple, flavorful chicken recipes designed to make your everyday cooking easier and, honestly, way more joyful.

I’ve spent years perfecting recipes that go from zero to hero in under an hour. I get it—you need something that tastes like you spent ages on it, but only takes 15 minutes of hands-on time. This creamy tortellini bake is the result of that quest. It’s packed with tender chicken, bright peppers, and that incredible basil flavor that just screams comfort.

You don’t need to be a seasoned chef to nail this one. Trust me, if you can stir things in a pan and put a dish in the oven, you’ve got this covered. We’re going to rely on good quality ingredients and straightforward steps to deliver a crowd-pleasing meal every single time.

Essential Components for Your Pesto Chicken Tortellini Bake

We aren’t making anything complicated here, I promise! The beauty of the pesto chicken tortellini bake is that it uses mostly pantry staples mixed with fresh veggies for texture and color. When you’re assembling this, remember that you are building layers of flavor—the sautéed vegetables go in first, followed by the raw protein and pasta, all swimming in that gorgeous sauce.

Getting your ingredients ready before you start mixing is the secret to keeping things fast. Having everything chopped and measured out means you can whip this up in about 15 minutes of active time. It’s all about making sure every component in this creamy tortellini dish contributes perfectly.

Ingredient List for Pesto Chicken Tortellini Bake

Here is the exact rundown of what you’ll need to make this dish shine. Make sure you grab that good quality basil pesto; it really makes a difference!

Dairy and Protein Details

• One pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into nice, even 1-inch cubes. We cook this right in the oven, so keep the pieces uniform for even cooking!
• One 20-ounce package of refrigerated cheese tortellini. No need to boil this ahead of time, which saves so much cleanup!
• One cup of mozzarella cheese, shredded, plus an extra half cup reserved for the top layer.
• Half a cup of Parmesan cheese, grated, plus another quarter cup reserved for that golden crust.

Flavor Base and Liquid Components

• One tablespoon of good olive oil for softening the veggies.
• One small red onion, diced up small.
• One bright red bell pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces.
• Three cups of fresh baby spinach. Don’t worry, it cooks down to almost nothing!
• Three-quarters cup of prepared basil pesto. This is the heart of the flavor, so use the good stuff!
• One cup of low-sodium chicken broth. If you are looking for other ways to use broth, check out this classic homestyle chicken and rice soup.
• Three-quarters cup of heavy cream—this is what makes it so wonderfully decadent.
• A little salt and pepper. I always say start with what’s listed and then taste before the final bake!

Equipment Needed for This Pesto Chicken Tortellini Bake

You don’t need a huge arsenal of fancy tools for this recipe, which is another reason I love it for busy nights. We keep it simple so you can focus on enjoying the process! Having the right basics makes assembling your pesto chicken tortellini bake a breeze.

Here are the essentials you’ll want handy before you even preheat the oven:

• A large skillet for quickly softening the onion and pepper.
• A standard 9×13-inch baking dish—make sure it’s big enough to hold everything comfortably!
• A medium mixing bowl for whisking up that luscious sauce.
• A sturdy whisk or fork for blending the cream and pesto.
• Tongs or a large spoon for gently tossing the ingredients in the baking dish.
• Aluminum foil to cover the dish during the first part of baking.
• And, because we are dealing with raw chicken, please make sure you have an instant-read meat thermometer!

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Pesto Chicken Tortellini Bake

This is where the magic happens, and honestly, it moves fast! We’re going to rely on the high heat of the oven to cook the chicken and those fresh tortellini perfectly while everything melds together in that creamy sauce. Follow these steps closely, and your pesto chicken tortellini bake will be ready before you know it.

Initial Prep and Sautéing Vegetables

First things first, let’s get the oven warmed up. Preheat your oven to 400°F. While that’s heating, take a moment to grease your 9×13-inch baking dish—a little cooking spray or a swipe of butter works great here. We want zero sticking later!

