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spaghetti with cooked skinless chicken breast strips and small browned pancetta cubes in a glossy pale egg-and-cheese coating with fine black pepper
Andre Lewis

Chicken Carbonara

Keep the egg mixture ready before the pasta comes out of the pot, because this sauce depends on a steady toss while the noodles are hot. Pancetta supplies the browned, salty pieces and a little fat for the chicken. The eggs and cheese become the coating. Add pasta water gradually and use gentle heat only as needed to bring the sauce through its temperature check without making scrambled bits. Chicken makes this a larger main dish, while the sauce stays an egg-and-cheese emulsion with no cream.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz dry spaghetti
  • 1 tbsp fine salt for pasta water
  • 3 oz pancetta diced
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into thin 1/2-inch strips
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt for chicken
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper divided
  • 2 large pasteurized eggs
  • 2 large pasteurized egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
  • 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan

Method
 

  1. Whisk eggs, yolks, Pecorino, Parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Cook spaghetti in water with the tablespoon salt until just tender, reserving 1 cup hot pasta water before draining.
  2. Meanwhile, cook pancetta in a large skillet over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes until browned. Transfer to a plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon drippings in the skillet.
  3. Season chicken with its salt and remaining pepper and cook in the drippings for 5 to 7 minutes until at least 165°F. Remove the skillet from heat and add hot spaghetti and pancetta.
  4. Whisk 1/4 cup hot pasta water gradually into the egg mixture, then pour over the pasta and toss continuously. Return to very low heat only as needed, stirring and adding more water by the tablespoon until the sauce is silky and reaches 160°F without boiling.
  5. Divide among warm bowls immediately so the egg sauce remains smooth around the chicken and spaghetti.