My simple chicken carbonara recipe is creamy, comforting, and ready for dinner in just 30 minutes! This spaghetti carbonara has all the best parts of the traditional pasta dish, but I added juicy bites of chicken and made the silky Parmesan-egg sauce even creamier. Everything comes together easily in one pan for the most delicious weeknight meal!
Top Reader Reviews
Made this for the first time for a dinner with friends. We all loved it!
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This was a hit with the entire family- truly delicious entree
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Creamy Pasta Carbonara with Chicken
I’ve made this pasta carbonara with chicken more times than I can count, and it never fails me. It’s become a staple in my weeknight dinner rotation, and it always gets rave reviews from my friends and family. I love how the crispy bacon, creamy sauce, tender spaghetti, and perfectly cooked chicken come together without a fuss!
Traditional carbonara gets its signature texture by controlling the heat and using a quick hand when combining the pasta with the sauce. Along with egg yolks and Parmesan, I add heavy cream to my sauce for an ultra-silky result without added stress. By combining everything in one pan, the pasta picks up the rendered bacon fat, and the starches from the pasta water help everything combine seamlessly into a velvet-y finish!
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🙈 Learn from my mistake!
The first time I made this dish, I added the carbonara sauce while the pan was still on the stovetop. It was way too warm, and the eggs scrambled instead of mixing with the pasta.
💡Lesson Learned: Always remove the pan from heat before adding the egg mixture. This will ensure a smooth and creamy result!
Chicken Carbonara Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch Oven (optional)
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon (chopped)
- 6 large egg yolks (room temperature)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (*)
- ¼ cup heavy cream (room temperature)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken tenders (**)
- 1 pound dry spaghetti noodles (1 box)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Season liberally with salt.
- Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 3-5 minutes.6 slices thick-cut bacon
- Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon from the pan. Drain on a paper towel. Leave bacon fat in the pan.
- While the bacon cooks, add egg yolks, parmesan cheese, cream, salt, and pepper to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.6 large egg yolks, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Season chicken tenders with salt and pepper on both sides.6 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
- Add chicken to the pan with the rendered bacon fat, and cook until golden brown; about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Set chicken aside to cool, then chop or slice into bite-sized pieces.
- While the chicken cooks, drop the pasta into the boiling water. Cook until just under al dente.1 pound dry spaghetti noodles
- Lower the heat to medium and add garlic to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.3 cloves garlic
- Reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water.
- Use tongs to transfer the boiled pasta to the pan with the garlic and bacon fat. Toss to combine.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Pour in the egg, cream, and cheese mixture, and toss with pasta to combine.
- Place the pan back over a low heat. Continue to toss the pasta until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens; about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the bacon and toss again.
- Add pasta water ¼ cup at a time, and toss to reach desired sauce consistency.
- Add cooked chicken to the pasta, and toss to combine.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Notes
- Bring the eggs and cream to room temperature before starting so they blend smoothly and are less likely to scramble.
- Cook the spaghetti just until al dente. It continues cooking once tossed with the sauce, and overcooked noodles can ruin that silky texture.
- Always add the egg mixture off the heat, then toss continuously. The residual heat from the pasta is enough to thicken the sauce without scrambling the eggs.
- Don’t forget to reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining. The starchy water helps emulsify the sauce and gives it that glossy, restaurant-style finish.
- It’s a perfect meal by itself, but goes great with a side of garlic bread or sautéed veggies.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Don’t Overcook the Spaghetti!
Boil the spaghetti just until it becomes slightly-tender, but still has a firmness to it (al dente). It will continue to soften once you add it back to the pan and toss it with the sauce. So if it’s already over-cooked, the texture won’t be very nice. Package instructions tend to overestimate “al dente” cook time, so check a few minutes early.
How to Make Chicken Carbonara Step by Step
Prep: Gather the list of ingredients for this homemade carbonara recipe. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, and season liberally with salt. Meanwhile, bring the egg yolks and heavy cream to room temperature for about 10-15 minutes — this will help the sauce blend together more smoothly without curdling or scrambling. Chop the bacon, grate the cheese, and mince the garlic.
Cook the Bacon: While the water comes to a boil, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add 6 slices of chopped bacon and cook until crisp, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and let it drain on a paper towel. Leave 1-2 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the pot, discarding the rest. Once the water is boiling in the other large pot, cook 1 pound of dry spaghetti noodles until al dente — this usually takes about 8-10 minutes.
Make the Carbonara Sauce: Meanwhile, whisk together 6 large, room-temperature egg yolks, 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup of room-temperature heavy cream, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ⅛ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
Cook the Chicken: Season 6 raw chicken tenders liberally with salt and pepper on both sides (I used about 1 teaspoon of each). Place the tenders in the hot skillet and cook over medium-low heat until golden brown and cooked through to 165°F, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, chop or slice into bite-sized pieces.
Sauté the Garlic: Lower the heat if needed (I used medium-low, but you may need to go lower than that to prevent burning). Add 3 chopped cloves of garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Toss the Pasta in the Pan: Use tongs to transfer the cooked spaghetti into the pan. Make sure to reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and set it aside. Toss the pasta in the bacon fat and garlic.
Add the Sauce: Remove the pan from the heat so you don’t scramble the eggs. If the pan feels too hot to touch the handle comfortably, let it cool for 30-60 seconds before adding the eggs. Then, pour in the egg, cream, and cheese mixture. Toss everything together and place back on the heat over a low heat setting. Toss the pasta until the cheese mixture has melted and thickened.
Add the Chicken and Bacon: Add the cooked bacon and sliced chicken back to the pot, and toss to combine with the spaghetti. Toss in the pasta water until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. The sauce should cling to the pasta and look glossy, not soupy or dry. It thickens slightly as it sits.
Serve: Season your chicken bacon carbonara with extra salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Then serve topped with a little extra cheese and some chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
How to Store and Reheat
- Fresh is Best: As with most pasta dishes, this chicken carbonara is best enjoyed as soon as you’ve made it. The pasta will absorb the sauce if it sits in it for too long, with can lead to mushy noodles and a clumpy sauce.
- Leftovers: If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this dish.
- Reheat: For best results, reheat this dish on the stovetop over low-medium heat. Add in a little water or broth to loosen the sauce, and cook it on a lower heat until the chicken is heated through.
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