Creamy Italian Chicken Carbonara (Printer-friendly)

Creamy Italian pasta with tender chicken, crispy bacon, and rich Parmesan-egg sauce. A comforting 35-minute main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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
10 - Fresh parsley, chopped, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - While pasta cooks, 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 mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, grated Parmesan, cream if using, and a generous amount of black pepper until well combined.
04 - Add drained pasta to the skillet with the bacon, garlic, and chicken, tossing to combine thoroughly.
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 comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • The silky Parmesan sauce clings to each noodle without feeling heavy or greasy.
  • You can use rotisserie chicken or leftovers, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
  • Its rich enough to impress guests but simple enough to make on a Tuesday.
02 -
  • Always remove the skillet from heat before adding the egg mixture, or you will end up with scrambled eggs instead of a silky sauce.
  • Reserve more pasta water than you think you need, it is the secret to adjusting the sauce texture without adding more cream or oil.
  • Toss the pasta constantly when adding the eggs, motion and residual heat are what create that restaurant-quality creaminess.
03 -
  • Let your eggs sit out for 20 minutes before whisking, they blend more smoothly and temper better against the hot pasta.
  • Use a deep skillet or even a large bowl for tossing, it gives you room to mix without flinging noodles everywhere.
  • Taste the bacon before adding extra salt, it is often salty enough on its own to season the entire dish.
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