Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo Tortellini is warm, comfort food at its finest. This easy crockpot recipe will become a favorite family dinner!
Crock pot chicken tortellini is a simple hands-off way to make dinner for your family! I will also share how to bake it in the oven and how to make it on the stovetop.
In This Post
Recipe History
I try to make a slow cooker meal for my family at least once a week, but I seem to get stuck making the same meals over and over again. But this time, when I put chicken breasts in my crockpot I looked in the fridge, spotted Alfredo sauce, and decided to add that instead of cream soup.
I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with the chicken Alfredo, but I figured I could serve it over noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes with Italian salad on the side. Later in the day, I remembered that I had a package of refrigerated three cheese tortellini, so we ended up with the slow cooker chicken Alfredo tortellini and loved it.
After taking his first bite, my husband remarked that he’s not usually a big fan of chicken with pasta but that this stuff is really, really good!
My son was planning to have something else for dinner but decided to try a bite after noticing how delicious it smelled. He told me that he changed his mind and was actually going to have the chicken alfredo tortellini instead.
The ladies of the family love all things chicken and Alfredo so they loved it immediately, of course!
Chicken Tortellini Alfredo Ingredients
- Alfredo Sauce: I used store-bought, refrigerated Alfredo sauce. You can also use the jarred version if you prefer. I don’t recommend using homemade Alfredo sauce in this crockpot recipe since it may get too hot and separate while cooking.
- Chicken: You’ll need about 2 1/4 pounds of chicken. I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you could also use chicken tenderloins if you prefer.
- Tortellini: For the tortellini, I used refrigerated three-cheese tortellini. If you want to use frozen or dried tortellini, cook it and then add it to the chicken alfredo before serving.
- Seasoning: I added minced garlic and black pepper to enhance the flavor of the alfredo sauce.
- Garnish: The garnishes are optional, but little parmesan on top adds flavor, and fresh parsley adds color.
How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo Tortellini
Step One: Put Alfredo sauce, minced garlic, and black pepper into a crockpot and stir to combine.
Step Two: Add four boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 1/4 lbs). Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or until the chicken is fully cooked.
Step Three: Tear or cut the chicken into pieces. I usually leave the chicken in the crockpot and use two forks to tear the chicken. You can remove the chicken, place it on a cutting board and use forks or a knife to cut it into smaller pieces.
Step Four: Add an additional Alfredo sauce and refrigerated three cheese tortellini. Replace the cover and cook on high for 15 minutes.
Step Five: Garnish the chicken tortellini alfredo with shredded parmesan, black pepper, and parsley.
Other Ways To Make It
Baked Tortellini Alfredo: To make baked tortellini alfredo, put the sauce and chicken breasts into a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350˚F for 50-60 minutes or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165˚F. Cook the tortellini in a large pot and drain. Shred the cooked chicken and add it to the tortellini along with the sauce.
Stove Top: You can also make this on the stovetop! First, cook the chicken breasts in a skillet and cook the tortellini in a pot of water. Drain the tortellini and heat the alfredo sauce into the pot. Dice the chicken and add it to the pot along with the cooked tortellini.
Frequently Asked Questions
We suggest 3-4 hours, but each crockpot and slow cooker is different. The chicken in this recipe will take as long to cook as it does in other slow cooker chicken recipes you’ve made. If you are new to crock pot cooking, I would suggest checking your chicken periodically so that it doesn’t overcook.
If you can’t find refrigerated three cheese tortellini in your area, you can cook frozen or dried tortellini and stir it into the crockpot before serving.
Use the best alfredo sauce you can since it will make a big difference in the taste. We prefer the refrigerated alfredo sauce, but the jarred kind works in a pinch.
If you want to use frozen chicken breasts, follow the instruction in your Crockpot manual. Otherwise, we suggest thawing them prior to adding them to the slow cooker.
More Crock Pot Recipes
- Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches are a hands-off way to make dinner for the family!
- This Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef from The Recipe Critic is full of flavor and only takes minutes to put together!
- Our Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken recipe is cheaper than takeout and delicious over rice!
- This Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs recipe is from my friend, and it is a family favorite.
- Make Crock Pot Spaghetti and serve it with homemade garlic bread!
Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo Tortellini
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 ½ cups alfredo sauce divided
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups refrigerated three cheese tortellini see note one
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- Put 2 1/2 cups of Alfredo sauce, minced garlic, and black pepper into the crockpot and stir to combine. Add the chicken breasts.
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Use two forks to shred the chicken. Or remove it from the crock pot and cut it into pieces before returning it to the sauce.
- Add 2 cups of Alfredo sauce and the refrigerated three-cheese tortellini. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes until the pasta is tender and heated through.
- Garnish with shredded parmesan, chopped parsley, and a sprinkle of black pepper, if desired.
Ja G says
Can I use frozen tortellini?
Tonia says
Yes, but for frozen tortellini, you’ll want to partially cook it in boiling water, following the instructions on your package, before adding it to the slow cooker. It will finish cooking in the slow cooker.
Gabriel Flam says
Not enough pasta and too much chicken in recipe.
