You get home at 6:15, the light is already going, and you want something warm that doesn't require three pots and a prayer. This is that dinner. One skillet, a sheet pan's worth of caramelized vegetables, and cheese tortellini that cooks right in the sauce.
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The trade-off is real: you have to leave the squash and sprouts alone for a full 20 minutes so they brown instead of steam. That patience is the whole recipe. Skip it and you get soft, pale vegetables and a dish that tastes flat.
Everything else is quick. Rotisserie chicken saves you 20 minutes, and the tortellini goes in frozen or fresh straight from the package. You'll have leftovers for two lunches, and they reheat better than you'd expect.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
3 cups (about 340g) butternut squash, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Buy the pre-cubed container if you're short on time; it costs more but saves 15 minutes of knife work. Frozen cubed squash works too, but pat it dry or it will steam instead of brown.
3 cups (about 300g) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
Choose small, tight heads, which cook faster and taste sweeter. If yours are large, quarter them so they caramelize at the same rate as the squash.
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Regular olive oil is fine here; save the expensive finishing oil for drizzling at the end. Avocado oil works if you want a higher smoke point.
1 pound (450g) boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
Rotisserie chicken is a fine shortcut: use 3 cups shredded and add it at the very end so it doesn't dry out. Thighs stay juicier if you tend to overcook chicken.
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Kosher salt is coarser and easier to control than table salt. If you only have table salt, use about 3/4 teaspoon.
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Freshly ground makes a noticeable difference on roasted vegetables. Pre-ground is acceptable, just use a little more.
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Crush it between your palms before adding to wake up the oils. Poultry seasoning or dried sage are easy swaps.
2 cloves garlic, minced
Add it late, in the last minute, so it turns fragrant instead of bitter. Jarred garlic is a real shortcut but tastes milder.
1 1/2 cups (360ml) low-sodium chicken broth
Low-sodium lets you control the salt. Vegetable broth makes this vegetarian if you also skip the chicken.
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
Half-and-half works but the sauce will be thinner. For a dairy-free version, use full-fat coconut milk and expect a slightly sweeter sauce.
20 ounces (570g) fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
Frozen tortellini goes in straight from the freezer, no thawing; add 3 to 4 extra minutes. Refrigerated fresh tortellini cooks in about half the time.
1/3 cup (30g) grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Grate it yourself from a block; pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking starch and won't melt smoothly. Pecorino is sharper and saltier, so use a little less.
Tips & Tricks
- Don't crowd the pan. If your skillet is smaller than 12 inches, roast the vegetables on a sheet pan instead, or they'll steam and turn gray.
- Dry the vegetables well before they hit the oil. Moisture is the enemy of browning, and butternut squash holds a lot of water.
- Add the cream off a hard boil. Boiling cream in a hot skillet with acid and salt can make it grainy; lower the heat first, then stir it in.
- Undercook the tortellini by 1 minute in the broth. It finishes cooking in the sauce and absorbs flavor instead of turning mushy.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the oven and skillet
Heat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and set a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Give it a full 2 minutes to get hot; a drop of water should sizzle and skitter across the surface.
2. Season the vegetables
Toss the butternut squash and Brussels sprouts with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper, and the thyme. Spread them in the hot skillet cut-side down where you can.
3. Roast until caramelized
Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 20 to 22 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender and the sprouts are deep golden brown at the edges. Don't stir during the first 15 minutes; that's what builds the color.
4. Brown the chicken
Pull the vegetables out onto a plate and set the skillet back over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring twice, until golden on the outside and the thickest piece reads 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
5. Bloom the garlic
Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic, and stir for 45 seconds, just until it smells sweet and nutty. Don't let it brown or the whole sauce will taste bitter.
6. Simmer the tortellini
Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits. Bring to a gentle boil, add the tortellini, cover, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes for fresh pasta or 8 to 9 minutes for frozen, until the pasta floats and is tender at the edge.
7. Make it creamy
Reduce the heat to low, stir in the cream and Parmesan, and simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and bubbles gently at the edges. Taste and add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt as needed.
