This Chicken Carbonara is a comforting and creamy dish that’s packed with tender chicken, crispy bacon, and a rich Parmesan sauce. The perfect pasta for cozy nights in, it’s a quick-to-make yet indulgent dinner everyone will love.
The blend of bacon and chicken creates an irresistible combination of savory flavors, while the creamy sauce adds that perfect finish. Serve it with a side of garlic bread or a fresh salad for a balanced meal. The best part? It’s made with simple ingredients that come together to create something truly extraordinary.
Full Recipe:
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12 oz fettuccine pasta
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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4 slices bacon, diced
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4 cloves garlic, minced
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1/2 cup heavy cream
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1/2 cup chicken broth
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1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
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1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
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1 tablespoon lemon zest (optional)
Directions:
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Cook the fettuccine according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
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Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side or until cooked through and golden brown. Remove from skillet and set aside.
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In the same skillet, add the diced bacon and cook until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
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Add the minced garlic to the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Then add the heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring to combine.
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Bring the sauce to a simmer, then stir in the Parmesan cheese until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.
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Slice the cooked chicken into thin strips and return it to the skillet, along with the cooked fettuccine. Toss everything together to combine.
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Stir in the crispy bacon, parsley, and lemon zest (if using) for a burst of freshness.
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Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan if desired.
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes
Kcal: 580 kcal | Servings: 4 servings
Chicken Carbonara: A Delicious Twist on the Classic
Chicken Carbonara is a dish that combines the creamy goodness of traditional carbonara with tender, flavorful chicken and crispy bacon. It’s a perfect marriage of comfort and luxury, ideal for a cozy weeknight dinner or a special occasion meal. This variation on the classic Italian carbonara adds chicken for an extra boost of protein, while still maintaining that rich, creamy sauce and savory bacon that makes carbonara such a beloved dish.
What Makes Chicken Carbonara Special?
Traditional carbonara is a Roman pasta dish typically made with eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, guanciale (cured pork cheek), and black pepper. The sauce is creamy, without the use of actual cream, relying instead on eggs and cheese to create its luscious texture. Chicken Carbonara, however, takes a slightly different approach, offering a more approachable and hearty alternative. The addition of chicken makes the dish more filling and satisfying, while the crispy bacon provides a crunchy texture that contrasts beautifully with the creamy sauce.
The Key Ingredients for Chicken Carbonara
While the ingredients are simple, the quality of each one is what truly elevates this dish. Using fresh, high-quality chicken breasts, bacon, and Parmesan cheese makes a huge difference in flavor. The fettuccine pasta provides the perfect foundation, holding the sauce beautifully and ensuring each bite is packed with flavor. Whether you’re serving it for a special dinner or just a casual weeknight meal, using the best ingredients you can find will make a world of difference.
Chicken Carbonara stands out because it strikes the perfect balance between indulgence and comfort. The rich, velvety sauce envelops the pasta and chicken, while the crispy bacon adds a satisfying crunch in every bite. The Parmesan cheese, as always, is a key player in the dish, lending a nutty, salty flavor that makes the sauce irresistible.
How to Perfectly Cook the Chicken for Carbonara
One of the main differences between Chicken Carbonara and the traditional recipe is the addition of chicken. To ensure the chicken remains juicy and tender, it’s essential to cook it just right. First, you want to season the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper. This not only enhances the natural flavor of the chicken but also helps the skin crisp up when cooked.
Cook the chicken in a hot skillet with a little bit of olive oil, ensuring it’s golden brown on both sides. Depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts, this should take about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Once cooked through, let the chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing it into thin strips. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring that the chicken stays moist and flavorful when added to the pasta.
The Role of Bacon in Chicken Carbonara
Bacon adds a smoky, crispy element to Chicken Carbonara that perfectly complements the creamy sauce. The contrast in textures between the crisp bacon and the creamy sauce is one of the reasons why this dish is so satisfying. You’ll want to cook the bacon until it’s crispy, rendering out the fat, which will add flavor to the sauce later on. The crispy bacon bits are then stirred into the pasta, allowing their savory goodness to infuse every bite.
