Tortellini with Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Tortellini is one of those foods that I have a hard time stopping eating once I start.  There’s something about the little cheese filled pasta that I just love so much.  I don’t normally talk brands on here, but there’s this one particular type of tortellini that I find especially intoxicating – Cheese & Spinach Tortellini by Barilla.  It’s dried, not refrigerated, in a blue bag in the pasta aisle.  In case you were wondering.

Anyway, we had our friends Dave and Kylie over the other night and I made this tortellini with creamy roasted red pepper sauce.  I normally shy away from things called creamy due to the fact that it’s usually high in fat, but this recipe is kind of a cheater because the “creamy” part comes from wedges of Laughing Cow Light cheese instead of cream.  Clever little tortellini vixen.

Anyway, this recipe is really quite easy and very delicious.  You could mix it up a bunch of different ways with different varieties of tortellini, you could exchange the chicken for sausage or leave it out entirely, use different flavors of Laughing Cow cheese, different cheese on the top… You get the idea.  It’s versatile.  And easy enough for a weeknight, but impressive enough for a weekend, for a potluck, or to entertain with like we did.  I mean, everyone loves a baked pasta dish!

Ok, now this is important.  I’m entering my first recipe contest with this recipe!  I’m hoping you’ll help me out by voting for me by clicking this link and also by telling  some other people to vote for me!  The contest is sponsored by DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen, but no, I the prize isn’t a new kitchen.  It’s a $250 Visa gift card, which would still be fun! I think you have to like them on Facebook to vote, but – added bonus – you get entered into a sweepstakes for $50 when you vote!  We both have a chance to win!   Thanks in advance if you go through the trouble of voting for me.  🙂

Tortellini with Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 package Cheese and Spinach tortellini (4-6 servings), cooked according to package directions
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes
• 2 roasted red peppers, pureed in food processor until smooth
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 5 wedges of laughing cow cheese (I used chipotle for a little kick)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut chicken breasts into bite sized pieces.  Heat nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil.  Cook chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add onion and garlic and cook an additional 5-6 minutes, until onion is tender.  Add tomatoes and roasted red peppers and reduce heat to simmer for 5-10 minutes.  If you want to spice things up, add about 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper to your sauce.

Stir cheese wedges in to sauce to melt (the chipotle kind gave it just a nice little bit of spice – not too much).  Mix cooked tortellini together with sauce and chicken mixture.  Pour into 9×13 glass pan.  Cover with mozzarella cheese and bake until cheese has melted.  If you’re like me and you like your cheese to brown, turn the broiler on for a minute or so after the cheese is melted.  Be careful – it can burn quickly!

Serve with garlic bread.