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White bowl with wooden spoon on the side of tortellini salad with mozzarella, chicken, roasted red peppers and tomatoes.

Pesto Balsamic Chicken Tortellini Toss

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 hours
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken + Marinade:

  • ½ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, tenders or thighs, trimmed

Salad:

  • 20 ounce packaged fresh/refrigerated cheese tortellini
  • 1 to 1 ½ pounds asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 to 4 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 16-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
  • 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
  • 1 to 2 cups fresh mozzarella balls, halved (or fresh mozzarella, cubed)
  • Fresh chopped herbs of your choice, like basil, parsley, etc (optional but delicious)

Pesto Dressing:

  • ¾ cup prepared basil pesto (see note)
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise

Instructions 

  • Whisk together all the marinade ingredients until well combined. Pour over the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
  • Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. (See note for alternate cooking options.) Cook the chicken for 4-6 minutes per side, or until an instant-read thermometer register 165 degrees at the thickest part. Remove from the grill and set aside to cool a bit.
  • SIDENOTE: Step #3 and Step #4 can be done simultaneously with a little planning, so read through the next few steps before starting so you can maximize time and cooking.
    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the asparagus in an even layer on the pan. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil if needed. Cook the tomatoes and asparagus for 8-10 minutes until the tomatoes are bursting and sizzling and the asparagus is crisp-tender.
  • Cook the tortellini according to package instructions. DO NOT OVERCOOK. If using refrigerated/fresh tortellini, it will only need 1-2 minutes of cooking time. You want it al dente rather than falling apart soft. Drain the tortellini, quickly rinse with cool water to prevent sticking, drain again, and transfer to a serving bowl. Let cool, tossing occasionally, while prepping the rest of the ingredients.
  • Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.
  • For the dressing, whisk together the pesto, balsamic vinegar and mayonnaise. (The mayo can be left out for a less creamy dressing.)
  • To the bowl with the tortellini, add the chicken, roasted asparagus and tomatoes, artichokes, red peppers, mozzarella, and fresh herbs.
  • Pour the pesto dressing over the top. Toss to combine. Serve or refrigerate until serving.

Notes

Cooking Timeline: there is a lot going on in this recipe! Several components can be cooked at the same time. Preheat the oven at the same time as putting water on to boil for the tortellini. The asparagus and tomatoes can be roasting in the oven at the same time the chicken is cooking on the grill. 
Chicken: the chicken can be cooked in an air fryer, in the oven (baked or on broil setting), or cubed and cooked in a skillet. 
Pesto: I prefer fresher tasting store bought basil pesto from the refrigerated section (Costco's Kirkland brand is really good) rather than the jarred kind in the pasta aisle. Homemade pesto works, too!
Asparagus: if asparagus isn't in season or easily found, broccoli, zucchini or another vegetable can be used. 
Make-Ahead: this tortellini toss can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. If it's going to be refrigerated longer than 1-2 hours, consider reserving some of the dressing to stir in right before serving OR dress it completely right before serving so it isn't dry.