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.
Video
Amy K says
My whole family liked this. My 10 year old even took leftovers to school in her thermos!
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.
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
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
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.
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
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!
Colleen says
This is amazing. I think it’s literally the easiest dinner I’ve ever made, it makes enough for leftovers, and everyone in my family loves it. I’m making this every week until someone begs me to give it a rest.
Tonia says
Fantastic! I’m going to make this for my family this week too! ~Tonia
Lauren says
In the first part you say cook low for 4-6 for thawed and in the next 6-8 hours on low. Which is better?
Tonia says
Hi Lauren,
Sorry for the typo. It should be 4-6 hours in both places. I’ve updated it now. Best of luck!
~Tonia
Gay Stephens says
I made this yesterday and it was great. So easy and different. Trying to think of different easy meals is hard, but this is a family keeper. Thanks
Tonia says
Wonderful! It continues to be one of our favorites! ~Tonia
Lori says
All of the meat I put in my slow cooker always go in frozen. The best pot roasts I make start with frozen meat…..and no one has ever got sick!! And I made this last nite after finding it here. Turned out great but I did cook it on low fro the 7 hours. And put the tortellini in frozen with an extra 1/2 cup of water during the last hour or so of cooking time and it came out cooked, hot and firm…..not mushy!! My husband loved it and I will make again.
Robbie Cain says
R U kidding me??? I NEVER thaw any meat before putting it in the crockpot & have never had a problem. Why would it possibly hurt anything if you cook it through? Also, duh, you can run hot water over frozen breasts for just a few minutes & it falls apart & practically cooks!
Sam says
If you’ve never had problems using frozen meat in a slow cooker, count yourself lucky. The reason it is dangerous is because of the amount of time it takes to get the meat fully cooked, that’s why. Do a little research & you’ll discover the pitfalls. I’ll leave the problems of using hot water to thaw meat for another time.
Nick says
6 to 8 hours is plenty of time to cook it all the way through. You clearly haven’t done your research. Please though, keep spreading fear and have more people laugh at you.
amoore says
What? She is not spreading fear. The reason it is not suggested is because of the amount of time it takes for the meat to rise to the correct temperature to consider it cooked all the way through. It gives plenty of time for bacteria to grow and contaminate your meat before it reaches a safe temperature. Also, just because it is cooked all the way through doesn’t mean it has reached the temp. recommended to kill any bacteria.
That’s fine if you do not agree and want to take that risk but there is not reason to discredit someone on something many others would agree with.
Monica says
I don’t understand why people have the need to be so rude when trying to get their point across. Smh
Mary says
I have been starting with frozen raw meat, all kinds, for my entire life, including my Dad and I cooking when crockpots first came out. I’ve always cooked things from about 7:00 a.m. Until 6:00 p.m. On low-medium. We’ve never had a problem.
KC says
I agree Mary…some people on here and their nasty replies should NOT be on this site! We enjoy sharing with each other…..If someone wants to be nasty…please leave our site!
Susan says
Wow, I don’t know you, but that was such a condescending remark about this recipe preparation to the person who posted it. Maybe in the future you can put it in a different way and not use the word “duh”.
Emily says
I just made this today and it was amazing! Here is my cooking times. I love to cook in the crockpot and used my newest which is barely a year old.
Cooked high: 2 hrs pulled frozen chicken apart. After 4 hrs total on high my chicken was ready to shred. I always do this on a plate so I can see the chicken and make sure it is fully cooked. Another hour on high made 5 hrs total of cooking on high. Switched to low until I was ready to add the tortellini. Once the tortellini was added (refridgerated) I turned back to high for 15 minutes. I did have to stir about every hour because it started getting brown around the edges. So, not a recipe I would throw in and leave while I run errands or go to work. Also, I doubled the recipe.
Jamie says
If I have frozen tortellini can I just let it thaw in the refrigerator then add it when it says to in the instructions?
Tonia says
I would follow the instructions on your package to cook the tortellini and then stir it in just before serving. Best of luck! 🙂
Terri says
I was wondering the same thing. I’m making it now and just took the frozen packages out threw them in the fridge. They should be dethawed by the time it’s ready to put them in the crockpot, but now I’m not sure whether or not I should boil them first.
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 🙂