Chicken Bacon Carbonara Pasta – this is the BEST pasta I have ever eaten. Grilled chicken and bacon served over a creamy cheese sauce. Better than any restaurant! Super simple to make and tastes great! Chicken, bacon, red pepper flakes, garlic, pasta, cream cheese, heavy cream, eggs, parmesan, and black pepper. I wanted to lick the plate! Easy enough for a weeknight and fancy enough for a dinner party! #chicken #pasta #bacon
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Pin This RecipeEasy Chicken Pasta Recipe
I’ve had this Chicken Bacon Carbonara Pasta recipe on my to-make list for a long time. I can’t believe I waited so long to try it; it was fantastic! Creamy pasta tossed with grilled chicken and bacon. All of my favorites in one bowl! I could eat this every day and never get tired of it! Whip up a salad and some garlic bread and you are set!
How to Make Chicken Bacon Carbonara Pasta
This dish is very easy to make. Start with grilling or cooking some chicken in a skillet. Next, cook the pasta. While the chicken and pasta are cooking, place heavy whipping cream and cream cheese in a small saucepan. Heat over low until cream cheese is melted, and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Add parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and pepper and whisk until blended. Drain pasta (reserving ½ cup of hot water) and return to pot. Immediately add the sauce and toss to coat. Stir in cooked bacon, and add some reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. Top with grilled chicken.
- We used grilled chicken in this dish. I marinated the chicken in a bottle of Lawry’s Garlic & Herb marinade before cooking.
- You can cook the chicken ahead of time and reheat it when you are ready to make the pasta.
- You can substitute turkey bacon for the cooked pork bacon.
- This recipe uses raw eggs. Don’t worry though – the eggs are cooked when you add the hot pasta and pasta water.
- You can use any shape of pasta that you prefer.
What to Serve with Chicken Pasta
While this isn’t an authentic carbonara recipe, it is similar and absolutely delicious! It is honestly better than any restaurant! This pasta is easy enough for a weeknight and fancy enough for a dinner party! We like to serve this pasta with a salad and some bread.
Here are a few of our favorite recipes from the blog that go great with this pasta:
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Chicken Bacon Carbonara Pasta
Ingredients:
- ½ pound bacon cooked and roughly chopped
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes or less if you don’t want the heat
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ pound penne pasta
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 whole eggs
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 grilled chicken breast sliced (I marinated the chicken in Lawry’s Garlic & Herb marinade)
Instructions:
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until done (according to package instructions).
- Place cream and cream cheese in a small saucepan. Heat over low until cream cheese is melted, and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Add the parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and pepper and whisk until blended.
- Drain pasta (reserving ½ cup of hot water) and return to pot. Immediately add the white sauce and toss to coat. The hot pasta will cook the eggs. Stir in the bacon, and add some reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. Top with grilled chicken.
Steph
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Has any one used fresh garlic instead of garlic powder? This sounds really good and going to make it soon
that would be fine
HI, do you think there would be any replacement for the cream cheese? I can't eat that, but I was thinking maybe greek yogurt?
What do you usually substitute for cream cheese? Since you can't eat it, you are probably better suited to pick a substitute.
I don't normally comment on recipe sites, but, this was great. Now I have subscribed and can't wait to try more of your recipes. I made double the recipe, and, since I didn't have cream, I used half and half and increased the cream cheese by 50%. It turned out great.
SO glad you enjoyed it!! Thank you so much for subscribing. I appreciate the support!
Steph,
First let me say my whole family loves you!!!! You have helped me bring soooo many amazing dishes to our table!! 😉 Now my question is this……once you remove the melted cream/cream cheese mixture from the heat & add the eggs……don't they immediately scramble when added to the hot mixture? Do you let the cream/cream cheese mixture cool awhile or add the eggs right away? Thanks again for another awesome recipe!! April
April – the cream cheese mixture is heated over low – so it shouldn't be blazing hot. You can add the warm mixture a little bit at a time to temper the eggs (bring them up to temperature slowly). Once you add a few tablespoons of the warm mixture, the eggs will be fine and won't scramble.
Will the eggs give this a scarambled egg taste? Never cooked pasta using raw eggs before.
I plan on trying this tonight. looks easy and yummy.
