Creamy Chicken Carbonara
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This Creamy Chicken Carbonara recipe is both creamy and light and can be on your table in 15 minutes!
Carbonara is the type of pasta dish I used to always order at restaurants. It has all the elements I crave in a delicious dish: salty, creamy, savoury, and most importantly, full of carbs! I always assumed that it was difficult to make this beautiful dish because it tastes so luxurious. In fact, it’s simple and quick. In our family it’s the perfect quick after work meal. I always have the ingredients on hand and it comes together in 15 minutes which is ideal after a long day of work when everyone is hungrily waiting for dinner.
I have made my traditional Fettucine Carbonara with Pancetta for years and it has become a tried and true staple in my home. One night I decided to switch it up and add some seared chicken thighs to the mix. Once I chose to add chicken, I switched my usual pancetta for crispy prosciutto: I think you’ll agree that the combination is perfection.
This Creamy Chicken Carbonara is a beautiful dish. When prepared properly, carbonara pasta is both creamy and light at the same time. The sharp Parmesan and creamy egg cling to the spaghetti and create a beautiful silky sauce when combined with the reserved pasta water, while the garlic, crispy prosciutto and savoury shredded chicken adds texture to each bite. I promise you if you make this recipe, it will soon become a regular meal in your home.
TOTAL TIME
- Preparation Time – 2 minutes
- Cooking Time – 13 minutes
- Total Time – 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS FOR CREAMY CHICKEN CARBONARA
All the ingredients for this carbonara are easy to source from any local grocer.
- 1 box Spaghetti (~500g) , or 1/2 of my homemade pasta dough prepared
- 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 75 grams Prosciutto, about 6 slices
- 3 Chicken Thighs, boneless with skin on
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 large Egg Yolk
- 1 cup Parmesan, grated
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup Pasta water, reserved
WHAT TYPE OF PASTA SHOULD I USE?
This recipe calls for spaghetti, but you can use whatever pasta you’d like. I personally prefer a long pasta with Carbonara sauce. There’s something about twirling long pasta covered in silky sauce that’s just so satisfying. I’d recommend fettucine, bucatini, or linguine as an alternative.
IS CARBONARA SAUCE THE SAME AS ALFREDO SAUCE?
Although the two may appear similar at first glance, they are far from it. Alfredo sauce uses butter and cheese as its base, and many recipes also include cream. Unlike Alfredo sauce, all the creaminess in Carbonara comes from beautiful fresh eggs. As a result, Carbonara tastes lighter, and is arguably healthier for you.
DOES CARBONARA SAUCE HAVE CREAM IN IT?
No authentic Carbonara sauce recipe includes cream. All the silky creaminess in this sumptuous sauce comes from the fresh eggs, finely grated parmesan, and pasta water.
WHAT IS PROSCIUTTO?
Prosciutto means “ham” in Italian. It is usually sold thinly sliced and is delicious in a variety of dishes.
ARE PROSCIUTTO CRUDO AND PROSCIUTTO COTTO THE SAME THING?
No they are absolutely not. Crudo means “raw” in Italian, whereas “cotto” means cooked. Prosciutto Crudo is salt cured, dry aged, uncooked ham. It has a rich salty flavour and is delicious on charcuterie boards as well as in this meal. Prosciutto Cotto on the other hand, is slowly cooked on a very low heat, and has a lighter flavour and colour. You can use it in a similar way to Prosciutto Crudo depending on your tastes.
ARE PROSCIUTTO AND PANCETTA THE SAME THING?
Although both are made from pork, they are a very different in terms of taste. Pancetta is salt cured and dried similarly to prosciutto, but for a much shorter time. Additionally, they are a very different cut of meat. Prosciutto is from the hind leg, while pancetta is from the belly. As a result, prosciutto is much leaner than pancetta and has a very different flavour.
IS IT SAFE TO USE RAW EGGS IN MY CARBONARA SAUCE?
Absolutely. Although the eggs in this recipe are not cooked in a standard way, the heat from the freshly cooked pasta cooks them in the pan. This is why you must to ensure that the egg mixture is ready to add the minute the pasta comes off the heat. If you are very concerned, you can always purchase raw eggs that have been pasteurized.
SHOULD I RINSE THE SPAGHETTI AFTER COOKING?
Absolutely not! Never ever rinse your pasta after cooking! After draining the spaghetti, you will see that it starts to stick together. An understandable reflex is to rinse the pasta to separate the pieces before mixing in your pan. However, the starch that causes the pasta to stick together is the same substance that helps your sauce cling to your pasta. If you rinse the pasta it will not stick together, but the sauce will not cling to it either, resulting in a more soupy consistency.
INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
CAN I USE BACON INSTEAD OF PROSCIUTTO?