8. Combine and serve
Fold the roasted vegetables and any juices back into the skillet and warm through for 1 minute. Serve hot with extra Parmesan and a crack of black pepper.
Delicious Variations
Sausage and sage version
swap the chicken for 12 ounces of crumbled Italian sausage and add 8 fresh sage leaves with the garlic. Brown the sausage first, then use the same skillet.
Vegetarian harvest version
leave out the chicken, use vegetable broth, and add a can of drained chickpeas with the tortellini for protein.
Pesto cream version
stir 3 tablespoons of pesto into the cream sauce instead of the thyme, and finish with toasted pine nuts.
How to Store Easy Autumn Chicken Tortellini with Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The pasta will soak up sauce, so keep a splash of broth or cream to loosen it.
Freezer
Freeze in portions for up to 2 months, but expect the cream sauce to separate slightly and the sprouts to soften. It's still good, just not as pretty.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat with 2 tablespoons of broth or water, covered, for 4 to 5 minutes. Microwaving works but toughens the pasta edges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use frozen butternut squash for this recipe?
Yes, frozen cubed squash works, but you must thaw and pat it dry first or it will release water and steam instead of browning. Expect it to take about 5 minutes longer in the oven and to brown unevenly.
Q: How do I keep the cream sauce from curdling?
Add the cream over low heat, never a rolling boil, and stir it in slowly. If the sauce does look grainy, whisk in a tablespoon of warm broth and lower the heat; it usually comes back together.
Q: Can I make this chicken tortellini ahead of time?
You can roast the vegetables and cook the chicken up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them separately. Boil the tortellini and build the cream sauce fresh the day you serve it, which takes about 15 minutes.
Q: What can I use instead of heavy cream?
Half-and-half or whole milk thickened with a teaspoon of cornstarch both work, though the sauce will be thinner. Full-fat coconut milk is the best dairy-free swap but adds a faint sweetness.
Q: Is this recipe gluten-free?
Not as written, because tortellini is made with wheat flour. Look for a gluten-free refrigerated tortellini or use gluten-free gnocchi, and check that your broth and Parmesan are certified gluten-free.
Start by preheating the oven before you chop anything, because a hot skillet is the difference between browned vegetables and sad steamed ones. Make it once this week and you'll know the timing by heart. Keep it small, keep it going.
Easy Autumn Chicken Tortellini with Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts
This easy autumn chicken tortellini with butternut squash and Brussels sprouts is one cozy skillet dinner with golden caramelized veggies and tender pasta.
🧂 Ingredients
- 3 cups (about 340g) butternut squash, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 3 cups (about 300g) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound (450g) boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 20 ounces (570g) fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
- 1/3 cup (30g) grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
📋 Instructions
- 1Heat the oven and skillet — Heat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and set a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Give it a full 2 minutes to get hot; a drop of water should sizzle and skitter across the surface.
- 2Season the vegetables — Toss the butternut squash and Brussels sprouts with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper, and the thyme. Spread them in the hot skillet cut-side down where you can.
- 3Roast until caramelized — Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 20 to 22 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender and the sprouts are deep golden brown at the edges. Don't stir during the first 15 minutes; that's what builds the color.
- 4Brown the chicken — Pull the vegetables out onto a plate and set the skillet back over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring twice, until golden on the outside and the thickest piece reads 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- 5Bloom the garlic — Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic, and stir for 45 seconds, just until it smells sweet and nutty. Don't let it brown or the whole sauce will taste bitter.
- 6Simmer the tortellini — Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits. Bring to a gentle boil, add the tortellini, cover, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes for fresh pasta or 8 to 9 minutes for frozen, until the pasta floats and is tender at the edge.
- 7Make it creamy — Reduce the heat to low, stir in the cream and Parmesan, and simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and bubbles gently at the edges. Taste and add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt as needed.
- 8Combine and serve — Fold the roasted vegetables and any juices back into the skillet and warm through for 1 minute. Serve hot with extra Parmesan and a crack of black pepper.