I LOVED this… almost ate myself into a coma!
I did doctor it up a little…
What I did different… I
I skipped the red pepper and eggs
used gluten free noodles
1 cup heavy cream instead of 1/2 cup
3 strips of bacon instead of 1/2 lb
mushrooms
spinach
This was to die for and made allot… I will defiantly make this again! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Would this work using a whole box of pasta? 1/2 box wouldnt be enought for my family of 5.
I make this a least twice a month now and use a whole box of pasta and just double the ingredients for the sauce.
How many does this feed? I am not good st grilling. Is there another I can grill the chicken than on a grill? Thanks
How many does this feed? I am not good st grilling. Is there another I can grill the chicken than on a grill? Thanks
you could always rub the chicken with some salt, pepper and EVOO and bake in the oven. It will have a nice roasted taste and it works well when adding cooked chicken to a dish.
HOMERUN! While trying to find something to make with the chicken breasts I had thawed, I found this post. I didnt want to go to the store so I improvised. No heavy cream, used evaporated milk. Scared of raw eggs too but still chose to try it. It was a hit! Everyone loved it. It has been added to our dinner rotation. I can't wait to try it again but mix it up. Possibilities are endless. Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Can I cook the3 chicken in the oven instead of grilling it. It's -8 degrees here
Absolutely!
Cabt wait to try My friend added broccoli and spinach. .. gonna use her recipe she also added more cheese and bacon.
What brand is the heavy cream? I know I sound slow lol just trying to make sure it comes out perfect!
What brand is the heavy cream? I know I sound slow lol just trying to make sure it comes out perfect!
I always buy the store brand of heavy cream. Publix, Target or Walmart. Barber's is the name brand here. I've bought it too. I think they are all the same. Enjoy!
Rachel – so glad you enjoyed it!
I made this tonight it's so good!!! I wasn't sure about the eggs so instead I doubled the cream and parmesan. I will be making this again!
Tasha – it is definitely not something you want to eat everyday. You can use light cream cheese and substitute evaporated milk for the cream to cut down on the calories. It is worth a splurge though!
What is the calorie count? It looks amazing but slightly calorie heavy lol
What is the calorie count? It looks amazing but slightly calorie heavy lol
Sailing – I usually buy the store brand or Barber's. it is located near the milk – near the half&half and buttermilk.
I have never bought heavy cream before…I couldn't find it at my grocery store…I felt like it was looking down from a shelf laughing at me 🙁 what brand do you use?
It's whipping cream….
Just made this tonight.. I didn't have cream so I just used skim milk and added a bit more cream cheese. I sautéed the chicken with a little ranch powder and everything turned out delicious!!! Thanks for the recipe!!
Made this for dinner, it was fantastic! I sautéed some red, yellow and mushrooms as well, yummy! Is a new addition to our dinner table :).
Dawnvb – yes – this will serve two
How many servings is this? Two?
Katie – I haven't tried the recipe without the eggs. If you try it without the eggs, add a little more cream.
Are the eggs mandatory?
I love carbonara, and this sounds even better!
Did you cook the chicken before marinating it? I just thawed out some chickens breasts and can't decide if I want to marinate it or cook it first.
I just made this and it was FABULOUS! I,too, was scared of the raw eggs. I doubled the entire recipe as we like leftovers. I also added broccoli. Everything turned out perfect and very tasty. I did not add the left over 1/2c of noodle water and wished I had. It got really thick. When we warm it up I will add a little milk or water to thin it out! Thanks for the recipe!
I made this with pan seared chicken and added steamed broccoli. It was WONDERFUL! Best dinner we have had in a long time.
This looks totally amazing! What a great dinner. 🙂
This was fantastic! I was a little scared because I too had never made a sauce with raw eggs, but it was easy and turned out great!
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I just wanted to thank you for this amazing recipe! New family favorite! Already made this twice this week.
Kim – this is my recipe with all the changes
Is this the original recipe or is this with the changes you made?
This looks SO good! I can't wait to try it!!! I featured it on my blog today at ascrapoftime.blogspot.com
OMG, are you kidding? You have GOT to try carbonara. It's wicked good.
Sounds rich and very good.
This has got to be amazing. Cream an dCream cheese. Yum