Creamy Chicken Carbonara Pasta (Printable Version)

Tender chicken, crispy bacon, and creamy Parmesan-egg sauce tossed with pasta for an Italian comfort 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 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 completely.
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 bacon, garlic, and chicken. Toss thoroughly to combine all elements.
05 - Pour egg-Parmesan mixture over pasta, tossing quickly and continuously off the heat to create a silky sauce. Add reserved pasta water gradually, a little at a time, until sauce reaches desired consistency.
06 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It feels fancy but comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta and crisp some bacon.
  • The sauce clings to every strand without feeling heavy or overly rich.
  • Leftover chicken gets a second life instead of ending up in another sad sandwich.
  • You can make it with or without cream and still impress anyone at the table.
02 -
  • Take the skillet completely off the heat before adding the egg mixture or you will end up with scrambled eggs instead of sauce.
  • Room temperature eggs blend faster and cook more gently, cold eggs straight from the fridge are more likely to curdle.
  • The pasta water is not optional, it loosens the sauce and helps the cheese melt into a smooth coating.
03 -
  • Toss the pasta in the skillet for at least thirty seconds before adding the eggs so the noodles cool just enough to prevent scrambling.
  • Use a large skillet with plenty of room to toss, cramped space makes it harder to coat everything evenly.
  • Serve it in warmed bowls so the sauce stays creamy instead of breaking as it cools.
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