Next, we just need to soften up the veggies a bit. Heat that tablespoon of olive oil in your big skillet over medium heat. Toss in the diced red onion and cook it until it starts looking soft, which takes about two minutes. Then, add the chopped red bell pepper and let it cook for just two more minutes. We aren’t trying to caramelize them, just take the raw edge off. Once they’re slightly softened, pull the skillet off the heat—no need to cook them fully!

Assembling the Pesto Chicken Tortellini Bake Layers

Now for the fun, messy part! You are going to dump everything that needs cooking directly into that prepared baking dish. That means the uncooked chicken cubes, the refrigerated tortellini, the fresh spinach, and those sautéed onions and peppers you just took off the heat. If you are interested in baking chicken breasts without pre-cooking, see my tips on juicy baked chicken breasts.

Give all of that a gentle toss right there in the dish. You want everything to be relatively distributed. Don’t worry about perfection; it’s going to settle itself out when the sauce goes on. This is the base layer for our incredible pesto chicken tortellini bake.

Creating and Incorporating the Creamy Sauce

Time to build the flavor powerhouse! Grab that separate mixing bowl. Whisk together the pesto, the chicken broth, and the heavy cream. Keep whisking until the mixture looks totally smooth and uniform—no streaks of just cream or just pesto should be visible. That smooth texture is key for an even coating.

Carefully pour this beautiful green cream sauce evenly over all the raw ingredients sitting in the baking dish. Give it a very light stir just to make sure the sauce gets down between the tortellini and chicken pieces. Then, sprinkle on your starting measurements of salt and pepper. Don’t go too heavy on the salt yet; the broth and pesto already have sodium!

The Baking Process: Covered and Uncovered Stages

We need to trap that steam to cook the chicken and pasta through, so cover your dish tightly with aluminum foil. Pop it into the preheated 400°F oven and let it bake for 25 minutes. This is the steaming phase!

When the timer goes off, pull it out—carefully, it will be hot! Remove the foil and give the whole bake a gentle stir to redistribute the sauce and cheese. Now, sprinkle that reserved mozzarella and Parmesan cheese right over the top. Back into the oven it goes, but this time, leave the foil off. Bake it uncovered for another 15 minutes. During this final stage, you are looking for that cheese topping to get golden brown and bubbly hot. Crucially, use your meat thermometer to check that the chicken pieces have reached 165°F (74°C) internally. Safety first, always! For more chicken cooking tips, check out this guide on juicy secrets for garlic herb chicken breast.

Resting and Serving the Pesto Chicken Tortellini Bake

This last step is the hardest, but you must do it! Once it’s perfectly bubbly and the chicken is cooked, take the pesto chicken tortellini bake out of the oven. Let it sit on the counter, totally undisturbed, for five minutes. This resting period lets the sauce set up just enough so that when you scoop it out, it’s creamy perfection, not runny soup. Garnish with some fresh basil or parsley if you have it, and serve it up hot!

Tips for Perfect Pesto Chicken Tortellini Bake Results

I’ve made this creamy tortellini dish more times than I can count, and over the years, I’ve learned a few little tricks that take it from good to absolutely amazing. The biggest pitfall people run into with any baked pasta is ending up with dry chicken or undercooked tortellini, but we are going to avoid that with the pesto chicken tortellini bake!

Firstly, trust the two-stage baking process. Don’t peek during those first 25 minutes covered! That steam is essential for cooking the raw chicken and softening the tortellini adequately before we add the final cheese crust. If you uncover it too early, the top dries out before the inside is done.

Secondly, about that pesto—if you are using store-bought, stir it into the cream and broth mixture really well before pouring it over everything. If you drop big dollops of pesto in without whisking, you end up with pockets of super-intense pesto flavor and other areas that are just cream. We want harmony! If you love pesto variations, you might enjoy this pesto chicken and tomatoes recipe.

Finally, always, always check that chicken temperature. Since the chicken is raw when you assemble the pesto chicken tortellini bake, that 165°F reading is non-negotiable. If your cheese is golden but your thermometer reads low, just pop it back in for five minutes uncovered until it hits the mark. It’s worth the extra wait for food safety and peace of mind!

