Homemade Chicken Carbonara is so much easier to make than you may think. In this post, we’ll teach you how to make chicken carbonara in less than 45 minutes!
Simple Chicken Carbonara
We are huge pasta lovers over here. From our Garden Summer Pasta followed to our Roasted Balsamic Chicken Pasta to our Chicken Alfredo Pasta, there’s truly something for every pasta lover here on Fit Foodie Finds.
And we’re here to tell you if you thought you could only get chicken carbonara at a restaurant — we’re here to teach you how easy it really is to make at home in your own kitchen!
What is carbonara? Carbonara is an Italian pasta dish that features a creamy sauce made from eggs, cheese and cured pork.
What does chicken carbonara taste like?Carbonara has a rich and creamy flavor from the whisked eggs, salty cheeses and cured pork that makes up the sauce. This carbonara also features chicken thighs that adds to its rich and delicious flavor.
Is chicken carbonara the same as chicken Alfredo?While these dishes contain similar ingredients and rich flavors, they do differ. Chicken carbonara has an earthier flavor thanks to the cured pork and salty cheeses whereas chicken Alfredo has a more buttery and creamy flavor.
Chicken carbonara is classically an Italian pasta dish made with pasta, pancetta, egg, and a hard cheese such as parmesan cheese.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: boneless skinless chicken breasts will also work, but we love the flavor that chicken thighs gives this carbonara.
- Seasonings: for this chicken carbonara we’re using garlic powder, Italian seasoning and salt.
- Bucatini pasta: any noodle will do, but bucatini is a perfect pasta pairing for this chicken carbonara.
- Pancetta: don’t skip the pancetta if you don’t have to! It adds amazing flavor to this carbonara. If you can’t find it, feel free to use bacon instead.
- Veggies: white onion, peas (you can use frozen peas or fresh English peas) and garlic cloves.
- Dry white wine: we used a chardonnay for this, but a pinot gris or pinot grigio or another dry white will will work just fine.
- Anchovy paste: this chicken carbonara only calls for a teaspoon of anchovy paste, but that goes a long way!
- Eggs: eggs are the star of the sauce for a carbonara! The key is to whisk the eggs into a dutch oven that is warn but not too hot to avoid scrambling the eggs.
- Whole milk: any kind of milk will do, but we prefer whole milk for this carbonara because it’s oh so creamy.
- Grated parmesan cheese: make sure to buy grated parmesan cheese as this will melt in the sauce the easiest. You can also buy block parmesan and finely grate it yourself.
Don’t have pancetta? Feel free to use bacon instead!
Don’t forget to use starchy pasta water as it will help thicken the carbonara sauce! Check out more ways to thicken pasta HERE.
How to Make Chicken Carbonara Pasta
Carbonara with pasta is such a flavorful dinner idea made with real, simple ingredients. Here’s how to make it:
Begin by cutting the chicken thighs into strips, and sprinkle the chicken with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt. Toss the chicken with seasoning until the chicken is coated in the seasoning, and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the bucatini pasta to the water and cook until al dente. Remove 1 cup of the starchy pasta water from the pot before straining the pasta, and set aside, but try to keep the pasta warm.
Add the eggs, whole milk and parmesan cheese to a large bowl and whisk until combined. Slowly drizzle ¼ cup of the warm (not hot!) pasta water into the egg mixture, whisking constantly until combined. Be sure the pasta water is not hot or it will scramble the eggs.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium/high heat, and add the pancetta to the Dutch oven and cook until browned. Remove the pancetta using a slotted spoon, and leave the drippings in the Dutch oven.
Add the onion and garlic to the drippings and season with remaining salt. Sauté for 1-2 minutes and then add the peas and garlic. When the garlic is fragrant, set the veggies aside and add the onion, peas, and garlic to the pancetta.
Deglaze the Dutch oven with white wine by pouring the wine into the pan and scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Then whisk the anchovy paste into the white wine. And finally add the chicken to the Dutch oven and brown on each side until the chicken is golden brown.
Add the cooked bucatini to the Dutch oven and toss the pasta with the chicken. Add the pancetta, onion, peas, and garlic and toss again. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and let it cool for 2-3 minutes.
Once the pot has had time to cool, pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pasta and constantly toss the pasta and chicken in the egg mixture to coat the pasta. Be sure the dutch oven isn’t hot or else the eggs will scramble.
When the egg mixture becomes creamy and warm, serve with fresh chopped basil, grated parmesan, cracked pepper.
Top Tips for the Perfect Chicken Carbonara Recipe
- Sauvignon blanc (hints of citrus)
- Chardonnay (buttery)
- Pinot grigio (fruitier)
Store this pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More of our Favorite…
Chicken Pasta Recipes
- Roasted Balsamic Chicken Pasta
- Caprese Chicken Pasta
- Pesto Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Alfredo
- Chicken Mushroom Pasta
- Chicken Piccata
- Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
- 1.5- lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning*
- 1.5 teaspoons salt separated
- 16- oz. dried bucatini pasta
- 4- oz. Pancetta
- ½ large white onion minced
- 1.5 cups peas you can use frozen peas or fresh English peas
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- 5 large eggs
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup starchy pasta water
- Begin by cutting the chicken thighs into strips. About ½-inch wide and 2-inches long. Add the chicken to a bowl.
- Sprinkle the chicken with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Toss the chicken with seasoning until the chicken is coated in the seasoning. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the bucatini pasta to the water and cook until al dente. Remove 1 cup of the starchy pasta water from the pot before straining the pasta. Set pasta aside, but try to keep the pasta warm.
- Next, add the eggs, whole milk and parmesan cheese to a large bowl and whisk until combined. Slowly drizzle ¼ cup of the warm (not hot) pasta water into the egg mixture, whisking constantly until combined. Be sure the pasta water is not hot or it will scramble the eggs. Set aside.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium/high heat. Add the pancetta to the Dutch oven and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the pancetta using a slotted spoon. Leave the drippings in the Dutch oven.
- Add the onion and garlic to the drippings and season with remaining salt. Sauté for 1-2 minutes and then add the peas and garlic.
- When the garlic and onions are fragrant, set the veggies aside and add the onion, peas, and garlic to the pancetta.
- Deglaze the Dutch oven with white wine. Pour the wine into the pan and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Whisk the anchovy paste into the white wine. Then, add the chicken to the Dutch oven and brown for 4-5 minutes on each side until the chicken is golden brown.
- Add the cooked Bucatini to the Dutch oven and toss the pasta with the chicken. Add the pancetta, onion, peas, and garlic and toss again.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and let it cool for 2-3 minutes.
- Once the pot has had time to cool, pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pasta and constantly toss the pasta and chicken in the egg mixture to coat the pasta.
- When the egg mixture becomes creamy and warm, serve with fresh chopped basil, grated parmesan, cracked pepper. Be sure the dutch oven isn’t hot or else the eggs will scramble.
- We used Italian seasoning that includes salt. If your Italian seasoning does not include salt you may need to use more salt.
- When you add the whisked eggs to the dutch oven, be sure the dutch oven is warm and not hot or the eggs may scramble. Just keep the pasta and and egg mixture moving until it turns into a sauce.
