Name: Chicken Carbonara
Yield: 4

Chicken Carbonara Recipe packed with crispy bacon, tender chicken, and a luxurious, no-cream sauce that tastes like it’s straight out of Italy!

Author’s Notes

My First Carbonara Was in Italy

The first time I ever had carbonara was in Italy, which is about as good as it gets for a first impression.

I still remember how incredible that pasta was and how silky and rich the sauce tasted. When I later learned more about the dish, I was shocked to find out there is no cream at all. I was convinced it had to be in there because of how luxurious it tasted.

All these years later, I finally have my reliable carbonara. And to keep my kids happy (and meet my sons’ constant requests for protein thanks to their basketball coaches), I added both chicken and bacon.

Traditional carbonara uses guanciale, but since that’s not something I can ever find at my local grocery store, bacon works beautifully here.

All ingredients for this recipe laid out, including chicken, bacon, eggs, spaghetti, parmesan, peas, and lemon.

Chicken Carbonara Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients	Tip
Chicken	Slice the chicken in half and pound evenly so it cooks quickly and stays tender.
Bacon	Let it render fully so the pasta can soak up all that flavor!
Eggs & Egg Yolks	Whisk until smooth before adding cheese for the silkiest sauce.
Cheese	This is the secret that takes a chicken carbonara recipe from good to great. Finely grate Parmigiano-Reggiano with a microplane and weigh it since measuring can vary. It’s a bit more work, but the payoff is huge!
Pasta, Peas & Pasta Water	Use hot pasta water to turn the eggs into a creamy sauce and toss peas in at the end to warm through.

Chicken cooking while egg sauce is whisked and bacon crisps for this chicken carbonara recipe.

How To Make My Chicken Carbonara Recipe

Prep sauce: Whisk eggs, yolks, and cheese in a large heatproof bowl until smooth.
Cook the chicken: Season, pan-sear until cooked through, then rest and slice.
Crisp the bacon: Cook in the same pan until the edges turn golden and the fat has rendered.
Boil the pasta: Cook and reserve hot pasta water before removing pasta.
Combine: Toss hot pasta with the bacon in the pan, then move to the egg mixture.
Make it creamy: Add hot pasta water and stir quickly until a glossy sauce forms.
Finish & serve: Add chicken and peas, toss to warm through, then finish and enjoy.

Quick Tip

Carbonara is a classic Italian pasta built from eggs, hard cheese, cured pork, and black pepper.

The dish mixed together with the egg mixture and topped with the peas and chicken for a satisfying dinner.

chelsea’s recipe tip

What To Serve On The Side

This Chicken Carbonara Recipe really has it all with pasta, veggies, and protein. That said, here are a reliable sides to serve with it:

Simple green salad: It is satisfying to this Italian salad with a reliable herby dressing.
Roasted veggies: Broccoli, asparagus, or green beans help to balance the rich pasta.
Garlic bread: reliable for soaking up any extra sauce!
Tomatoes: This caprese quinoa salad is so good on the side!
Tiramisu: Finish off strong with a great classic Italian dessert!

Storage

Just like most Italian pastas, this Chicken Carbonara recipe is best enjoyed fresh. The sauce is at its silkiest right after cooking and less so once chilled.

If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat gently with a splash of water, stirring often to loosen the sauce.