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This rich chicken carbonara is a perfect, authentic pasta carbonara, loaded with tender chicken. A silky, cheesy sauce clings to spaghetti or bucatini noodles, made entirely from eggs and Parmesan cheese! No heavy cream shortcuts here – just easy but true authentic Italian flavor based on the very best carbonara we’ve ever had.

Two plates of chicken carbonara with a glass of red wine

There is just something incredibly elegant about chicken carbonara, and it’s incredibly easy to make, too! Very simply seasoned pasta with a rich sauce of eggs and cheese, bites of salty bacon, and freshly cooked chicken make for a fancy dinner, but without all the work.

We used organic spaghetti, but you can just as easily use gluten-free pasta, fettuccine, or any other pasta you have in the pantry. The other ingredients are easy to grab at the local grocery if you don’t have them! The only thing complex about this dish is the taste.

Ingredients

Dry spaghetti – The perfect pasta to soak up all the delicious sauce.
Bacon – Cured pork is a key ingredient of carbonara, helping to give it a rich, salty flavor.
Chicken breast – Chicken helps to make this pasta a full meal and adds protein.
Freshly grated parmesan – Carbonara is made with hard cheese, and we love it with loads of parmesan in the sauce and sprinkled on top.
Egg yolks – Egg yolks help make the sauce ultra creamy.
Black pepper – For just the right seasoning.

How to Make It

In heavily salted water, boil the pasta until just barely al dente. Scoop out 1 cup of pasta water using a measuring cup immediately before draining, and put it to the side.
Whisk together the cheese and egg yolks in a bowl until they are a batter-like consistency. Sprinkle some black pepper on top and stir.
Cook the bacon over medium heat in a skillet until it is crispy but not burned.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken to the skillet. Cook for about two minutes, stirring after the first minute. Add the pasta and toss to make sure it coats well. Slowly add in 1/4 of the pasta water and whisk constantly.
Remove the pan from heat and add the egg and cheese mixture. Sprinkle with a little salt and toss with tongs to create a sauce. The sauce will be silky, golden, and thick. If thicker than desired, add more of the pasta water and stir.
Serve your carbonara right away! Divide the pasta between four plates. Garnish with more pepper and the rest of the parmesan.

Chef’s Tips

For a lower-carb version, swap out the pasta for Palmini. Palmini comes already cooked, so you just need to heat it in the skillet.
If you prefer a saucier carbonara and smaller portions, use just 12 ounces of pasta instead of 1 pound (16 ounces). You can also keep the 1 pound of pasta, and instead use 7 egg yolks and 1 1/4 cup parmesan cheese in the sauce, for a total of 1 1/2 cups.

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Recipe By: Cheryl Malik