5-Ingredient Chicken Pesto Tortellini Bake
This 5-Ingredient Chicken Pesto Tortellini Bake is an easy no-boil dinner made in one baking dish with chicken, pesto, tomatoes and plenty of melty cheese.
Creator: Leslie Stokes
If you have five ingredients and about 10 minutes to get dinner together, this Chicken Pesto Tortellini Bake is about to become one of your favorite easy weeknight dinners.
This is exactly the kind of recipe I need during a busy week. There’s no boiling the tortellini, no complicated prep, and everything comes together right in one baking dish. Add the tortellini, chicken, juicy tomatoes, pesto and plenty of melty cheese, cover it up and let the oven do the work.
The result is cheesy, comforting and packed with flavor, but still easy enough to throw together when you have absolutely no dinner plan.
And yes—the tortellini goes into the casserole dish completely uncooked!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Pesto Tortellini Bake
There are plenty of reasons this one deserves a spot in your weeknight dinner rotation.
It only takes five main ingredients. We’re using a few pantry basics like water and seasonings, but the actual dinner comes together with just five ingredients.
There’s no need to boil the pasta first. Refrigerated tortellini cooks right in the baking dish, which means one less pot to wash.
It takes about 10 minutes to prep. This is truly a dump, stir, cover and bake kind of dinner.
It’s family-friendly. Cheese tortellini, chicken and lots of melted mozzarella make this an easy win for both kids and adults.
And it’s a complete dinner in one dish. You can add a simple salad or some garlic bread on the side, but you really don’t need much else.
Do You Really Not Have to Boil the Tortellini?
Nope!
That’s probably my favorite part of this entire recipe.
Refrigerated tortellini is already soft enough that it can finish cooking directly in the casserole dish. The water, juices from the tomatoes and steam trapped underneath the foil create enough moisture for the pasta to cook.
The key is covering the dish tightly during the first part of baking. Don’t skip that step.
Easy Variations
One of the nice things about a simple recipe like this is how easy it is to customize.
You can add baby spinach for extra veggies, although that will technically take you beyond five ingredients.
For a little heat, sprinkle in red pepper flakes.
You can also swap the mozzarella for an Italian cheese blend or use a combination of mozzarella and Parmesan.
If you have leftover grilled chicken, use that instead of rotisserie chicken. The slightly smoky flavor is delicious with pesto.
What to Serve With Chicken Pesto Tortellini
Because you’ve already got pasta and chicken in the casserole, I like to keep the sides really simple.
A chopped Italian salad, Caesar salad, roasted broccoli or green beans would all work well. And if your family loves bread with pasta, add garlic bread or warm dinner rolls.
For especially busy nights, though, I would serve this exactly as it is and call dinner done.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Store leftover chicken pesto tortellini in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
To reheat an individual serving, microwave until warmed through. I like to add a tiny splash of water before reheating because the tortellini will continue absorbing some of the sauce as it sits in the refrigerator.
For a larger portion, cover and reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Can I Make This Ahead of Time?
Because we’re starting with uncooked refrigerated tortellini, I don’t recommend fully assembling the casserole hours ahead of time. The pasta can start absorbing the liquid while it sits and change the final texture.
Instead, prep your ingredients ahead of time. Chop the chicken and tomatoes and have everything ready in the refrigerator. When it’s time for dinner, dump everything into your baking dish and you’ll have it in the oven in minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen tortellini?
I recommend refrigerated tortellini for this recipe. Frozen tortellini may require additional liquid and a longer cooking time.
Can I use leftover chicken?
Absolutely. Leftover grilled, roasted or baked chicken is perfect. This is a great clean-out-the-fridge recipe.
What kind of pesto should I use?
Any prepared basil pesto you enjoy will work. Because pesto provides so much of the flavor in this five-ingredient dinner, this is one ingredient where quality really makes a difference.
Why is my tortellini still firm?
First, make sure you’re using refrigerated tortellini. Also make sure the casserole was tightly covered during the first 20 minutes. If it still needs more time, add a splash of water, cover again and bake for another 5 minutes before checking.
Can I add vegetables?
Definitely. Baby spinach, zucchini, broccoli or roasted red peppers would all be delicious, although they’ll turn this from a five-ingredient recipe into a six-ingredient-plus dinner.
Tips for the Best Tortellini Bake
Use refrigerated tortellini. I haven’t tested this exact recipe with dried or frozen tortellini, and both would require adjustments to the liquid and cooking time.
Don’t skip the water. It may seem strange to pour water into your casserole, but the tortellini needs that moisture to cook.
Cover it tightly. If steam escapes, you can end up with tortellini that’s still firm around the edges.
Don’t overdo the pesto. About ¼ to ⅓ cup gives you plenty of pesto flavor without overwhelming the dish.
Save some cheese for the top. Mixing cheese throughout makes the casserole creamy and cheesy, while that final layer gives you the gorgeous bubbly finish.
Let it rest before serving. Five minutes gives the liquid time to settle and creates a much better consistency.
I hope this recipe helps you! Don’t forget to follow along on social media for more Meal Prep + healthy recipes!
5-Ingredient Chicken Pesto Tortellini Bake
Ingredients
- 20 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini uncooked
- 2½ cups cooked chicken chopped or shredded
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes halved
- ⅓ cup prepared basil pesto
- 2 cups Borden shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- ¾-1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Let's Make It
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Add the uncooked tortellini, chicken, cherry tomatoes, pesto, 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella, ¾ cup water, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the baking dish.
- Stir everything together until evenly combined. Make sure the tortellini is well coated and distributed in an even layer.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Carefully remove the foil and stir. Check the tortellini for doneness. If the dish looks dry or the tortellini still needs additional cooking, stir in a splash of the remaining water.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella evenly over the top.
- Return to the oven uncovered and bake for another 8–10 minutes, or until the tortellini is tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- For a golden top, broil for 1–2 minutes, watching carefully.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before scooping and serving.
Meal Prep in 1 Hour
You can use any two of the meals in this series to get your meal prep done in just about and hour, give or take!
Having your breakfast and lunch ready for the week helps you stay on track with your nutriton, saves you time and money! I truly beleive that meal prep does not need to be over complicated, take too much time or be boring!
I always get asked- “do you ever get tired of eating the same thing all week?” and the answer is, no! Not when the food taste good! I give plenty of variety in these preps and keep it simple!
As always, thanks for being here and remember, don’t over complicate the process! Take a deep breath, you got this!
