Summer Pesto Chicken Tortellini Recipe

I used to have this habit in summer where I’d buy random vegetables with good intentions, then stand in the kitchen at 7pm with no real dinner plan.

That’s how this recipe started.

I needed something I could throw together without thinking too much, but still feel like an actual meal instead of just “stuff on a plate.”

The first time I made this, I messed up the timing. I cooked everything together at once and ended up with overcooked asparagus and mushy tortellini. It still tasted okay, but the texture was off enough that I didn’t want to repeat it.

After that, I started breaking it into stages.

What makes this work is the order. The chicken goes first so it gets proper color and flavor. Then the vegetables go in just long enough to soften slightly but still keep some bite. The tortellini is already cooked, so it just gets warmed through at the end.

Here’s the thing: pesto is powerful. If you add it too early, it can dry out or lose its freshness. I always add it at the very end, off heat, so it coats everything without breaking down.

Sun-dried tomatoes are doing a lot of the heavy lifting here too. They bring that salty, slightly sweet intensity that makes the whole dish taste more complex than it actually is.

I’ve also learned not to overcook the asparagus. The difference between crisp-tender and soft is only a couple of minutes, and once it goes too far, there’s no fixing it.

This is one of those meals that looks like effort but really isn’t. I’ve made it on tired evenings when I just wanted something decent on the table without thinking too much, and it always delivers.

Sophie Bennett

Summer Pesto Chicken Tortellini Recipe

A quick summer dinner with chicken, tortellini, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil pesto.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs sliced
• 10 oz cheese tortellini cooked
• 1 bunch asparagus trimmed and cut
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic minced

Pesto Sauce:

• 1/2 cup basil pesto
• optional splash of pasta water to loosen

Method

 

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Cook sliced chicken thighs with salt and pepper until browned and fully cooked, about 6–8 minutes.
3. Add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, cooking for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Add asparagus and cherry tomatoes, cooking until asparagus is just tender.
5. Stir in cooked tortellini and mix everything together.
6. Remove from heat and fold in pesto until evenly coated.

Notes

Add pesto off heat to keep flavor fresh. Don’t overcook asparagus or it turns soft fast. Tortellini should be cooked separately before adding. Stores in fridge up to 3 days but best eaten fresh.