Creamy Chicken Carbonara
A comforting, creamy chicken carbonara recipe with crispy bacon, juicy chicken, and a rich, silky egg-based sauce. A perfect blend of classic Italian technique and hearty additions, ready in under an hour for weeknights or special dinners.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Large skillet
- Slotted spoon
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Tongs
Ingredients
- For the Pasta and Chicken:
- 1 lb spaghetti or fettuccine
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon or pancetta, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- For the Creamy Sauce:
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Optional Add-ins:
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- Extra Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Prep Ingredients: Boil water for pasta. Cut chicken and bacon. In a bowl, whisk eggs, cream, half the Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
- Cook Pasta: Add salt to boiling water and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- Cook Bacon and Chicken: In a skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon; cook chicken in bacon grease with seasoning. Add garlic in the last minute.
- Combine: Add drained hot pasta to pan with chicken and garlic. Remove from heat. After 30 sec, stir in egg mixture constantly to form creamy sauce. Add bacon and toss.
- Finish and Serve: Mix in peas, parsley, or chili flakes if using. Adjust with pasta water as needed. Top with extra Parmesan and serve hot.
Notes
For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of cream.
Gluten-free pasta can be substituted.
Sauce may scramble if added to a hot pan—remove from heat and toss quickly.
Reheat gently with splash of cream.
Nutrition
Calories: 650kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 38gFat: 33g
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