Jen says
I just found this recipe yesterday and made it today. My husband and I both love spinach in pasta recipes, so I added a big bag of fresh spinach at the beginning so it would cook down. This was SO easy and SO good!! Thank you!!!!
Faith Rose says
Made this for the first time and used 2 jars of Alfredo sauce…the sauce was soaked up, was it supposed to do that? What would be recommended to do to have more sauce? What do you recommend to serve with this dish?
Thank You
Tonia says
Hi Faith Rose,
You could add some chicken broth right at the beginning when you put the chicken in the crockpot. Or you could buy another jar of alfredo sauce and add as much as your family likes at the end when you add the tortellini. I like to serve it with a veggie salad and garlic toast.
Warmly,
~Tonia
Melissa Hutchens says
This was soooo good! My husband and visiting young boy loved this. All 3 of us got seconds!
Summer says
Could I make this with homemade Alfredo sauce? The jars and cans just never taste right to me?
Tonia says
Hi Summer,
I’ve never tried making it with homemade Alfredo so I’m guessing it will work. Let us know how it turns out if you give it a try!
~Tonia
Cindy says
I made this for dinner tonight, it was Great! It’s a nice alternative to fettuccine alfredo with chicken. I plan to add this into the dinner rotation. Thanks for the great recipe Tonia!
Linda P. says
Delicious!!!! Never tried tortellini before and my daughter suggested that we try this recipe. Now my family is hooked. Thank You
Patricia says
Could I freeze this??? Or would the Alfredo sauce & tortellini get weird?
I typically freeze all my crockpot meals in ziplock bags.
Tonia says
Are you wondering if you prep the meal and freeze it to cook later? I’m not sure that would work with this recipe since the tortellini gets added during the last 15 minutes.
Natalie says
Hello. Due to the current circumstances, I’m having a hard time finding chicken breasts. I am wondering has anyone tried this with the bagged frozen chicken breasts? And if so, are there any adjustments? Thanks
Tonia says
Hi Natalie,
Thanks for reaching out to me. Yes, I used frozen chicken breasts to make this recipe. In the Crock-Pot manual, they recommend you start with warm liquid when using frozen meat (https://www.thegunnysack.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/4-7Qt-Manual-Cook-Carry-SlowCooker-IB.pdf). Therefore, this recipe instructs you add use warm alfredo sauce to the slow cooker.
Happy Cooking,
~Tonia
Sandy says
I used a rotisserie chicken shredded. Quick and do good. Just added chicken broth to account for not cooking my own chicken
Heather Peters says
This was perfection! My alway picky daughter who doesn’t like “meat” didn’t even notice the chicken. The flavor was amazing cooked in a crockpot! We usually just bake tortellini and have chicken on the side. I used 1 jar or Bertolli Alfredo with about a quarter cup of water! Thank you!
Tonia says
Fantastic! Thanks for coming back to let us know. This continues to be one of my family’s favorites as well.
Heather Peters says
This was perfection! My alway picky daughter who doesn’t like “meat” didn’t even notice the chicken. The flavor was amazing cooked in a crockpot! We usually just bake tortellini and have chicken on the side. I used 1 jar or Bertolli Alfredo with about a quarter cup of water! Thank you!
Becca says
So, I decided to have some fun with this recipe. When I added the Alfredo I also threw in a package of sliced portobello mushrooms. And when I added the tortellini I added a cup of shredded Parmesan cheese. The result was absolute heaven! The leftovers were a little bit thick, so I added just a tad more Alfredo sauce when reheating and it was amazing! I’m making this dish again tonight and adding some garlic bread as a side.
Side note: I used thawed chicken and cooked everything on low until I added the tortellini.
Becca says
So, I decided to have some fun with this recipe. When I added the Alfredo I also threw in a package of sliced portobello mushrooms. And when I added the tortellini I added a cup of shredded Parmesan cheese. The result was absolute heaven! The leftovers were a little bit thick, so I added just a tad more Alfredo sauce when reheating and it was amazing! I’m making this dish again tonight and adding some garlic bread as a side.
Side note: I used thawed chicken and cooked everything on low until I added the tortellini.
Debra says
2 years later, I know. But yes that’s exactly what I did and the whole thing turned out great! My husband loves it,so I’ll make it again for sure 🙂
Debra says
I realize that most all the comments I read are at least 2 years old,but I just want to say, I made this last week and my husband is still talking about how much he liked it. I will definitely make it again soon.
I cooked it on high for 6 hours,my chicken was perfect and my sauce was barely brown on the edges. And my slow cooker cooks fast and hot.
I used frozen tortellini, I just put it in the fridge the same time I put the chicken in the pot. When it was time it was perfect and “refrigerated”lol. The whole meal was great!
Debra says
I realize that most all the comments I read are at least 2 years old,but I just want to say, I made this last week and my husband is still talking about how much he liked it. I will definitely make it again soon.
I cooked it on high for 6 hours,my chicken was perfect and my sauce was barely brown on the edges. And my slow cooker cooks fast and hot.
I used frozen tortellini, I just put it in the fridge the same time I put the chicken in the pot. When it was time it was perfect and “refrigerated”lol. The whole meal was great!