Chicken Carbonara

A creamy, savory, rich, and downright indulgent. It is a protein-packed version of a classic Italian pasta dish. Create a lasting impression on your guests with this easy-to-make pasta dish any day or night of the week. Restaurant quality, dreamy chicken carbonara awaits you!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 922kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

4 eggs
2 egg yolks
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped, plus more to garnish
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 slices bacon, about 1 inch thick
2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, and cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound spaghetti
¼ cup pasta water or chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti as instructed on the package. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, basil, lemon zest, and Italian. Whisk thoroughly to fully combine and set aside.
Next, cook bacon in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until golden brown and crispy, then remove from the skillet and place on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Keep 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet and save the rest for other recipes.
Add sliced chicken to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and saute until chicken is slightly brown and fully cooked (5-8 minutes). Transfer chicken from the skillet to a plate and set aside.
Next, add 2 tablespoons of olive to the skillet and heat. Then add onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent and fragrant (2-3 minutes).
Add spaghetti to the skillet and toss to combine. Turn the heat to low and let the skillet cool for about 2-3 minutes. (If the skillet is too hot, you risk scrambling the eggs). Add the egg sauce to the skillet and toss with the pasta until fully incorporated.
Return the bacon and chicken to the spaghetti and mix to combine. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and continue cooking until creamy for 2-3 minutes.
Garnish with basil and serve immediately with extra parmesan cheese.

Notes

Adding a little bit of pasta water to the cheese mixture will temper the eggs, and you won't have to worry about the sauce scrambling when you add it to the hot pasta.
Use fresh pasta if you can find it. It cooks faster and has a better texture than dried pasta.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition