This easy chicken carbonara recipe with Parmesan cheese and pancetta is perfect for weeknights! It’s my quick, one-pot version of authentic Italian carbonara without cream, with the addition of juicy pan-seared chicken.
For another homemade spin on a classic Italian dinner, try hearty beef ragu and creamy shirmp alfredo.
You know that saying, “When in Rome”? Today, we’re doing as the Romans do, and making spaghetti alla carbonara! And adding chicken because there’s nothing I love more than a quick, 30-minute chicken pasta like chicken alfredo and chicken pasta primavera. My authentic-ish chicken carbonara recipe is made with fatty pancetta, salty Parmesan, eggs, salt and pepper, and tender chicken cooked in one pan.
Disclaimer: Traditional carbonara purists should look away because Italian carbonara does not include chicken. I know. But true to form, I always make a one-pot chicken carbonara for busy weeknights when we need the protein and the carbs, pronto. 🙃
An Easy Chicken Carbonara Pasta Recipe
- Quick and delicious. Whenever I’m stumped, staring at a wedge of Parmesan in my fridge, I make a quick chicken carbonara recipe for dinner. It’s done in 30 minutes with the simplest ingredients.
- One pan. I like to cook the pancetta, then the chicken, and finally, prepare the carbonara in the same skillet. This builds layers of flavors, and it saves on clean-up time!
- Authentic flavors. Tossed in a creamy sauce made with egg yolks, Parmesan cheese, and rendered fat from the pancetta, this chicken spaghetti carbonara packs all the rich, creamy flavors of the classic Italian dish. Everyone loves it!
What Are the 4 Ingredients in Carbonara?
Traditional Roman Carbonara is one of my favorite examples of cooking magic in action. It’s a rich, creamy sauce, but it doesn’t actually contain any cream. In fact, authentic Carbonara recipes need only 4 ingredients:
- Pancetta – Traditional pasta carbonara recipes include guanciale, a type of Italian salt-cured pork cheek. Chopped pancetta is similar and readily available in the US, or you can use bacon. The important thing is to choose a fatty cured meat. The fat renders while it cooks to add flavor and thicken the sauce.
- Egg and Egg Yolks – Extra egg yolks are the secret to rich, creamy, flavorful carbonara without cream.
- Parmesan – Use freshly grated Parmesan, Pecorino, or Grana Padano cheese. Pre-grated cheese just doesn’t have the same flavor and texture, and it won’t melt properly.
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper – If we’re keeping this recipe traditional, you don’t need anything more than salt and freshly cracked black pepper to season the sauce. I also like to garnish my bowls with fresh basil, but this is optional.
You’ll Also Need…
In addition to the classic carbonara ingredients above, to make this chicken carbonara recipe, you will need:
- Spaghetti – Of course. Any long pasta noodles work, including fettuccine and linguine. These types of pastas pair well with light, creamy sauces.
- Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken is best. You can use breasts or thighs, and cut the chicken into strips. Another option is to make this chicken carbonara recipe using rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken you’re looking to use up.
- Garlic – Not an authentic carbonara ingredient, but I can’t resist adding fresh garlic to my pasta recipes. Feel free to skip it if you prefer. Or, if you’d like to infuse only the flavor into your sauce, you can sauté whole garlic cloves with the pancetta and remove the garlic before adding the other ingredients.
Cream vs. No Cream
Modern chain restaurants and American-style carbonara recipes sometimes include heavy cream. However, it’s the eggs and Parmesan in Italian carbonara recipes that emulsify with the water from the pasta to create a luxurious, silky sauce. No cream necessary.
This being said, if you’d prefer to make this chicken carbonara recipe with heavy cream and eggs, you can substitute the whole egg for ¼ cup of heavy cream. I won’t tell.
Tips for Great Homemade Chicken Carbonara
- Use the pasta water. Don’t forget to reserve ¼ to ½ cup of the starchy pasta water before you drain your cooked pasta. And before that, remember to salt the water before cooking! Well-seasoned pasta water loaded with starch is a key component in creamless cream sauces.
