Creamy Italian Chicken Carbonara (Printable)

A creamy Italian pasta featuring tender chicken, crispy bacon, and a luxurious Parmesan-egg sauce that's ready in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz spaghetti or fettuccine

→ Proteins

02 - 7 oz cooked chicken breast, shredded
03 - 5 oz bacon or pancetta, diced

→ Sauce

04 - 3 large eggs
05 - 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/4 cup heavy cream, optional
07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Aromatics

08 - 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

→ Garnish

09 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese for serving
10 - Fresh parsley, chopped, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook until crispy, approximately 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in shredded chicken to warm through, then remove from heat.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, grated Parmesan, heavy cream if using, and generous amounts of black pepper until well combined.
04 - Add drained pasta to the skillet with bacon, garlic, and chicken. Toss to combine thoroughly.
05 - Pour egg-Parmesan mixture over pasta and toss quickly and continuously off heat to create silky sauce. Add reserved pasta water gradually until desired consistency is achieved.
06 - Transfer to serving plates immediately. Top with extra Parmesan and fresh chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent but comes together faster than ordering takeout, using ingredients you probably already have.
  • The silky sauce clings to every bite without feeling heavy, and leftovers reheat surprisingly well with a splash of milk.
02 -
  • Turn off the heat before adding the eggs or you'll end up with expensive scrambled eggs instead of a sauce; the residual heat from the pasta and skillet is enough.
  • Reserve more pasta water than you think you need because the sauce thickens as it sits, and a splash brings it back to life instantly.
03 -
  • Use a skillet large enough to toss the pasta freely; cramped noodles won't coat evenly and you'll end up with clumps of sauce instead of a silky emulsion.
  • Grate your Parmesan on the smallest holes of a box grater so it melts instantly into the eggs, creating a smoother, more cohesive sauce.
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