Chicken Carbonara

Chicken Carbonara
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Prep Time:
20 min
Serves:
6 servings
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
• Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and garlic and sauté 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 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).
(Obviously, use bacon if you don’t want to drop the money for pancetta. You won’t need to add as much salt if you do this. I like to sauté some asparagus with the garlic and bacon, add all in as recipe indicates and throw in a handful or two of fresh cherry or grape tomatoes to finish. You just want the tomatoes to warm through so they burst in your mouth. Yum. Note: This meal does not reheat well, so it’s best to only make as much as you’re going to eat for dinner.)