Chicken Carbonara
Spaghetti with chicken, bacon, egg yolks and parmesan in a glossy sauce that sets from the heat of the pasta, ready in 30 minutes.
A carbonara is a sauce of egg, cheese and cured pork, and it needs no cream. The heat of the pasta cooks the egg into a silky coating, and the whole skill is in how you do it.
Whisk the eggs, yolks, parmesan and plenty of black pepper in a bowl and set it aside. Fry the bacon until crisp, then cook the chicken strips in the same pan for 6 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
Drain the pasta, keeping a mug of the water. Take the pan off the heat before the egg goes in, then tip in the pasta, the egg mixture and a splash of the water, tossing quickly. The residual heat thickens the egg; direct heat scrambles it.
If your hob runs hot, wait 30 seconds before adding the egg. If the sauce looks stiff, loosen it with a little more pasta water. It should be glossy and cling to every strand. Serve at once with more parmesan.
Questions About Chicken Carbonara
How long does Chicken Carbonara take to make?
About 30 minutes in total — 10 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Chicken Carbonara?
Take the pan off the heat before the egg. Keep the pasta water. If your hob runs hot, wait 30 seconds first. Serve immediately.
What should I serve with Chicken Carbonara?
Green salad; Garlic bread; Roasted tomatoes; White wine.
Is Chicken Carbonara suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is high-protein and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
Why did my Chicken Carbonara scramble instead of turning into a sauce?
The pan was too hot when the egg mixture went in. Off the heat completely, or over the lowest possible heat, stirring constantly — the pasta’s own residual warmth is what cooks the egg into a sauce rather than curds. If it has already started to scramble, take it off the heat at once and stir in a splash of the reserved, starchy pasta water; it will not fully smooth out, but it stops it going further.
How many calories are in Chicken Carbonara?
About 657 kcal per serving, with 50 g protein, 67 g carbohydrate and 21 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
The Method for Chicken Carbonara
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Boil the spaghetti in salted water, keep a mug of the water and drain. Whisk the eggs, yolks, parmesan and pepper.
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Fry the bacon in the oil for 6 minutes until crisp. Add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes until golden and cooked through.
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Take the pan off the heat. Tip in the pasta, then the egg mixture and a splash of the pasta water, tossing for 1 minute until glossy.
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Season with the salt and serve at once.
A Few Pointers
- Take the pan off the heat before the egg.
- Keep the pasta water.
- If your hob runs hot, wait 30 seconds first.
- Serve immediately.
Pairs Well With
Green salad · Garlic bread · Roasted tomatoes · White wine
Keeping and Reheating
Best eaten at once. Reheating can scramble the sauce.
Chicken Carbonara Nutrition
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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