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This creamy chicken carbonara is inspired by classic Italian (Roman) Carbonara. My variation is made with bacon, chicken, whisked egg, and hard cheese. Carbonara sauce is an egg-based sauce featuring Pecorino Romano/Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and fresh herbs. It’s a rich and creamy date-night-worthy dish that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
Thanks to the magic of bacon (a substitute for guanciale or pancetta), this is the most heavenly-smelling pasta dish you will ever make. Chicken, garlic, and linguine swirled in bacon fat and melted Parmesan cheese. It’s a cheesy pasta dish loaded with flavor without being overly heavy like cheesy fettuccine.
If you loved this recipe, also try some similar favorites such as cacio e pepe, creamy mushroom pasta, creamy Tuscan chicken and pasta, and chicken broccoli ziti!
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Pasta: you can use spaghetti, linguini, or a personal favorite, bucatini.
- Thick-cut bacon: carbonara is traditionally made with guanciale or pancetta (Italian bacon), however, they can be difficult to find. Both guanciale and pancetta have similar characteristics to bacon.
- Garlic: I prefer minced or finely grated with a microplane. This helps create a nice garlic paste that easily mixes.
- Eggs: traditional carbonara is made with a combination of egg yolk and whole egg. I like to use 2 egg yolks and 2 full eggs. This adds a balance of flavor. The egg yolk is what makes carbonara especially golden and creamy. You can also use 4 full eggs.
- Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano: hard Italian cheese is classic. Both options work great. Always use freshly and finely grated cheese for the best texture. Pregrated cheeses contain preservatives that interfere with melting. Use leftover for basil pesto.
- salt and pepper: similar to cacio e pepe, freshly cracked pepper adds intense flavor and aroma.
- Heavy cream: cream is not an authentic ingredient in carbonara however some people like the added richness and texture. I don’t think it’s necessary but I’ve included it as an optional ingredient. Heavy cream is best because it won’t separate when heated.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.
Expert Tips
- Prep makes a big difference in this recipe. Cutting the chicken and bacon before you start anything else makes the recipe move quickly and smoothly.
- Don’t forget to reserve starchy pasta water. This helps activate the cheese/egg mixture to form a creamy sauce that coats the entire dish.
- You can omit the protein altogether and still create a simple and delicious classic dish.
- Classic carbonara does not contain cream. Some people like it so I’ve included it as an optional ingredient.
- If it’s Italian it’s got to be served with wine. This recipe pairs well with a crisp, fruity white or Chianti Classico.
- Pancetta is a common Italian substitute for bacon—it’s considered Italian bacon. Both bacon and pancetta come from cured pork belly. You can substitute either interchangeably in the recipe depending on availability.
More Pasta Recipes
Enjoy this recipe? If you made this recipe, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments!
Creamy Chicken Carbonara Recipe
Creamy chicken carbonara is inspired by a classic Italian pasta dish made with bacon, whisked egg, and hard cheese. It’s creamy, delicious, date-night worthy, and will rock your world.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized strips
- 12-14 ounces linguine, or spaghetti
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon, guanciale or pancetta, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, very finely grated
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Carbonara Sauce
- 4 eggs, (2 yolk only, 2 whole)
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or Pecorino Romano
- salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup heavy cream**, optional, if preferred
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook linguine al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before straining.
- Combine eggs, Parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt, and pepper, and optional cream in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk thoroughly and set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large stainless pan or cast iron skillet on medium heat until fully cooked, remove from the skillet, and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Keep 1-2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet and discard the rest.
- Add sliced chicken. Season with salt and pepper and cook until chicken is fully cooked through (about 5-7 minutes). The bacon fat should brown the chicken. in the last 1-2 minutes, add garlic and a pinch of olive oil. Cook until fragrant.
- Turn the heat down to low and let the pan cool for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat if necessary. (If the pan is too hot, you'll run the risk of scrambling the eggs.) Return the bacon to the pan and add the warm linguine. Add the egg mixture to the pan along with 1/4 cup of pasta water. Toss with the pasta until fully mixed and creamy. Add more pasta water if sauce feels too thick.
- Top with fresh basil and serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh basil.
Notes
Prep makes a big difference in this recipe. Cutting the chicken and bacon before you start anything else makes the recipe move quickly and smoothly.
Don’t forget to reserve starchy pasta water. This helps activate the cheese/egg mixture to form a creamy sauce that coats the entire dish.
You can omit the protein altogether and still create a simple and delicious classic dish.
Classic carbonara does not contain cream. Some people like it so I’ve included it as an optional ingredient.
If it’s Italian it’s got to be served with wine. This recipe pairs well with a crisp, fruity white or Chianti Classico.
Pancetta is a common Italian substitute for bacon—it’s considered Italian bacon. Both bacon and pancetta come from cured pork belly. You can substitute either interchangeably in the recipe depending on availability.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 706kcalCarbohydrates: 37.2gProtein: 91.4gFat: 20.7gSaturated Fat: 7.4gCholesterol: 363mgSodium: 906mgSugar: 0.3g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I was amazed at how well this turned out. Very flavoursome. Didn’t bother with the cream. Fantastic recipe
Very tasty, I might add some peas to the recipe the next time I use it (and I will definitely make it again).