If you really wish, you could substitute bacon for pancetta but the taste will be very different. Because prosciutto is salt cured and dried, it has a more complex flavour than American style bacon. Additionally, bacon is smoked and will add a smoky flavour to this otherwise light but savoury dish. It is this subtle complexity that contrasts beautifully with the silky sauce.
CAN I USE A DIFFERENT KIND OF OIL?
You could theoretically substitute any oil with a high smoke point in this recipe. I use olive oil because it adds a bit of extra flavour to the dish and it is traditional for carbonara.
I FORGOT TO RESERVE MY PASTA WATER! IS THERE A SUBSTITUTION?
The addition of reserved pasta water is an important step in making a beautiful carbonara sauce. The pasta water adds additional salt and flavour to the dish, while the starch aids the sauce in clinging to the pasta. You can certainly substitute a bit of water if you forget to reserve pasta water, however the result will not be quite as silky and sumptuous.
CAN I USE SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHS?
Carbonara is a dish premised on the combination of salt and fat to create a sumptuous mouthfeel. One of the layers of flavour in this Creamy Chicken Carbonara is the rendered fat from the chicken thighs, and the crispy skin that results from searing them on cast iron.
EQUIPMENT FOR CREAMY CHICKEN CARBONARA
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Below is a list of the main equipment/kitchen tools needed to make Chicken Carbonara:
- Braising Pan – My most used pan by far is my Le Creuset Braising Pan. It is made of heavy cast iron and coated in ceramic as all Le Creuset cast iron pans are. It’s large and deep which makes it perfect for everything from frying to making sauces. I use it almost daily, and can’t recommend it enough.
- Tongs
- Microplane or fine cheese grater
- Wooden Spoon
- Kitchen Knife
- Cutting Board
COOKING DIRECTIONS
Creamy Chicken Carbonara is as delicious as it is simple. You can easily make it in fifteen minutes, making it the perfect quick meal. Although it’s quite easy to prepare, there are a few tips to remember.
- Sear the chicken and crisp the prosciutto to ensure ideal flavour.
- Make sure that the egg and Parmesan mixture is ready to pour as soon as the pasta, prosciutto and chicken are finished.
- Always reserve some pasta water. This beautiful starchy water is what turns your carbonara into a silky luscious sauce.
MAKE AHEAD STORAGE
This Creamy Chicken Carbonara cannot be made in advance.
Although you can refrigerate the leftover pasta and reheat it, it will have a slightly different texture as the sauce will absorb into the pasta. I recommend eating this fresh if at all possible.
FINISHED DISH
Enjoy this Creamy Chicken Carbonara.
OTHER QUICK PASTA DISHES
Creamy Chicken Prosciutto Fettuccine
Orecchiette Pasta with Peas and Pancetta
Smoked Salmon Pesto Pasta
OTHER PASTA DISHES
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
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Creamy Chicken Carbonara
Equipment
- Large Pasta Pot
- Heavy bottomed pan, I like my Le Creuset Braiser
- Tongs
- Kitchen knife
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 1 box Spaghetti (~500g)
- 4 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 75 grams Prosciutto about 6 slices
- 3 Chicken Thighs boneless, skin on
- 5 cloves Garlic
- Pepper several turns, to taste
- 1/8 tsp Kosher salt
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 large Egg yolk
- 1 cup Parmesan grated
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup Pasta water reserved
Instructions
- Put a large pot of water on the on the stove and salt when it comes to a boil.
- Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 11 minutes.
- As soon as the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy bottomed pan on medium high.
- Salt and pepper the chicken and place it skin side down in the heated pan, 3 minutes.
- Flip and cook an additional 3 minutes then remove and set aside.
- Add the prosciutto and cook until crisped, 2 minutes turning once. Set aside.
- Mix the Parmesan and eggs until smooth and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium, and add 2 tbsp evoo and the diced garlic, cook 1 minute.
- Chop the chicken and crumbled prosciutto and add it back to the pan.
- As soon as the pasta is cooked, remove a half cup of pasta water and set aside.
- Take the pasta from the pot and add it to the pan with the garlic, prosciotto and chicken.
- Mix the pasta with the oil and pancetta for 2 minutes to coat it.
- Take the pan off the heat and add the egg and Parmesan mixture.
- Mix quickly to ensure the pasta is evenly coated.
- Add the reserved pasta water and mix until smooth.
Wow! I could go for a big bowl of this comforting and flavorful pasta. I love how easy it is to make. It’s perfect for a weeknight meal.
Oh how I love carbonara! It’s so easy and it has that touch of creaminess without the dish feeling too heavy. This is total comfort food!
We are always looking for more ways to cook with chicken and this looks delicious.
I made this for family and it was a real winner! Thank you for the fabulous recipe!
What a great idea to add chicken to pasta carbonara! It looks great.