Pesto Chicken Tortellini and Veggies - healthy, easy Mediterranean-style dinner. Sliced boneless, skinless chicken thighs are cooked with sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil. Then, cooked chicken is combined with asparagus, cherry tomatoes, tortellini, and basil pesto!
Pesto chicken tortellini:
- Quick and healthy recipe. This recipe uses 2 of my favorite ingredients: basil pesto and tortellini - and you can buy both in most grocery stores. Which makes this recipe a healthy choice for a quick weeknight dinner. Especially when you don't have that much time to cook. Just buy some tortellini and basil pesto (plus chicken and veggies) in the store, and make this pesto chicken tortellini with veggies in 30 minutes!
- Packed with veggies. This easy chicken dish has lots of colorful vegetables: red and yellow grape tomatoes, asparagus, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Well-balanced meal. This chicken tortellini recipe has veggies, healthy oils (olive oil and basil pesto), protein (chicken), and a moderate amount of carbs (tortellini). A good balance of various ingredients.
- Mediterranean-style recipe. Everything is generously smothered with basil pesto and olive oil, and this recipe has lots of vegetables - perfect for the Mediterranean diet.
How to make chicken tortellini with veggies:
1) Add 1 pound of sliced skinless and boneless chicken thighs (seasoned with salt), 2 tablespoons olive oil, and ¼ cup of sun-dried tomatoes to a large skillet.
2) Cook on medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked through.
3) Remove the cooked chicken and sun-dried tomatoes from the skillet, leaving the oil in.
4) Add 1 pound of asparagus (ends trimmed), seasoned with salt, ¼ cup of sun-dried tomatoes to the same skillet.
5) Cook on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the asparagus is cooked through.
6) Cook 1 cup tortellini according to the package instructions, drain.
7) In the same skillet combine cooked chicken, cooked asparagus, cooked tortellini, and halved cherry tomatoes.
8) Mix everything with ¼ cup of basil pesto on low-medium heat until the chicken is reheated, 1 or 2 minutes.
Other chicken tortellini recipes:
Pesto Chicken Tortellini and Veggies
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb chicken thighs boneless and skinless, sliced into strips
- salt
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes drained of oil, chopped
- 1 lb asparagus ends trimmed, cut in half
- ¼ cup basil pesto or use more
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes yellow and red, halved
- 1 cup tortellini uncooked
Instructions
- In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium heat.
- Add sliced chicken thighs (seasoned with salt), ¼ cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook everything on medium heat for 5-10 minutes, turning chicken slices over a couple of times, until the chicken is completely cooked through.
- Remove the chicken and the sun-dried from the skillet, leaving the oil in.
- Add asparagus (ends trimmed), seasoned generously with salt, and ¼ cup of sun-dried tomatoes to the same skillet.
- Cook on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the asparagus is cooked through. Remove the asparagus to a serving plate.
- Cook tortellini according to the package instructions, drain.
- Add cooked chicken back to the skillet. Add basil pesto. Stir to coat and cook on low-medium heat until the chicken is reheated, 1 or 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add cooked tortellini and halved cherry tomatoes to the skillet with the chicken. Stir to combine. Add more pesto if desired.
- Season with more salt if needed.
- Add chicken, cherry tomatoes and tortellini to the serving plate with asparagus.
- Want to make basil pesto from scratch? Here is a super flavorful and creamy 20-Minute Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Wow! I wish I could upload a picture bc it came out just like yours. I used chicken breast and frozen asparagus and it was a hit! I don’t even like pesto but I guess I do now!
Jennifer, it makes me happy that not only did it come out delicious, but that it also turned out pretty! Pretty food is always a plus!
I roasted all of the ingredients (I marinaded the chicken with your ingredients before roasting then added the tomatoes and asparagus) in the oven then tossed with pesto and pasta came out great. Thanks for the idea.
Can you use rotisserie chicken?
Yes, you can!
Stacy, I am glad you gave this recipe a try and liked it! And, thank you for the 5-star rating! 🙂
If I use the refrigerated tortellini rather than the boxed kind, can I cook it directly in the pot with the other ingredients. This looks delicious..
No, you still have to boil the refrigerated tortellini in a separate saucepan with water. I've used the refrigerated tortellini and cooked it in a pot of boiling water - separately from the other ingredeints.
I have made this twice now for my husband and he loves it. Will continue to make it for more family.
Chad, I am so glad you've enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for taking the time to share such a positive comment!
This meal is so delicious! Once it all came together I could hardly wait to eat it. Definitely in our rotation. Love it!
Stephanie, I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you for the 5-star review - I really appreciate it! 🙂
This is incredibly delicious! The whole family loved it! Thank you for the recipe!!
Katrina, thank you for the comment and the 5-star rating! 🙂
What so you serve as a side? This is new to me.
Serve a simple salad such as this simple spinach salad or this arugula salad with pine nuts.
I’ve made this several times to rave reviews. Can you advise how to make it gluten free?
Laurie, use store-bought frozen gluten-free ravioli. There are so many varieties in the grocery stores these days! I've tried so many!
My favorite is store-bought gluten-free ravioli made with almond flour - Cappello's brand - spinach and cheese stuffed ravioli. They hold up really well!
Of course, there are plenty of other types of gluten-free ravioli options available in the grocery stores these days.
So good! I used chicken breast instead of thighs and did not use any tomatoes. My two kids and husband loved it!
Josie, I am so glad this recipe was a success!
What could I substitute the pesto with? I’m not a pesto fan but everything else looks delicious!
If you prefer not to use pesto, use small amounts of olive oil and Italian seasoning to sear the chicken. Then, maybe add extra olive oil + extra Italian seasoning to coat tomatoes and asparagus.
My new favorite dinner recipe! I could eat this for days straight. This recipe was so flavorful!
Kasey, I am so glad you liked this recipe! Thank you for stopping by and sharing such a positive comment!
Tortellini and pesto together!! It can’t get any better. I love everything about this recipe and it’s in our meal rotation now.
I am so happy you've enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for stopping by and sharing a positive review! 🙂
I used chicken breasts because it’s what I had on hand and left out the sun dried tomatoes because I’m not a fan but this was a huge hit in my house. My 7 and 3 year old ate every bite and hubby (who swears he doesn’t like pesto) ate a 2nd helping.
Katie, I am so glad your family enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for such a positive comment - I really appreciate it!