One important thing to note is the type of bacon used. While traditional carbonara recipes use guanciale, which is a specific type of cured pork cheek, using regular bacon is perfectly fine for this variation. In fact, bacon is often easier to find, and its flavor profile is similar enough to guanciale that it works beautifully in the dish.
The Creamy Carbonara Sauce
The sauce for Chicken Carbonara is where the magic happens. It’s a luscious, creamy mixture that coats every strand of pasta and chicken in a rich, velvety texture. Unlike the traditional carbonara sauce, which uses egg yolks and cheese to create its creaminess, this recipe incorporates heavy cream and chicken broth, making it even richer and easier to prepare.
The heavy cream creates the luscious base for the sauce, while the chicken broth adds depth and enhances the overall flavor. When combined with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, the sauce becomes thick and creamy, without being overly heavy. The addition of a little lemon zest provides a burst of freshness, cutting through the richness of the sauce and adding a hint of brightness that balances everything out.
The Perfect Pasta for Carbonara
Fettuccine is the pasta of choice for this Chicken Carbonara. Its wide, flat shape is perfect for holding onto the rich sauce and ensuring that every bite is filled with flavor. If you prefer another type of pasta, such as spaghetti or penne, feel free to make the switch, but fettuccine is often the preferred choice for carbonara due to its texture and ability to hold the sauce well.
How to Serve Chicken Carbonara
Chicken Carbonara can be served as a standalone dish, but it also pairs wonderfully with a variety of sides. A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette can provide a refreshing contrast to the richness of the carbonara. Garlic bread or crusty baguette slices are perfect for sopping up the creamy sauce, while roasted vegetables such as asparagus or Brussels sprouts would add a healthy and flavorful side.
For those looking to add more veggies into the dish, you can easily incorporate peas, spinach, or mushrooms into the carbonara for an extra burst of flavor and nutrition. Just sauté them in the pan with the garlic before adding the sauce.
Chicken Carbonara: A Crowd-Pleaser for Any Occasion
This Chicken Carbonara recipe is not only easy to make but also incredibly versatile. It’s the perfect dish to serve for a family dinner, a dinner party, or even a date night. The flavors are comforting yet sophisticated, making it a dish that pleases a wide range of palates. The creamy sauce, tender chicken, and crispy bacon are a combination that never fails to impress.
Whether you’re cooking for yourself or for a group, this recipe can be scaled up or down easily, ensuring you can make just the right amount for your needs. It’s also a great recipe to make ahead of time; you can cook the pasta and chicken earlier in the day and then just assemble and reheat when it’s time to eat.
Why You’ll Love Chicken Carbonara
There’s a reason why Chicken Carbonara has become a staple in homes and restaurants alike. It’s a simple, yet elegant dish that combines some of the best ingredients—creamy sauce, tender chicken, crispy bacon, and perfectly cooked pasta. What’s even better is that it’s a recipe that can be made in under 45 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights, yet fancy enough for a weekend dinner.
The rich, comforting flavors in Chicken Carbonara make it a satisfying dish that will leave you craving more. Plus, it’s customizable! You can swap out the chicken for other proteins like shrimp or pancetta, or even make it a vegetarian option with mushrooms and peas. This dish is all about flexibility, which is why it’s a go-to recipe in many households.
Conclusion: A Perfect Comfort Meal
Chicken Carbonara is the ideal meal for those who crave a comforting, creamy pasta dish but want to add a bit of extra protein with chicken. With its rich, velvety sauce, crispy bacon, and perfectly seasoned chicken, this dish strikes the right balance between indulgence and freshness. Whether you’re cooking for family, friends, or just yourself, Chicken Carbonara is sure to satisfy. It’s easy to prepare, incredibly flavorful, and will soon become a favorite in your recipe repertoire.