Chicken Carbonara
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Chicken Carbonara is a recipe I created to try to be fancy. It’s warm and creamy and looks like it takes a long time to make, but the reality is that you can have this easy meal on the table in just about 30 minutes. That’s a win in my home where I’m always trying to have great meals with less time.
This rich and creamy Chicken Carbonara is made with freshly cooked pasta, tender chicken, and savory cooked bits of bacon, all tossed in a beautiful silky sauce. It’s a hearty and delicious recipe that’s perfect for a special occasion dinner or an easy weeknight meal.
Creamy Chicken Carbonara Recipe
There’s something undeniably comforting about diving into a warm and creamy plate of carbonara. The rich, cheesy sauce combined with pasta and crispy bacon is the stuff dreams are made of. With this recipe, it gets even better! By adding tender and juicy chicken, this dish becomes a hearty and very satisfying meal, even for the hungriest of appetites.
The best part is that this is not one of those labor-intensive recipes that take all day to make. In just 35 minutes, you’ll have a restaurant-quality Italian dinner on the table, ready to serve. It’s delicious served alone or you can serve it with a simple, crisp garden salad and some crusty Italian breadsticks. Trust me, once you’ve tried this version of Chicken Carbonara, it’ll become a regular in your weekly meal lineup.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy meal – Made with simple ingredients from local grocery stores, this dish is ready in just 35 minutes.
- Creamy and comforting – This is a rich and cheesy, no-cream sauce.
- Hearty and filling – Adding chicken makes the classic recipe an even more satisfying meal.
- Family-friendly – A dish the entire family will love, kids and adults alike.
Recommended Tools
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Large skillet
- Large pot
- Cheese grater
- Measuring spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Serving bowls
Ingredients
- Dry spaghetti – The perfect shaped pasta for soaking up the creamy sauce.
- Eggs – You’ll use whole eggs and egg yolks. It’s best to use fresh eggs to make the creamy sauce.
- Freshly grated Parmesan – Adds a rich, nutty cheesiness to the sauce.
- Freshly cracked black pepper – A must for any carbonara recipe.
- Olive oil – Used for sautéing the chicken and garlic.
- Thick-cut bacon – Gives a smoky flavor and crispy texture that complements the creamy sauce.
- Fresh garlic cloves – Thinly sliced or minced, infuse the pasta with warm garlic flavors.
- Chicken – We used boneless, skinless chicken breasts that we cut into ½-inch pieces.
- Kosher salt – Seasons the pasta.
- Fresh chopped parsley – This will serve as an optional for garnish.
How to Make Easy Chicken Carbonara
Step One: Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions or until al dente.
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Tip: You’ll want to cook the pasta just until it’s al dente to prevent overcooking once you transfer it to the skillet.
Step Two: Combine the Egg and Cheese and Sauté the Bacon
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the raw egg yolks, the raw whole eggs, Parmesan, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring often, until bacon is crispy. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute, or until fragrant.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon and garlic to a medium bowl lined with a paper towel, leaving 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan.
Step Three: Cook the Chicken
- Season chicken with remaining ½ teaspoon black pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. Set the skillet over medium heat and add chicken. Cook in the bacon grease until golden brown and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to the bowl with the cooked bacon and garlic.
Step Four: Add the Egg Mixture, Toss and Serve
- Reduce heat to low. Pour egg mixture into the skillet and toss the pasta. Continue to toss until the carbonara sauce is thick and the eggs are cooked, but not scrambled or curdled; about 4 minutes.
- Add the crispy bacon and chicken back to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Turning the heat down to low before adding the eggs is important so they don’t scramble when they hit the hot pasta.
- Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. If you use salty bacon, reduce how much salt you add to this recipe.
- Serve warm, garnished with extra parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.
Suggestions and Alternatives
- Bacon – If you prefer, you can swap the bacon for pancetta or guanciale, like traditional carbonara.
- Chicken and other protein – Chicken thighs, leftover turkey, rotisserie chicken, shrimp, or ham.
- Extra creamy sauce – If you prefer a creamier sauce, add a little bit of heavy cream before you add the starchy pasta water. Let the sauce thicken before adding the egg mixture.
- Pasta – Any type of long pasta will work.
- Other vegetables – Bell peppers, sweet peas, onions, or mushrooms.
- Cheese – We used Parm, but pecorino Romano is another classic choice.
- Fresh herbs – Feel free to add chopped, fresh basil, oregano, or thyme.
How Do You Store Carbonara with Chicken?
Let leftovers cool to room temperature, and then transfer them to an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove with a splash of water or chicken broth.
Can You Freeze Leftovers?
I do not recommend freezing this recipe because the eggs will separate when thawed.
You can serve this pasta dish with almost any of your favorite sides. Here are some popular choices:
– Steamed or roasted vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, or asparagus.
– Lemon and parmesan arugula salad.
– Garlic bread or garlic knots.
– Caprese Salad
Chicken Alfredo sauce is typically made with heavy cream, butter, and Parmesan cheese, resulting in a rich, creamy texture. Carbonara sauce, on the other hand, uses eggs, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper for a lighter, creamy texture without the cream.
Traditional carbonara originates from Rome, Italy, but this recipe includes chicken, which is an American twist.
No, the eggs in chicken carbonara are not eaten raw. They are mixed with hot pasta and pasta water, which gently cooks the eggs and creates a creamy sauce.
More Delicious Pasta Recipes
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Roasted Tomato Pasta
- Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta
- Leftover Turkey Casserole
- Classic Italian Lasagna
- Stuffed Pasta Shells
- Hamburger Casserole
Chicken Carbonara
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dry spaghetti
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan plus more for serving
- 1 ½ teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper divided
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 5 bacon strips, thick-cut diced
- 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced or minced
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into ½ inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt plus more to taste
- fresh chopped parsley optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, and reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.12 ounces dry spaghetti
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, Parmesan, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.2 large eggs, 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, 1 ½ teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, 2 egg yolks
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring often, until bacon is crispy. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute, or until fragrant.2 Tablespoons olive oil, 5 bacon strips, thick-cut, 3 cloves garlic
- Transfer bacon and garlic to a medium bowl, leaving 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan.
- Season chicken with remaining ½ teaspoon black pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. Set the skillet over medium heat and add chicken. Cook until golden brown and cooked through; 6 to 8 minutes.½ teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- Transfer chicken to the bowl with bacon and garlic.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add reserved pasta water, along with the spaghetti. Toss together until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Reduce heat to low. Pour egg mixture into the skillet and toss pasta until sauce is thick and the eggs are cooked, but not scrambled or curdled; about 4 minutes. Add the bacon and chicken back to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Serve warm, garnished with freshly grated parmesan and parsley, if desired.fresh chopped parsley
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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The recipe was pretty tasty, but make sure you cool the bacon grease down a little before adding the garlic or you’ll burn the garlic. I’ve never made this or anything like it before so it took me longer than expected. I was doubling the recipe too, so batch cooking the chicken took a while. And then shredding the Parmesan cheese added time too.