Easy and Quick Chicken Carbonara

Although at the weekend we may spend a little longer cooking for mid-week family meals I try and make it possible to cook quickly and easily in under 40 minutes. This Chicken Carbonara Recipe is perfect as it’s ready in 35 minutes and tastes amazing.

homemade whole chicken breast carbonara with spaghetti noodles on a white plate sprinkled on the top are pieces of crispy bacon

Whole Chicken Breast Carbonara Recipe

Chicken is one of the main meats we each. We are especially lucky that our local butchers have skinned chicken breasts and unlike the ones, in the supermarket, they don’t decrease in size by much when cooked.

chicken carbonara made with whole chicken breasts on a plate with a bowl of brocoli in the background

Chicken is also one of the few things that the whole family will eat. This dish is a family favourite.

Although – for the boys, we tend to half the sauce and in their half skip the cheese as they really don’t like it (I know crazy right)!


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chicken carbonara cooking in a skillet pan ready to be served to the family

Although we’ve served it with Spaghetti here we use whichever pasta we have to hand. If you make it with penne pasta then the sauce gets inside the tubes as you mix it with the pasta and it tastes amazing.

chicken carbonara with smoked bacon served with spaghetti

Ingredients for this Simple Chicken Carbonara Recipe

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 5 strips smoked bacon chopped
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 500 ml milk
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch combined with 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 112 g shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 45 g grated parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste

This is the perfect time to make some extra bacon and save for making hashbrowns, bacon, and cheese muffins in the morning.

How to Make Chicken Carbonara for an Easy Weeknight Meal

1. Using a meat pounder, pound the chicken breasts until thin and flat. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

pounded chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper

2. In a large frying pan, cook chopped bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and set aside.

cooking smoked streaky bacon in a skillet pan

3. Add butter to pan. When butter is melted, place chicken in the pan with the bacon grease and butter. Sear both sides of the chicken and remove from pan.

cooking pounded chicken breasts in the bacon fat for a chicken carbonara

4. Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent.

cooking onions and garlic for a chicken carbonara in a skillet pan with the fat from bacon and chicken

5. Pour milk into pan and deglaze by scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula. Stir to combine ingredients, then place chicken back into pan.

making a rue for chicken carbonara

6. Cook over medium low heat for 20 minutes. Pour in the cornstarch mixture and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 more minutes.

adding cheese to a carbonara sauce

7. Remove from heat and add the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is well combined.

chicken and bacon in a skillet ready to mix together with the spaghetti to serve for a mid-week dinner for the family

8. Add the bacon bits to the pan and stir to combine.

chicken breasts with carbonara sauce and bacon sprinkled on the top sitting on a bad of pasta

9. If serving over pasta, add cooked pasta to pan and toss with sauce. Serve with chicken on top of sauced pasta.

Yield: 4 people

Simple Chicken Carbonara

chicken carbonara made with whole chicken breasts and smoked bacon on a plate with spaghetti ready to eat.

A delicious and easy weeknight meal for the family. This simple chicken carbonara is quick and tasty.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins
  • 5 strips bacon, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch combined with 2 tablespoons cold water
  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Cooked pasta to serve

Instructions

  1. Using a meat pounder, pound the tenderloins until thin and flat. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
  2. In a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and set aside.
  3. Add butter to pan. When butter is melted, place chicken in the pan with the bacon grease and butter. Sear both sides of the chicken and remove from pan.
  4. Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent.
  5. Pour milk into pan and deglaze by scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula. Stir to combine ingredients, then place chicken back into pan.
  6. Cook over medium low heat for 20 minutes. Pour in the cornstarch mixture and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
  7. Remove from heat and add the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is well combined.
  8. Add the bacon bits to the pan and stir to combine.
  9. If serving over pasta, add cooked pasta to pan and toss with sauce. Serve with chicken on top of sauced pasta.



Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 624Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 176mgSodium: 829mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 55g

Did you make this recipe and loved it?

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More Easy Meals for Families

Check out these other simple and easy meals for families

cannelloni noddles covered in tomato and ground beef sauce topped with melted cheese, the noodles are stuffed with ricotta and mozzarella mixed with the tomato and beef sauce on a white plate with a fork beside on a wooden table.
baked feta and mini plum tomato pasta on a dish with fresh basil shown. The dish in place on a white table cloth ready for family dinner
heaty home cooked beef goulash for chilly days when comfort food is needed for family dinners
Pinterest image for Chicken Carbonara an easy weeknight meal

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