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Cowboy Butter Garlic Chicken Tortellini in creamy garlic cowboy butter sauce with seared chicken, fire-roasted red peppers, parsley, and Parmesan.

Cowboy Butter Garlic Chicken Tortellini


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  • Author: Aneta
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

Creamy, garlicky, slightly spicy Cowboy Butter Garlic Chicken Tortellini with Fire-Roasted Red Peppers—a 30-minute skillet dinner that tastes restaurant-level but cooks like a weeknight hero.


Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder

For the Cowboy Butter Sauce

  • 4 tbsp butter

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)

  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

  • 1/2 tsp paprika

  • 1/2 tsp onion powder

  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Pasta

  • 1 (9 oz) package cheese tortellini

  • 3/4 cup heavy cream

  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1/2 cup chopped fire-roasted red peppers

  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (garnish)


Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving about 1/2 cup pasta water.

  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Cook 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate.

  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the same skillet and scrape up the browned bits. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

  4. Stir in red pepper flakes, lemon juice, Dijon, paprika, onion powder, thyme, plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook 1–2 minutes.

  5. Pour in heavy cream and stir until smooth. Add chopped fire-roasted red peppers and simmer 2–3 minutes, until slightly thickened.

  6. Return chicken to the skillet, then add tortellini. Toss to coat. Stir in Parmesan until melted and glossy. If needed, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.

  7. Serve warm and garnish with parsley (and an extra squeeze of lemon if you love a bright finish).

Notes

Want it milder? Cut the red pepper flakes in half. Want it bolder? Add a pinch more and call it cowboy-approved.

If the sauce thickens too much while sitting, reheat with a splash of cream, milk, or pasta water.

Chicken thighs work great here too—extra juicy and forgiving.

Fresh-grated Parmesan melts smoother, but the pre-grated kind still gets the job done on busy nights.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Skillet / Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American-italian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 730 kcal
  • Sugar: 3 g
  • Sodium: 900 mg
  • Fat: 40 g
  • Saturated Fat: 22 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
  • Trans Fat: 0.5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 28 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 45 g
  • Cholesterol: 175 mg