Variations on Your Pesto Chicken Tortellini Bake

While this recipe for pesto chicken tortellini bake is already a winner, I love shaking things up based on what I have in the fridge! Don’t feel tied only to red peppers and onion; they are just my favorites for color. If you have some mushrooms, slice them up and toss them in with the onions—they absorb all that great pesto flavor.

You can easily swap out the spinach for chopped kale if you want something a bit heartier, though you might need to add an extra splash of broth since kale doesn’t wilt down as much. For a little kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when you sauté your vegetables. That tiny bit of heat wakes up the basil beautifully.

If you are having a vegetarian night, simply skip the chicken! You might want to add some extra sautéed mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes to bulk up the casserole a bit. No matter how you change it up, this creamy tortellini bake handles substitutions like a champ! For more ideas on chicken variations, see my recipe for light creamy chicken dinner.

Storing and Reheating Leftover Pesto Chicken Tortellini Bake

Oh, leftovers! This is one of those magical meals that tastes almost even better the next day, once all those flavors have really settled into the tortellini. Don’t let any of this deliciousness go to waste! Storing your pesto chicken tortellini bake correctly ensures you get the same creamy, comforting texture when you reheat it later. It holds up wonderfully, but you just need to treat the pasta gently.

When you cover it up, make sure you use an airtight container. If you leave it sitting in the baking dish, cover that dish very tightly with plastic wrap or foil so it doesn’t suck up any weird fridge smells. I usually serve it straight from the dish, so I cover the whole thing with plastic wrap pressed right against the surface before adding a layer of foil over that.

Storage and Reheating Table

Storage Location	Duration	Reheating Method
Refrigerator	3 to 4 days	Add a splash of chicken broth or milk before microwaving to bring back moisture. Heat in 60-second intervals, stirring in between, until piping hot.
Freezer (Optional)	Up to 1 month	Thaw overnight in the fridge first. Reheat gently in the microwave or cover tightly with foil and bake at 350°F until warmed through (about 20 minutes).

Common Questions About This Recipe

It’s totally normal to have a few questions when you’re mixing raw chicken and pasta together for a bake! I’ve gathered the ones I hear most often from folks trying this creamy tortellini dish for the first time. Don’t worry if you’re unsure about the raw pasta—it works like a charm!

Q1. Do I really not have to cook the tortellini before baking?
Nope, you absolutely don’t! That’s the beauty of using refrigerated tortellini in a recipe like this. The combination of the heavy cream and chicken broth creates enough steam under the foil to cook the pasta perfectly al dente. If you use frozen tortellini, though, make sure you thaw them first so they cook evenly!

Q2. My basil pesto is really oily. Will that mess up the sauce?
That’s a great observation! Pesto varies quite a bit. If yours looks overly oily, just drain off a tiny bit of the excess oil before you whisk it with the broth and cream. The broth helps emulsify the sauce, but too much oil can make the final bake greasy. Just whisk vigorously until it looks like a uniform, pale green sauce.

Q3. Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Yes, you certainly can! Chicken thighs are more forgiving and stay juicier. If you use thighs, just make sure you cut them into similar 1-inch pieces. Since they have a bit more fat, they might take an extra minute or two to register 165°F on your thermometer, but the flavor will be richer! You can find tips for baking thighs here: boneless chicken thighs baked at 400F.

Q4. What if I don’t have heavy cream? Can I use milk?
You can try using whole milk, but it won’t give you that same rich, thick sauce consistency. Heavy cream contains more fat, which helps stabilize the sauce when baked. If you must substitute, use whole milk mixed with a tablespoon of cornstarch whisked in first to help thicken it up slightly.

Share Your Successful Pesto Chicken Tortellini Bake

I truly hope this recipe brings a little bit of joy and ease to your busy week! Once you pull that bubbly, golden pesto chicken tortellini bake out of the oven, please come back and tell me all about it. Drop a rating or leave a comment below—I read every single one and love hearing how you customized it for your family! You can also see more of my favorite recipes on Pinterest.

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