Grilled Chicken and Bacon Pasta Carbonara

I say this time and time again.  After working an 8 hour day 5 days a week the last thing I feel like doing is spending the rest of the night in the kitchen cooking and cleaning up. Fuhhhhgettabouttit! This grilled chicken and bacon pasta carbonara is a cinch to prepare. Quick and delicious.  You will think you are dining in Italy.  Pure amore!

I don’t think I have ever tried a carbonara my entire life until I was watching The Food Network a few months ago and saw Chef Anne Burrell cooking up a pasta carbonara on “The Best Thing I Ever Made.”  She made it look so good. I had just had to try it, being pasta is one of my absolute favorite dishes.

I tried her recipe with pancetta but found it too salty. I exchanged the pancetta for bacon. It took me a few times making it until I came up with my own perfectly adapted recipe. I get so excited to make this when I am craving pasta.

Buon appetito!

Recipe Type: Dinner

Author: Sherri @ The Kitchen Prescription

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 2-4

You will think you died and went to Italy. Pure Amore!

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons olive oil ( + a few drops in boiling water for pasta)
• 6 strips of thick sliced bacon
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 4 thin boneless chicken breasts (marinate at least 6 to 8 hours in garlic & herb sauce)
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh grated pecorino cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Crack eggs in large bowl and beat
2. add a little salt and pepper to taste. Not too much salt, bacon and pasta also have salt.
3. add heavy whipping cream
4. add pecorino and parmesan cheese mix together with fork
5. set aside until needed
6. Heat olive oil on medium heat in large deep frying pan
7. preheat grill for chicken
8. cube bacon
9. when oil is heated cook bacon until it is crispy. When done take off burner and set aside. I leave my burner on so when I place pan back on it heats right up
10. while bacon is cooking grill chicken breasts a few minutes on both sides to get a nice char on both sides (you want it a little pink inside as you finish off in pan later)
11. Once grilled place aside. When cools a little slice
12. salt water add a few drops of olive oil and bring to boil
13. add pasta to boiling water and cook al dente (about 6 minutes)
14. while pasta is cooking add chicken to pan with bacon and place back on med heat
15. strain pasta
16. turn pan down between low and medium heat. (this is important as you don’t want to scramble your eggs, but create a creamy sauce that is heated thoroughly)
17. add strained pasta to pan and toss thoroughly with tongs
18. pour over egg, cream, and cheese mixture. Toss until completely warmed through
19. Serve immediately