Chicken Carbonara

Creamy pasta without the use of cream? It is feasible! The lovely, creamy sauce in this chicken carbonara is made with eggs, Parmesan, and pasta cooking water.

Ingredients :

• Divided into 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt

• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

• Fresh Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, with an additional 1/2 cup for serving.

• Freshly ground black pepper, divided into 1 1/2 teaspoons

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 5 ounces (150g) of cubed pancetta, bacon, or guanciale

• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 1 pound of boneless, skinless, and fat-trimmed chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

• 1/2 pound dry spaghetti

STEPS :

     1. Get the water boiling :

Bring a big saucepan of water (approximately 3 quarts) and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil over high heat. While you wait for the water to come to a boil, proceed to the next stages.

     2. Prepare the egg mixture :

In a small mixing dish, combine the eggs, Parmesan, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Put it aside for now.

     3. Brown the bacon, sauté the garlic, then cook the chicken :

Melt the butter in a sizable frying skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the bacon. Sauté, turning frequently, for 8 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and browned. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently, after adding the garlic.

Move the bacon and garlic to a medium mixing bowl, reserving about 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease in the pan. Is there not enough grease? 1 tablespoon olive oil is left over.

Heat the chicken in a pan over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to taste. Sauté the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown all over and cooked through.

Combine the chicken, bacon, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Don't wash the pan after removing it from the heat. You'll toss in the carbonara.

     4. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti :

Add the spaghetti as soon as the water begins to boil. Cook till al dente; for me, that's usually 2 minutes less than the package time. When the spaghetti is finished cooking, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. The spaghetti should then be drained into a colander in the sink.

     5. Toss the carbonara :

Transfer the drained spaghetti to the frying pan while it is still hot. Incorporate 2 tablespoons of hot cooking water into the egg mixture. Then, over the pasta, pour the egg mixture. Toss and coat with tongs. As needed, add more hot cooking water to make a glossy, creamy, and smooth sauce that coats the spaghetti. You might end up using the whole cup!

     6. Serve :

Toss in the chicken and bacon to blend. If desired, serve warm with freshly grated Parmesan.