Chicken Carbonara Recipe packed with crispy bacon, tender chicken, and a luxurious, no-cream sauce that tastes like it’s straight out of Italy!
Author’s Notes
My First Carbonara Was in Italy
The first time I ever had carbonara was in Italy, which is about as good as it gets for a first impression.
I still remember how incredible that pasta was and how silky and rich the sauce tasted. When I later learned more about the dish, I was shocked to find out there is no cream at all. I was convinced it had to be in there because of how luxurious it tasted.
All these years later, I finally have my perfect carbonara. And to keep my kids happy (and meet my sons’ constant requests for protein thanks to their basketball coaches), I added both chicken and bacon.
Traditional carbonara uses guanciale, but since that’s not something I can ever find at my local grocery store, bacon works beautifully here.
Chicken Carbonara Recipe Ingredients
| Ingredients | Tip |
|---|---|
| Chicken | Slice the chicken in half and pound evenly so it cooks quickly and stays tender. |
| Bacon | Let it render fully so the pasta can soak up all that flavor! |
| Eggs & Egg Yolks | Whisk until smooth before adding cheese for the silkiest sauce. |
| Cheese | This is the secret that takes a chicken carbonara recipe from good to great. Finely grate Parmigiano-Reggiano with a microplane and weigh it since measuring can vary. It’s a bit more work, but the payoff is huge! |
| Pasta, Peas & Pasta Water | Use hot pasta water to turn the eggs into a creamy sauce and toss peas in at the end to warm through. |
How To Make My Chicken Carbonara Recipe
- Prep the sauce: Whisk eggs, yolks, and cheese in a large heatproof bowl until smooth.
- Cook the chicken: Season, pan-sear until cooked through, then rest and slice.
- Crisp the bacon: Cook in the same pan until golden and the fat has rendered.
- Boil the pasta: Cook and reserve hot pasta water before removing pasta.
- Combine: Toss hot pasta with the bacon in the pan, then transfer to the egg mixture.
- Make it creamy: Add hot pasta water and stir quickly until a glossy sauce forms.
- Finish & serve: Add chicken and peas, toss to warm through, then garnish and enjoy.
Quick Tip
Carbonara is a classic Italian pasta built from eggs, hard cheese, cured pork, and black pepper.
What To Serve On The Side
This Chicken Carbonara Recipe really has it all with pasta, veggies, and protein. That said, here are my favorite sides to serve with it:
- Simple green salad: I love this Italian salad with my favorite herby dressing.
- Roasted veggies: Broccoli, asparagus, or green beans help to balance the rich pasta.
- Garlic bread: Perfect for soaking up any extra sauce!
- Tomatoes: This caprese quinoa salad is so good on the side!
- Tiramisu: Finish off strong with a great classic Italian dessert!
Storage
Just like most Italian pastas, this Chicken Carbonara recipe is best enjoyed fresh. The sauce is at its silkiest right after cooking and less so once chilled.
If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat gently with a splash of water, stirring often to loosen the sauce.
More Pasta Dishes To Love:
Dinner
Bruschetta Pasta
Pasta Salads
Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe
Soups And Stews
Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
Dinner
Chicken Penne Pasta
Chicken Carbonara Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Large skillet nonstick
Ingredients
- 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half horizontally (1 pound)
- Salt and pepper see note 1
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 slices bacon diced (8 ounces)
- 3 large eggs
- 3 large egg yolks
- 120 grams (4.25 ounces) finely shredded Parmigiano Reggiano about 1-1/4 firmly packed cups, see note 2
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1-1/4 cups frozen peas optional
- 1 large lemon for serving, optional
- fresh parsley for serving, optional
Instructions
- In a very large heatproof bowl, add eggs and egg yolks. Add 1/2 teaspoon pepper and whisk until smooth. Finely shred the cheese using the small holes of a grater or, preferably, a microplane. Weigh to be sure you have 120 grams. Whisk into the egg mixture until combined and set aside to get to room temperature.
- Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally and pound lightly to an even thickness. Season both sides with 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder. In a very large nonstick skillet (one that can hold all the pasta later), add the butter and olive oil. Heat over medium-high. Once the butter is melted, add the four chicken pieces in an even layer. Cook for 3 minutes, flip, then cook another 2 to 4 minutes or until cooked through. Remove to a plate and set aside to rest.
- In the same skillet, add the bacon (still over medium-high heat). Cook until golden and the fat has rendered. Try to time this so the bacon finishes around the same time as the pasta. If not, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Then turn off the heat.
- Bring 14 cups of water to a rolling boil in a very large pot. Add 2 teaspoons salt, then cook the spaghetti until al dente according to package directions. Right before it’s done, give it a good stir and pull out 1 cup of the pasta water. Do not drain the pasta.
- Use tongs to transfer the hot pasta directly from the pot into the pan with the bacon. Toss well so the pasta is coated in the rendered fat.
- Immediately transfer everything from the skillet into the bowl with the egg and cheese mixture. Stir vigorously for about 1 minute while gradually adding 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water, until the sauce becomes glossy and creamy. If needed, add more pasta water a little at a time until the sauce coats the pasta smoothly.
- Thinly slice, dice, or shred the chicken and add it to the bowl along with any juices from the plate. Add the peas, if using. Toss for about 1 more minute to warm everything through. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
