A cheesy-filled casserole filled with leftover chicken or turkey and served to the masses. This is the perfect family and kid-friendly dinner you’ve been looking for!
I just don’t care that there are a couple more weeks left of the summer season. That’s a technicality as far as I’m concerned. As soon as back-to-school hits (which happens to be today) I declare it casserole season until the tulips start blooming in the garden. And even then we can likely sneak in a few more casseroles like this Chicken Tortellini version until Memorial Day weekend. Who’s with me?
And if you follow along on Instagram you’ve been seeing me roast chickens and turkey year round in my outdoor electric roaster. It’s such an awesome appliance and it leaves the oven free and the kitchen cool. It also leaves me with lots of extra food to make things like this Chicken Tortellini Casserole. Win-win.
Anyway, I took cheese inspiration for this dish from my super-popular mac and cheese recipe. Gruyere is just the way to go for flavor and cheesiness. And using cheese-filled tortellini just makes it all ridiculously better. I’m so glad casserole season is finally here. So bring on the jeans! And boots and sweaters. Dare I say snow? Okay I won’t.
Here’s what this Chicken Tortellini Casserole is going to look like before you pop this baby into the oven. You will want to take a big bite, but you need to wait.
This should last a couple of days at your house, assuming you’re not feeding an army or teenagers…in that case just make two. You’ll be glad you did. I was.
Other Tortellini Casserole Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Five Years Ago: Pork Mushroom Stew Over Apple-Potato Mash
- Six Years Ago: Ribeyes with Red Wine-Feta Vinaigrette
Chicken Tortellini Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried, cheese-filled tortellini pasta
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2-1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 8 oz shredded Gruyere cheese
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
- 3 cups cooked, cubed chicken or turkey breast
- 3 cups small broccoli florets
For the Topping:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare tortellini according to package directions, but cook it 2 minutes less than the time required for al dente cooked pasta. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and saute bell pepper and onion until tender. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds more. Stir in flour until it's fully incorporated. Slowly whisk in milk (even with the peppers and onion in there, it's okay) and let come to a slight boil while you continue to whisk. Stir in mustard, salt and pepper. Add Gruyere, mozzarella and 2 oz of the Parm-Reg cheese. Stir until fully melted and remove from heat. Add cheese sauce, chicken, broccoli and pasta to a large bowl. Stir together gently until fully incorporated. Pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish and top with remaining 2 oz of remaining Parm-Reg cheese.
- For the topping, in a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter and stir in panko until fully incorporated. Sprinkle over casserole.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until top is golden brown and cheese is bubbling. Let sit 15 minutes before serving.