Description
Creamy chicken carbonara is inspired by a classic Italian pasta dish made with smoked turkey bacon, whisked egg, and hard cheese. It’s creamy, delicious, date-night worthy, and will rock your world.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized strips)
- 12–14 ounces linguine (or spaghetti)
- 4 strips thick-cut smoked turkey bacon (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)
- 4 eggs (2 yolk only, 2 whole)
- 3/4 cup grated microbial-rennet Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream (optional)
Instructions
- Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook linguine al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before straining.
- Step 2: Combine eggs, Parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt, and pepper, and optional cream in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk thoroughly and set aside.
- Step 3: Meanwhile, cook smoked turkey 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 turkey bacon grease in the skillet and discard the rest.
- Step 4: Add sliced chicken. Season with salt and pepper and cook until chicken is fully cooked through (about 5-7 minutes). The turkey bacon fat should brown the chicken. In the last 1-2 minutes, add garlic and a pinch of olive oil. Cook until fragrant.
- Step 5: Turn the heat down to low and let the pan cool for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat if necessary. Return the smoked turkey 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.
- Step 6: 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 turkey 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. Classic carbonara does not contain cream.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 706 kcal
- Sugar: 0.3 g
- Sodium: 906 mg
- Fat: 20.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37.2 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 363 mg
Keywords: creamy chicken carbonara, Italian pasta, dinner, quick meals, smoked turkey bacon