Description
This 30-Minute Chicken Carbonara is the ultimate comfort food for busy nights. It features tender golden chicken, crispy bacon, and a silky, cheesy sauce made the traditional way—no heavy cream required. It’s a restaurant-quality meal that comes together in one pan in just half an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound spaghetti or fettuccine noodles
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon or pancetta, chopped
- 3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk (room temperature)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more for pasta water)
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- A handful of chopped fresh parsley for garnish
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Boil the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- Crisp the Bacon: While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped bacon and cook until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
- Sear the Chicken: Season chicken strips with salt and pepper. Add to the skillet and cook in the bacon fat until golden-brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic during the last 60 seconds of cooking. Turn off the heat.
- Prepare the Sauce Base: In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, grated cheese, and black pepper until it forms a thick paste.
- Emulsify the Sauce: Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of starchy water. Add the hot pasta to the skillet with the chicken. Quickly pour the egg mixture over the pasta while tossing constantly with tongs.
- Creamy Finish: Gradually add splashes of reserved pasta water while tossing until a glossy, creamy sauce forms. Fold in the crispy bacon and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
Ensure your eggs are at room temperature to prevent the sauce from clumping. Always turn off the heat before adding the egg mixture to avoid scrambling the eggs. Use freshly grated cheese rather than bottled for the smoothest melt.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (1/4th of recipe)
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 920mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 210mg