Carbonara with Chicken and Bacon is easy, delicious, and quick, ready in just 20 minutes. Perfectly cooked spaghetti or linguine and crispy bacon are coated in a creamy egg, garlic and Parmesan sauce.
This traditional carbonara dish makes a great lunch, dinner, or impressive and romantic date night meal for two.
Carbonara is an Italian pasta dish originally from Rome made with egg, hard cheese, guanciale or pancetta, and pepper.
The recipe is not fixed by a specific type of hard cheese or pasta. The cheese is usually Pecorino Romano. Spaghetti is the usual pasta, however, fettuccine, rigatoni, or linguine are also used.
Either guanciale or pancetta can be used. Another common substitute outside Italy is small strips or cubes of smoked bacon. Click to read more about Carbonara.
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How to make Chicken and Bacon Pasta Carbonara
Cook the spaghetti or linguine pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water and drain the rest of the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the eggs and 1/3 cup of the parmesan cheese and set aside.
Cut the bacon into ½ or 1 inch pieces. In a large skillet, cook the bacon pieces until brown and crispy, about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Leave the grease in the pan and drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate. Click for a large 14 inch skillet.
Dice the chicken into bite sized cubes.
Add the garlic and chicken to the bacon grease in the skillet and cook through, about 7-10 minutes.
Turn the heat off. Add the cooked pasta, egg parmesan cheese mixture, and bacon. Stir to combine, keep the pasta moving. Pour in the reserved pasta water slowly, use only enough to reach the desired sauce consistency.
Season the carbonara with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese and the parsley if desired. Click for a 2.5 Quart Porcelain Metro Serving Bowl.
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Carbonara with Chicken and Bacon
Carbonara with Chicken and Bacon is easy, delicious, and quick, ready in just 20 minutes. Perfectly cooked spaghetti or linguine and crispy bacon are coated in a creamy egg, garlic and Parmesan sauce.
Ingredients
- 4 oz pasta, spaghetti, linguine, etc.
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (divided) Do not use grated (powdered) cheese.
- 3 slices bacon
- 2 cloves jarred minced garlic
- 1 8 oz boneless chicken (diced)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parsley (for garnish - optional)
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti or linguine pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water and drain the rest of the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the eggs and 1/3 cup of the parmesan cheese and set aside.
- Cut the bacon into ½ or 1 inch pieces. In a large skillet, cook the bacon pieces until brown and crispy, about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Leave the grease in the pan and drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate. Click for a large 14 inch skillet.
- Dice the chicken into bite sized cubes. Add the garlic and chicken to the bacon grease in the skillet and cook through, about 7-10 minutes.
- Turn the heat off. Add the cooked pasta, egg parmesan cheese mixture, and bacon. Stir to combine, keep the pasta moving. Pour in the reserved pasta water slowly, use only enough to reach the desired sauce consistency.
- Season the carbonara with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese and the parsley if desired. Click for a 2.5 Quart Porcelain Metro Serving Bowl.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Amount Per Serving: Calories: 672Saturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 280mgSodium: 950mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 53g
Anne S.
Monday 22nd of May 2023
I have used this recipe several times and it is always a hit at my house. I love that there are eggs and cheese instead of cream. Because if you do use cream, you will still have to add the cheese. And it’s an easy recipe for the quality! Yum yum yums all around.
Darlene
Sunday 17th of July 2022
Why can’t you use the grated cheese in the jar.
Zona
Sunday 17th of July 2022
Hi Darlene, grated or powdered Parmesan cheese (the kind in the green cylinder container) will not melt into the sauce like freshly grated (real) parmesan cheese.
Barbara Karr
Thursday 13th of September 2018
Add chicken and garlic to skillet. A skillet drained of bacon grease, OR add to grease??
Zona
Thursday 13th of September 2018
Hi Barbara. I leave the grease in the pan for this step. Thanks for the question and I'll update the directions to say this :)