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Cozy and comforting slow cooker pasta dish with tender chicken in smoky barbecue sauce, crispy bacon, cheese tortellini, and creamy cheddar sauce.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2–3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
  • 1 (20-ounce) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Place the chicken in an even layer at the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
  2. Pour the barbecue sauce and chicken broth over the chicken. Gently stir around the edges to blend the sauce.
  3. Sprinkle half the cooked, crumbled bacon on top.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until chicken is cooked through and tender.
  5. Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to slow cooker and stir to coat with sauce.
  6. Add refrigerated cheese tortellini directly to the slow cooker. Gently stir to mix with chicken and sauce.
  7. Stir in the heavy cream.
  8. Add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and stir until melted and fully combined.
  9. Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes more, until tortellini is tender and warmed through.
  10. Give it a gentle stir and let it sit for a few minutes so the sauce thickens.
  11. Top with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese and the rest of the crispy bacon.

Notes

Use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts for juicier meat., Add refrigerated tortellini at the end so it cooks through but remains firm; frozen tortellini requires extra cooking time., Stir gently when mixing tortellini to avoid breaking pasta., Adjust sauce thickness by adding chicken broth if too thick or simmering uncovered to reduce if too thin., Sprinkle half the bacon during cooking for smoky flavor, reserve remaining for topping to keep crispy., Serve immediately for best flavor and texture., Can substitute BBQ sauce flavors or cheeses, and add veggies near the end for variation., Store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge up to 3-4 days; bacon and sauce freeze well separately for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://margorecipes.com/slow-cooker-cheesy-bbq-bacon-chicken-tortellini/