Chew on This | Chicken Challenge - Chicken Carbonara

Chicken Challenge - Day 4

Chicken Carbonara is very alluring and seductive.  One bite and you're instantly smitten.  A second bite and you're finding yourself becoming addicted.  Slow down.  Take your time.  It's not going anywhere.  But in your tummy!

Start by mixing together your sauce.  Eggs, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese.  Yeah, we're not going to beat around the bush here, at all!

Mix and set aside.

Start to cook your bacon in a skillet.  

Boiling, salted water.  Add your whole wheat pasta.

When the bacon is browned and crispy, turn the heat down to low and add your diced chicken and minced garlic.  Don't remove any of the rendered fat from the skillet - it adds decadent flavor to your chicken and pasta.

When your pasta is cooked al dente, drain and place into the skillet with your chicken and bacon.  Toss to coat your pasta completely.  Make sure to reserve at least a 1/2 cup of the pasta water, in case you need to thin out your sauce later. 

Take your skillet off the heat and pour your egg mixture over the pasta.  Again, toss your pasta to coat every strand.  If the sauce seems too thick, add some of your reserved pasta water a little at a time until you reach the consistency you desire.

Plate and eat immediately.  It's scrumptious.  And please don't blame me for your new preoccupation.  

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Here's the recipe:

Chicken Carbonara

6 slices bacon

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup cooked, diced chicken

1 pound whole wheat spaghetti (reserve a 1/2 cup of pasta water to thin sauce, if necessary)

2 eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

extra grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup reserved pasta water

For the pasta, bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add a generous amount of salt; add the pasta and cook until al dente.  While pasta is cooking, in a bowl whisk together your eggs, cream and cheese.  Set aside.

Chop the raw bacon into about 1" slices and cook in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Once cooked, turn your heat down to low and add your chicken and garlic into the bacon and rendered fat, stir.

Add the hot, drained pasta to the skillet with the bacon and garlic.  Toss pasta to completely coat.  Remove pan from the heat and pour on your egg mixture (the hot pasta will cook the eggs but not scramble them).  If sauce is too think, use some of your reserved pasta water to thin.

Plate pasta, sprinkle with more grated cheese and serve immediately.  Enjoy!