Chicken Carbonara

This Chicken Carbonara recipe features juicy tender chicken breasts tossed in a milk and parmesan cheese-based sauce. Garlic, shallots, and bacon are thrown in for a savory yet creamy pasta dish that is ready in about 30 minutes and perfect for those busy weeknights. 

I can always use a new pasta recipe in my recipe box, you?  It seems like when I don’t know what to make for dinner, or if I am in a rush, we always turn to pasta.  I get dinner on the table and everyone loves pasta, so it’s a win-win situation.

Years ago, I found a recipe in a HyVee Meal Solutions Magazine for Carbonara pasta that used broccoli, and I was intrigued. Typically when I see Carbonara recipes they contain peas and I am not a fan of peas.  I will eat them to prove a point to my kids, but it’s no secret I have to swallow them like pills. That whole popping-in-your-mouth thing grosses me out.  I can’t get past the texture.  

So, I love this one, because it has broccoli, and spinach, and of course, Carbonara has bacon and what’s not to love about bacon?!

Chicken Carbonara

Chicken carbonara with crispy bacon is always a family favorite. With all the rich flavors from the garlic, shallots, and parmesan cheese it’s a satisfying meal you can pull together on a busy weeknight. Some recipes call for pancetta but we love bacon in our house so that’s what I tend to use to make this recipe.

Chicken Carbonara

Adding chicken to pasta always turns a pasta dish into a hearty meal so if you’ve got leftover cooked rotisserie chicken in the fridge or even in the freezer, it’s a great way to use up the leftovers. Toss the chicken into the sauce and then pour it all over some pasta for a family-friendly satisfying meal. 

If you love chicken pasta recipes, you will love these too: Easy Chicken and Mushroom Florentine, Creamy Chicken Penne Pasta, and Country Club Chicken and Pasta. 

Creamy Chicken Carbonara

Carbonara, not to be confused with alfredo, usually has ham or bacon in it, and some recipes are made with eggs. I’ve opted not to use an egg mixture so there’s no need to separate egg whites from egg yolks but not to worry, you’ll still get a creamy sauce. Alfredo sauce is most often made with heavy cream and parmesan cheese without the addition of eggs.  

Ingredients for Chicken Carbonara

For complete ingredients and instructions scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe. 

• Milk: The higher your milk’s fat content, the creamier your sauce will be.
• Parmesan cheese:  Use freshly grated parmesan for the best flavor. 
• Pepper: Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Linguine noodles: I like to use linguine noodles but any long pasta is good.
• Broccolettes: Also known as broccolini, these add flavor, texture, and color to the pasta.
• Spinach: I like to use baby spinach, roughly chopped. 
• Bacon: I like to use packaged real bacon pieces. 
• Shallot: Shallots add flavor but you can also use an onion, diced. 
• Garlic: Use fresh minced garlic for the best flavor. Jarred works as a backup.
• Parsley: Freshly chopped parsley makes for a nice garnish.
• Chicken: I used chicken breasts, cubed, to make this pasta a hearty meal. 
• Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil is best but any type will work. 

Keep reading to find tips and tricks, substitutions, and answers to questions you may have about this chicken carbonara recipe.  

How do you make chicken carbonara? 

Just a few simple steps to making this chicken carbonara recipe.

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook linguine al dente, according to package directions, (do not overcook) add broccolini for the last 3 minutes of cooking time, drain, and rinse with cool water, set aside.

In a large skillet, add olive oil, and cook chicken pieces over medium heat, stirring frequently until golden brown. Remove chicken from pan, and set aside.  

In the same skillet, add shallots, garlic, and bacon pieces and saute for a few minutes.

Whisk in milk, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Return chicken to the skillet. Stir into sauce. Let thicken for a few minutes.

Add pasta/broccolini, spinach, and parsley. Toss with sauce. Serve with extra parmesan cheese on the side. 

We served it with a warm slice of {No Knead} Crusty Dutch Oven Bread.

Allow this creamy pasta to come to room temperature and then it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months though the texture may not be the same.

Love it? Pin it!

If you love this easy chicken carbonara recipe, make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

Substitutions

Remember that when it comes to making substitutions in recipes, you don’t need to be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that suit your personal taste and dietary preferences. Make it your own!

• If you don’t have any cooked bacon, use ham instead. 
• For an even richer tasting sauce use heavy cream instead of milk. 
• Substitute pecorino romano or grana padano for the parmesan cheese.
• If you don’t have cooked bacon on hand you can cook bacon to add to the sauce. 
• If you love the Shrimp and Chicken Carbonara at Olive Garden, try adding shrimp to this recipe.

FAQs about chicken carbonara pasta

• What is chicken carbonara? Chicken carbonara is based on an Italian pasta dish made with bacon or pancetta, whisked egg, and hard cheese. 
• What is chicken carbonara sauce made of? Chicken carbonara sauce features chicken paired with a sauce usually made with eggs, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and fresh herbs. Sometimes it also has cream. 
• What’s the difference between chicken alfredo and carbonara? Traditional carbonara sauce usually has an egg in it while alfredo doesn’t. Carbonara is typically thinner than alfredo sauce and alfredo doesn’t usually have bacon or ham in it. 
• What is the sauce in carbonara made of? The sauce in carbonara is made with eggs, parmesan cheese, and sometimes cream.
• What is the golden rule of cooking a carbonara? The golden rule of making a carbonara sauce is to make sure the eggs are completely uniform. The egg whites need to be mixed with the yolks. 

Tips & Tricks

• Make sure to cook the pasta al dente so it holds up well with the sauce and chicken. 
• Keep a cup of pasta water to add to the sauce. Starchy pasta water is great if you want to thicken up your sauce. 
• Top the pasta with fresh basil for more flavor. 

More Recipes to Love

If you love quick and easy pasta dishes this Lemon Basil Pasta, this Pasta Salad With Spam, and this Pizza Pasta all come together in a cinch. If you like baked pasta, this Creamy Baked Chicken Pasta With Bacon and this Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake may be more up your alley. 

This chicken carbonara pasta is bound to be one of your new favorite dishes; it’s an easy meal that’s good for a special occasion or a simple family weeknight dinner. 

This recipe was originally posted on May 5, 2015 It has been updated to improve user experience and reshared on May 22, 2024.