Chicken Carbonara

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Show: Everyday ItalianEpisode: Pasta Potluck

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (326)

Cook Time:
22 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
6 servings

Times:

Prep: 20 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 22 min
Total:: 42 min

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Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
8 large egg yolks
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
1 pound spaghetti
4 cups coarsely shredded chicken (from 1 roasted chicken)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and garlic and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, and parsley to blend.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Add the chicken to the pan with the pancetta and stir to combine. Next, add the spaghetti and the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly, about 4 minutes (do not boil or you might end up scrambling the eggs). Season the pasta, to taste, with pepper and salt if needed (the pancetta will likely add all the salt you need). Transfer the pasta to a large wide serving bowl. Sprinkle the walnuts and lemon zest over, and serve.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Chicken Carbonara
Yvonne Fountain, CO 02-06-2010
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Just like Grandma's Cooking!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This Dish is a hit in my home. I made over the Holidays for family and everyone was amazed. Extremely easier and Delicious.
recipe Chicken Carbonara
Don Berkley, MI 01-21-2010
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Creamy and Delightful
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I loved this recipe. I made just a few modifications. First, I used thickly cut pancetta and cut it into lardons. I like... it a bit chewier and substantial. If you do that, I recommend cooking the pancetta almost completely before adding the garlic. Otherwise, you'll likely burn the garlic. Second, I used penne pasta. And third, I added zucchini (cut into the same size and shape as the penne) at the same time that I added the chicken. I made a double recipe for a dinner party, and everyone loved it. Don't omit the lemon zest. It really brightens the dish.Read more
recipe Chicken Carbonara
Brenda Corona, CA 01-14-2010
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tasty!! great for my three boys!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

i made this when i was looking for a recipe to use my store bought rotisserie chicken. I thought it was good, but i think i... would use a little extra pancetta next time, and i just added a little extra freshly grated parmesan and freshly cracked pepper on the top...with the lemon zest and toasted walnuts i thought it was very tasty...and my very picky four year old ate two bowls!!! Definitely a keeper! and lots of leftovers for lunch the next day:-)Read more
recipe Chicken Carbonara
Remi Ann Arbor, MI 01-09-2010
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missing something
Rated: 2 stars out of 5

I'm not sure if I went wrong somewhere with this recipe considering the great reviews. I made this for myself and two others... and we all that it was too rich and missing something. It was not worth the calories. It wasn't inedible. It just didn't do anything for me. It tasted very egg, very heavy and not a whole lot of flavor. This is one of the first food network recipes i've thrown away after trying. I was wondering how I was going to finish of a pound of this pasta as this recipe makes quite a bit and a little bit is very filling. Luckily the pasta tasted better after sitting in the fridge overnight. It reheated fine and I was able to finish it off after eating it for lunch and dinner for two days--I hate to throw away food, even it's not worth the calories! I will try another carbonara recipe as I've have had it before elsewhere I know that I like it, just not this recipe.Read more
recipe Chicken Carbonara
Brian Carrollton, TX 12-30-2009
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Very good, but very heavy
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

This was quite tasty, but it's far from a light fare. We did really like how the shredded chicken kind of blended in with... the sauce. It gave it a thick texture to go with the added flavor over plain Carbonara. It is a very good dish, but not something I would make with any regularity because it is so rich.Read more
recipe Chicken Carbonara
Lisa Leesburg, VA 12-21-2009
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My family loved it!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

WOW! This was some good stuff! I strayed a little from the directions as I could not bring myself to feed my family "raw"... egg yolks. I put the egg yolks, cream, basil, parsley and shredded cheese in a double boiler and stirred until creamy and then added to my cooked pasta. I also added a handful of peas to add a little color to the dish. It was a HUGE hit! I will be making it again but am thinking of using shrimp instead of chicken next time. Read more