This chicken carbonara uses eggs, Parmesan, and pasta cooking water to create a dreamy, creamy sauce. Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based freelance writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
How to Make Chicken Carbonara
Cook the thick-cut bacon in a skillet (thick is important) first, reserving some bacon fat for flavor. Cook the chicken second with the garlic in that flavorful bacon fat.
Add the bacon back to the skillet, add linguine or pasta of choice, and stir in the carbonara sauce until you have a creamy, rich pasta dish. Finish with plenty of freshly cracked black pepper, Parmesan cheese, and chopped basil.
What is Chicken Carbonara?
Creamy chicken carbonara is inspired by a classic Italian (Roman) pasta dish made with bacon or pancetta, whisked egg, and hard cheese. Bacon, egg, and cheese me all day, baby. Carbonara sauce is an egg-based white sauce featuring Parmesan cheese, black pepper, fresh herbs, and sometimes cream. It’s creamy, delicious, date-night worthy, and will rock your world.
Thanks to the magic of bacon, this is the most heavenly-smelling pasta dish I or you will ever make. Chicken, garlic, and linguine swirled in bacon fat and melted Parmesan cheese. It’s a cheesy pasta dish loaded with flavor without being overly heavy like fettuccine, which I’ve never really been a fan of. It just makes me feel gross.
The recipe is really simple if you break it down into simple parts, plus it all comes together (mostly) in a single cast iron skillet in about 30 minutes.
This simple carbonara sauce is comprised of 4 eggs, grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and fresh basil. Recipes will occasionally only call for egg yolks, omitting the whites, but I think the whole egg contributes to the overall texture and flavor. I’ve added a little heavy cream to my sauce for additional creaminess.
Adding reserved starchy pasta water at the very end will also help thin the sauce out, keeping it creamy without being too thick or dry.
Whisk all carbonara sauce ingredients together in a bowl and stir into the warm pasta at the very end. The hot pasta, plus the warm skillet will cook the egg just enough without scrambling the eggs. If your pan is too hot, then you’ve just made breakfast.
Pancetta is a common Italian substitute for bacon—it’s considered Italian bacon. Both bacon and pancetta come from cured pork belly. You can substitute either interchangeably in the recipe depending on availability. Pancetta is often sold predicted into small pieces and is considered recipe-ready.
Chicken Carbonara: easy, creamy chicken pasta recipe! | The Recipe Rebel
FAQ
What is the sauce in carbonara made of?
Is carbonara sauce the same as alfredo sauce?
What is traditional carbonara made of?
Is chicken Alfredo just carbonara?
What is chicken Carbonara made of?
This chicken carbonara uses eggs, Parmesan, and pasta cooking water to create a dreamy, creamy sauce. Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based freelance writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
How to make chicken carbonara pasta at home?
In a pinch though, you can use a spaghetti or pasta cut of your choice. You can also sub pancetta for the bacon. Here is how you can make chicken carbonara pasta at home. First, cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook it until it is al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before you strain the pasta.
What is carbonara pasta made of?
Carbonara is an Italian pasta dish from Rome made with eggs, hard cheese, bacon or pancetta, and black pepper. Many variations add chicken, which is what is included in this recipe. First, gather your ingredients. For tastiest results, always use the best quality ingredients you have access to.
How do you make Creamy Chicken Carbonara?
Creamy chicken carbonara is inspired by a classic Italian pasta dish made with bacon, whisked egg, and hard cheese. It’s creamy, delicious, date-night worthy, and will rock your world. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook linguine al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before straining.