- Substitute pancetta. You can make your creamy chicken carbonara with bacon if needed. I’ll sometimes use smoky bacon to give the sauce extra flavor.
- Oil is optional. You can add extra oil to the pan when cooking your bacon or pancetta, or don’t. It’s optional since there’s usually enough fat that renders anyway. I do find that a little oil helps the meat crisp up better.
- Prevent the pasta from sticking. After you’ve drained the cooked spaghetti, consider drizzling a small amount of olive oil over the pasta and tossing to coat. This is my handy trick to keep the pasta from drying out and clumping while I prepare the sauce.
- Try different proteins. You can always leave out the chicken or swap it with shrimp, steak, salmon bites, or vegetables.
- For a low-carb version, try zucchini carbonara and swap pasta for zucchini noodles.
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Cook the pasta. Cook your spaghetti in a pot of salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
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Cook the pancetta. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped pancetta and cook until crispy. Transfer the pancetta to paper towels to drain. Keep 1 tablespoon of the pancetta fat in the skillet and toss out the rest.
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Cook the chicken. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper. Add them to the skillet with the reserved fat and cook over medium-high heat for 6 to 7 minutes, or until cooked through. During the last minute, stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
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Prepare the sauce. Whisk the egg and two egg yolks until smooth and well combined. Whisk in the Parmesan cheese, then slowly add about ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water, whisking until creamy.
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Assemble. Return the pancetta to the skillet and add the spaghetti. Remove from the heat. Quickly pour in the egg yolk sauce and toss continuously until the pasta is glossy and coated, adding a splash of pasta water only if it seems too dry. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
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Serve. Divide the pasta among the bowls or plates, garnish with fresh basil and extra Parmesan, and serve.
- You can use any long type of pasta for this dish.
- Instead of pancetta, bacon is a great option. Sometimes I like to make this recipe with smoked bacon for extra flavor.
- Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water initially. You can add more pasta water to your pasta if it feels dry.
- If you want to use fewer eggs, substitute one egg for ¼ cup of heavy cream.
- Garlic is not a classic ingredient in Carbonara, but it adds so much flavor.
- Do not use store-pre-grated Parmesan cheese as it will not melt properly.
- You do not need to add extra oil to the pancetta, but it helps to crisp it up better.
Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 204mg | Sodium: 347mg | Potassium: 494mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 323IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make This Chicken Carbonara Recipe, Step-By-Step
Here’s a look at what you can expect when making homemade chicken carbonara from scratch:
- Boil the pasta. First, you’ll cook your spaghetti al dente in a pot of salted, boiling water. Refer to the package directions, since cooking times can vary. Afterward, reserve up to ½ cup of the pasta water before straining the pasta.
- Sauté the pancetta. Meanwhile, sauté the chopped pancetta in a skillet over medium-high heat until the pieces are crispy. Transfer the pancetta to a paper towel to drain. Save about 1 tablespoon of fat leftover in the skillet for cooking the chicken.
- Cook the chicken. Now, season the chicken with salt and pepper, and add it to the skillet. Sear for 6-7 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. If you’re adding garlic, stir it into the chicken in the last minute of cooking.
- Make the sauce. In a bowl, whisk the egg, yolks, and Parmesan cheese with the reserved pasta water.
- Put it all together. To assemble your one-pot chicken carbonara, return the pancetta to the skillet with the chicken. With the pan off the heat, add the cooked spaghetti and pour over the egg mixture. Stir and toss the sauce with the pasta until it’s well-coated, then serve.
The Golden Rule(s)
The secret to cooking a smooth, velvety carbonara is to whisk the whole egg thoroughly with the egg yolks and pasta water. Secondly, add the mixture off of the direct heat. The pasta water tempers the eggs, and removing the pan from the heat ensures they don’t scramble. This creates a silky, uniform sauce without any lumps.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerate. This chicken carbonara lasts in the fridge for 2-3 days. Unfortunately, carbonara pasta isn’t freezer-friendly as the pasta becomes mushy after thawing.
- Reheat leftovers. Reheat carbonara in a saucepan over low heat, or in the microwave. You might find that the pasta dries out a bit with storage, so add a splash of water when reheating to revive the texture.
