Creamy Italian Chicken Carbonara (Print)

Creamy Italian pasta with tender chicken, crispy bacon, and silky Parmesan-egg sauce. Comforting, elegant, and ready in 35 minutes.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz spaghetti or fettuccine

→ Proteins

02 - 7 oz cooked chicken breast, shredded
03 - 5 oz bacon or pancetta, diced

→ Sauce

04 - 3 large eggs
05 - 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/4 cup heavy cream, optional
07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Aromatics

08 - 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

→ Garnish

09 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese for serving
10 - Fresh parsley, chopped, optional

# Directions:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon or pancetta and cook until crisp, approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in shredded chicken to warm through. Remove from heat.
03 - In a bowl, whisk together eggs, grated Parmesan, cream if using, and a generous amount of black pepper.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the bacon, garlic, and chicken, tossing to combine.
05 - Pour the egg-Parmesan mixture over the pasta, tossing quickly and continuously off the heat to create a creamy sauce. Add reserved pasta water gradually until the sauce reaches desired consistency.
06 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels fancy but comes together faster than ordering delivery.
  • The creamy sauce clings to every strand without heavy cream weighing you down.
  • Leftover chicken gets a second life that tastes nothing like leftovers.
  • One pan, one pot, and you are done with cleanup before the table is even set.
02 -
  • The pan must be off the heat when you add the eggs or you will end up with scrambled egg bits instead of a creamy sauce.
  • Pasta water is not optional, the starch in it binds the sauce and makes everything come together like magic.
  • Room temperature eggs are your friend, cold eggs straight from the fridge are more likely to seize when they hit the hot pasta.
  • If the sauce feels too thick, add more pasta water one tablespoon at a time while tossing, it loosens without breaking.
03 -
  • Grate your Parmesan right before you use it, the flavor is sharper and the texture melts into the sauce instead of clumping.
  • Toss the pasta in the skillet for 30 seconds before adding the eggs, this coats every strand in bacon fat and makes the sauce cling better.
  • Taste before you add salt, the bacon and Parmesan are already salty, and it is easy to overdo it.
  • Keep a little extra pasta water on standby even after plating, you can always loosen the sauce at the table if needed.
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