Olive Garden Asiago Tortelloni Alfredo with Grilled Chicken
Olive Garden’s Asiago Tortelloni Alfredo is the pasta dish that makes everyone at the table ask what it is when they see it delivered. It’s cheese-filled tortelloni in a creamy Asiago Alfredo sauce, topped with sliced grilled chicken, panko breadcrumbs, and broiled mozzarella. This copycat builds each component from scratch, from a marinated pan-seared chicken to a homemade two-cheese Alfredo, for a result that matches the restaurant. It comes together in about 30 minutes of active time and is easy enough for a weeknight while looking impressive enough for company.
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Olive Garden’s Asiago Tortelloni Alfredo is built around three main components: marinated chicken, a rich homemade Alfredo sauce made with both asiago and parmesan cheese, and cheese-filled tortelloni. Once assembled in a baking dish with the chicken on top, a finish of panko breadcrumbs and shredded mozzarella goes under the broiler, creating a golden, bubbly topping that adds a layer of texture the restaurant version is known for.
The sauce is the centerpiece. Rather than relying on a single cheese, this recipe combines Asiago, which has a sharper, slightly tangy bite, with the more familiar nutty saltiness of Parmesan. Together, they produce a more complex Alfredo than a single-cheese version would. The half-and-half slightly loosens the sauce compared to an all-heavy-cream version, keeping it creamy without being too thick to coat the pasta.
Why this recipe works
Pounding the chicken to a uniform 1/2-inch thickness before marinating is what makes the chicken cook evenly and stay juicy. A thick chicken breast that goes into a hot skillet unevenly will overcook on the thin ends before the thick center is done. Pounding solves this, and it also creates more surface area for the marinade to penetrate.
The combination of asiago and parmesan cheeses in the sauce is not interchangeable with a single cheese. Asiago brings a tangy, assertive quality that gives the dish its signature flavor. Parmesan provides the salty, granular backbone that helps the sauce thicken properly as it cooks. Using only one or the other produces a noticeably flatter result.
Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – Provides lean protein and a perfect canvas for Italian seasonings
- Vegetable oil – Creates a beautiful sear on the chicken without overpowering flavors
- Salt – Enhances all the flavors and properly seasons each component
- Ground black pepper – Adds gentle heat and complexity to the chicken and sauce
- Italian seasoning blend – Infuses the chicken with classic herbs that complement the alfredo sauce
- Refrigerated cheese tortellini – Delivers pockets of rich cheese filling in tender pasta pillows
- Heavy cream – Creates the luxurious base for the silky alfredo sauce
- Half and half – Lightens the sauce slightly while maintaining creaminess
- Butter – Adds richness and helps create the perfect sauce consistency
- Grated Parmesan cheese – Provides salty, nutty depth to the alfredo sauce
- Grated Asiago cheese – Contributes a distinctive tangy flavor that makes this dish special
- Garlic powder – Infuses the sauce with aromatic depth (optional but recommended)
- Panko breadcrumbs – Creates a delightful crispy topping when broiled
- Shredded mozzarella cheese – Forms a beautiful melted cheese layer for visual appeal and texture
How to Make Olive Garden Asiago Tortelloni Alfredo with Grilled Chicken
- Pound chicken breasts out to ½-inch thickness with a meat mallet.
- Place chicken, vegetable oil, salt, ground black pepper, and Italian seasoning in a zip-top bag.
- Seal the bag and allow the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Add enough vegetable oil in a skillet to coat the bottom. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- When the oil becomes hot but not smoking, sauté the chicken on both sides until done.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and allow the chicken to rest on a cutting board.
- Combine cream, half and half, and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Do not let the mixture come to a boil, but heat until small bubbles begin to form.
- Add the Parmesan and Asiago cheese and whisk quickly.
- Add the garlic powder and continue to whisk until the sauce thickens.
- Cook the tortellini according to package instructions.
- Place cooked tortellini and sauce in a 2-quart baking dish.
- Slice chicken breasts and place them on top of the tortellini.
- Sprinkle ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs and ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
- Broil in the oven until the cheese just begins to brown.
