Chicken Carbonara

Whenever pasta chooses a journey with protein, the meal is an instant success. Even though there is a particular formula for carbonara, it’s been done with many variations: with grilled zucchini, on pizza, and primavera-style. Some are made with bacon, heavy cream, and garlic, and others with shrimp or chicken (like this recipe). I recognize the specific contribution carbonara makes to Italian cuisine, but here in America, we can mix and mingle a little. It’s fun, isn’t it? Plus, in this version, you get to sear chicken in pork fat—who could say no to that? If you're looking for an easy pasta dinner that makes weeknights feel extra special, keep reading on for all of my top tips.

How To Make Chicken Carbonara

INGREDIENTS

• Rigatoni: Spaghetti or bucatini are commonly used in classic carbonara (seen in my original recipe), but rigatoni has room to shine here too. Because I’ve cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, rigatoni is a great option. The bits of chicken and pancetta sneak their way into the tubes too. And instead of losing pieces of chicken and pancetta when twirling spaghetti, you can press your fork into the bits at the same time instead.
• Pancetta: This is a common pork product used in carbonara aside from guanciale. Although some opt for bacon, I chose pancetta since it’s a little more traditional. You can consider it bacon's better half.
• Chicken: A leaner piece of chicken is your best option here. Sear the chicken breast first before cooking pasta or making the sauce. Then cut the chicken into 1" pieces. The pasta is tossed in a heatproof bowl off the heat, so there’s no "additional" cooking happening once the two are married.
• Eggs: One of the main components to a carbonara formula are eggs. There's always yolks, and oftentimes a little egg white too for viscosity and bind. When the hot pasta hits the egg yolks, they turn into a velvety sauce, and it’s instant pasta glory.
• Pecorino Romano: Since carbonara hails from Rome, the ideal cheese to use here is Pecorino Romano. It’s earthy and pungent, a great cheese to break up the richness of the eggy sauce.
• Pasta Water: Cooking your pasta in less water yields a thicker, starchier liquid. I suggest removing the pasta from the water with a slotted spoon so you get residual water in the sauce. The starch helps thicken and makes the pasta glossy.

STEP- BY- STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First, we're going to cook our pancetta. Make sure the skillet is not too hot or cold so the pancetta begins to sear low and slow and render its fat. You don’t need additional fat or oil in the pan to do this. It should take 10 to 15 minutes for pancetta to shrink and turn golden in color. Use a splatter screen and keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get too crispy. The texture should be crispy and tender and melt in your mouth—not tough and dry. When finished, remove pancetta with a slotted spoon, leaving behind pork fat.

On a plate or small sheet pan, season your chicken on all sides. Do this even 20 to 30 minutes prior to cooking. Sear the chicken carefully in the remaining pancetta fat. The chicken will be golden on both sides, and cooked to an internal temperature of 165°. Use a meat thermometer to check! Remove from the pan, allowing it to rest and cool slightly before cutting into bite-sized pieces that are about 1".

When combining the eggs and cheese, make sure to do so in a large heatproof bowl. Adding eggs directly into a hot pan will immediately scramble them, so the trick is to add hot pasta to a heatproof vessel off heat and mix vigorously. I prefer to use metal since it’s easier to handle, but glass or ceramic retain heat well. The hot pasta along with residual pasta water will melt the cheese and create a velvety sauce.

Cooking pasta should be the last step in making carbonara, but have your pot of water at the ready throughout so all you have to do is drop pasta and go. When making carbonara, it’s especially important to measure the amount of water the pasta will cook in. Typically 1 lb. pasta should boil in a gallon of water, or 16 cups. But here I ask you to boil 1 lb. in 8 cups water. I want the water to have concentrated starch which will help create a more viscous sauce. Depending on how saucy you like your pasta, you may or may not need to add additional water, but you have the option to do so. At this point, fold in the pancetta and chicken. Adjust your seasoning and add additional cheese for garnish.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Searing the chicken: Sear the chicken breast whole, allow to cool slightly, and cut into bite-sized pieces. Searing the entire chicken breast lends itself to juicer chicken. Cutting and searing pieces of chicken individually may result in overcooked pieces.
• Timing: Cook your pasta last so that all of the other elements are ready to build. You want to remove the hot pasta from the pasta so that drops of water transfer into the sauce.

Carbonara Variations

• Grilled Zucchini Carbonara: If you want to add some veggies, then this grilled zucchini variation is a perfect summer dinner.
• Spaghetti Squash Carbonara: Trying to cut down on carbs? This spaghetti squash recipe has all of the same flavors, with even more veggies.
• Carbonara Pizza: This marriage of two Italian dinners couldn't work more perfectly—decadence at its finest.

Storage

Chicken carbonara is best eaten right away. If you have leftover, store in an airtight container for up to 1 day and reheat low and slow. Add a little water to loosen the sauce. As it sits, the sauce absorbs into the pasta and gets tacky. If you are going to reheat the pasta for later, save your pasta water and add more when reheating.