Creamy Italian Chicken Carbonara (Print Version)

Creamy Italian pasta with shredded chicken, crispy bacon, and silky Parmesan-egg sauce. Simple, elegant, and satisfying.

# What You'll 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
10 - Fresh parsley, chopped, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon or pancetta and cook until crisp, approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in shredded chicken to warm through. Remove from heat.
03 - In a bowl, whisk together eggs, grated Parmesan, cream if using, and generous amount of black pepper.
04 - Add drained pasta to the skillet with bacon, garlic, and chicken, tossing to combine.
05 - Pour egg-Parmesan mixture over pasta, tossing quickly and continuously off the heat to create a creamy sauce. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time until sauce reaches desired consistency.
06 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It transforms simple pantry staples and leftover chicken into something that tastes like you ordered it from a cozy Italian trattoria.
  • The sauce comes together in minutes with just eggs and cheese, no flour or heavy reduction required.
  • It's rich and satisfying without feeling overly heavy, especially if you skip the cream and let the eggs do all the work.
  • You can have dinner on the table in about half an hour, even on the busiest weeknights.
02 -
  • Always take the skillet off the heat before adding the egg mixture, or you'll end up with scrambled eggs instead of a smooth sauce.
  • Reserved pasta water is your secret weapon, the starch helps emulsify the sauce and brings everything together beautifully.
  • Use room temperature eggs so they blend more easily and are less likely to curdle when they meet the warm pasta.
03 -
  • Grate your own Parmesan from a block rather than buying pre-grated, the difference in texture and flavor is night and day.
  • If the sauce feels too thick, don't panic, just add another splash of pasta water and toss vigorously until it loosens up.
  • Taste the pasta water before you drain it, it should be as salty as the sea so your pasta is well seasoned from the inside out.
  • For an extra layer of flavor, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the bacon as it cooks.
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