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Olive Garden Asiago Tortellini Alfredo with Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
Grilled Chicken Breasts
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
Pasta
- 9 ounces refrigerated tortellini I recommend an asiago and ham blend
Creamy Alfredo Sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup half and half
- 4 ounces salted butter you can use unsalted
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese you can swap this for Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Toppings
- 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
Grilled Chicken Breasts
- Place one chicken breast at a time in a zip-top bag and pound to 1/2-inch thickness using the flat side of a meat mallet. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
- Add the vegetable oil, salt, ground black pepper, and Italian seasoning to the zip-top bag with the chicken. Seal the bag, massage to coat all the chicken pieces, and marinate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven broiler on high with the rack positioned 6 inches from the heat source.
- Add enough vegetable oil to a large skillet to coat the bottom. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil is hot but not smoking.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and add it to the skillet. Cook on the first side for 4 to 5 minutes without moving, until golden brown. Flip and cook on the second side for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Transfer to a cutting board and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- While the chicken rests, cook the tortelloni according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream, half and half, and butter. Heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles form around the edges. Do not let the mixture boil.
- Add the grated parmesan and asiago cheeses. Whisk continuously until the cheeses are fully melted and incorporated.
- Add the garlic powder and continue whisking until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from heat.
- Combine the cooked tortelloni and Alfredo sauce in a 2-quart baking dish. Stir gently to coat the pasta evenly.
- Slice the rested chicken breasts and arrange the slices over the top of the tortelloni.
- Sprinkle 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella evenly over the top.
- Place the baking dish under the preheated broiler. Broil for 2 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until the mozzarella is melted and lightly golden and the panko is toasted. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Tips for Making Baked Tortellini With Chicken and Alfredo Sauce
- Use refrigerated tortellini, not frozen or shelf-stable ones. You can find them in most deli departments.
- Make it up to two days ahead. If you are assembling the dish beforehand, don’t add the panko breadcrumbs and mozzarella cheese on top until just before cooking.
What to Serve Baked Tortelloni with
Serve this lovely tortellini pasta dish with classic Olive Garden favorites: copycat breadsticks, minestrone soup, or house salad.
You can also get creative and stray from the Olive Garden items if you wish. Try pairing this dish with roasted mixed vegetables, bruschetta, toasted sourdough, or garlic green beans.
Storage Instructions
- Reheating: For best results, reheat in a 350°F oven covered with foil until heated through (about 20 minutes)
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days
- Freezer: Not recommended, as cream-based sauces can separate when frozen
- Make Ahead: Prepare the dish up to the broiling step, refrigerate for up to 2 days, then broil just before serving (add 5-10 minutes to heating time)
Love Olive Garden? Try these popular copycat recipes!
- Apricot Chicken Recipe
- Olive Garden Chicken Marsala
- Olive Garden Salad
- Shrimp Alfredo
- Shrimp Parmesan
- Steak Alfredo
- Toasted Ravioli
Favorite Pasta Recipes
- Artichoke Pasta
- Chicken Piccata Pasta
- Garlic Shrimp Pasta
- Homemade Spaghettios
- Italian Sausage Spaghetti
Check out my easy pasta recipes and the best Olive Garden recipes here on CopyKat!
My go to Alfredo sauce now. This recipe is so good. I can’t tell you the last time my family has gone to Olive Garden. The wife and kids just ask me to cook this now; and when I’ve got the time to pair it with your breadsticks…simply irresistible. Many of your other recipes are great too, but this one is my favorite so far.
I don’t know how anyone could give this less than 5 stars. This recipe is so close to the Olive Garden dish. It’s amazing and my family is already asking when we’ll have it again!
Thanks for your Asiago Tortelloni Alfredo with Grilled Chicken. among the ingredients you mentioned ‘half and half’ but did not say what of.
Please explain
Half and half is a dairy product in the United States, it is half heavy cream and half milk.
Really enjoyed this recipe, very similar to Olive Garden. However, I could not find the measurement for the garlic powder anywhere, so I just added what I thought was a reasonable amount.
The sauce was really good once I added salt to it. Otherwise, it was bland. And the chicken tastes nothing like the Olive Garden sauce. I will definitely make this again, without the chicken
Thank you for your feedback, it is very hard to get personal salt level’s right for everyone. Parmesan cheese has the tendency to be fairly salty, I tend to adjust recipes for less salt for most people.
The sauce should have flour added to help thicken, I’ve made it several times and end up remaking with a flour roux
Another thing you can do to help thicken the sauce is turn up the heat and stir until it thickens.
Hi: We had this recipe originally about 12 years ago at Olive Garden but it was slightly different. I believe they modified to what you have as a better seller. The original had quartered artichokes and jumbo black olives as well the ingredients you list. We copied it it some years ago and even had it just last week.