Chicken Carbonara Recipe

Name: Chicken Carbonara Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Salt, for pasta water; 12 ounces pasta, such as fettuccini; 4 slices bacon; 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 1 shallot, diced; 1 clove garlic, finely minced; 4 large eggs; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or Romano cheese, plus more for topping; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Total: 35 mins

Servings: 4 servings

13 ratings

Add a comment

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
627	Calories
15g	Fat
69g	Carbs
50g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	627
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g	19%
Saturated Fat 5g	25%
Cholesterol 275mg	92%
Sodium 1031mg	45%
Total Carbohydrate 69g	25%
Dietary Fiber 4g	13%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 50g
Vitamin C 4mg	22%
Calcium 126mg	10%
Iron 5mg	28%
Potassium 632mg	13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Carbonara is the name of an Italian pasta dish made with a sauce of eggs, cheese and cooked bacon. There are no specific rules about what type of pasta although fettuccini or linguine are common choices because the raw egg sauce needs pasta with a large surface area to properly adhere. Likewise, the choice of cheese is optional with Parmesan and Pecorino Romano the two types most likely to be used. Some recipes call for whole eggs, others for egg yolks and some combine the two. Pancetta can be substituted for the bacon and chicken is a common addition. Some recipes also include vegetables such as peas, broccoli or even mushrooms.

The bacon fat is the source of the oil used to cook the shallots or onions and garlic. If adding chicken, it too gets cooked in the same pan with the bacon fat. Hot pasta water is used to slowly temper the egg and cheese mixture to prevent the eggs from scrambling and they are then added into the hot pasta to create the classic carbonara sauce. It's a simple yet hearty dish that uses ingredients usually on hand.

Creamy Spaghetti Carbonara

Salt, for pasta water
12 ounces pasta (such as fettuccini)
4 slices bacon
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 shallot, diced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
4 large eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or Romano cheese, plus more for topping
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve a cup of the pasta water.
Put the bacon in a large skillet (a braiser-style pan works very well) and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes or until it is crispy and browned to your liking. Transfer it to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.
Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and add to same skillet with the drippings. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the chicken for a few minutes, until it turns opaque. Add the diced shallot and continue cooking for another couple of minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue cooking for an additional minute. Continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through (165 F) and then remove from the heat.
Move the chicken and shallots to a plate and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, grated Parmesan or Romano cheese and the black pepper until well combined. Slowly whisk in about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to raise the temperature of the eggs slowly.
When the pasta has cooked, drain and add it to the skillet. On medium-low heat, toss the pasta with 1/4 cup more of the reserved water and then slowly pour the egg mixture into the pan, tossing constantly. Stir in additional pasta water as needed until the sauce has thickened. Crumble the bacon, slice the chicken and add to the pasta. Stir in the chopped parsley and season with additional salt, if needed. Top with additional grated cheese, if desired.