Easy Chicken Carbonara
Easy chicken carbonara with spaghetti, tender strips of chicken, plenty of bacon and a delicious Parmesan sauce comes together in one pan and is ready in about 30 minutes!
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 12 oz. spaghetti
- 8 slices bacon (see notes)
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into very thin strips
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Zest of 1 large lemon
For serving (optional):
- Extra Parmesan cheese
- Fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Drain and reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a wide, deep skillet over medium heat until crispy, turning occasionally. Remove to a paper towel to drain and cool. Crumble the bacon and reserve.
- Season the chicken strips lightly with salt and black pepper. Add to the pan where the bacon cooked and cook over medium until chicken is cooked through, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the pasta and the reserved bacon to the pan and mix to combine. Reduce the heat to medium low.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and Parmesan cheese together, along with a pinch of black pepper.
- Add the egg mixture to the pasta and chicken mixture. Stir well, quickly and constantly, to coat the noodles (and to avoid scrambling the eggs.) Add a splash of reserved pasta water, as needed, to help the sauce adhere to the noodles.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes to warm through then top the dish with lemon zest and serve immediately, with extra Parmesan cheese and black pepper if desired.
Notes
Spaghetti: Regular or whole wheat spaghetti will work here. You could even try a gluten-free pasta. Just be sure to reserve some of the cooking liquid.
Bacon: The more, the better! Seriously, cook as much as you can fit in your pan. (Or cook some of it in the microwave like I usually do; you'll need about 1 minute per slice unless it seems really thin.) You can also substitute pancetta if you prefer.
Chicken: The chicken needs to be sliced into very thin strips. You want it to incorporate with the pasta and twirl up with every bite.
Leftovers: Honestly, I don't think chicken carbonara keeps as well as some other pasta dishes do. The sauce just doesn’t last and retain the same creaminess after it’s cooled and reheated. Plus, the bacon isn’t as crisp. However, you can store the leftovers, in a covered container, in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat in individual portions in the microwave.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 615kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 62g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 328mg | Sodium: 1021mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g
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