50 degrees - 5:00 pm - cloudy and the fog is rolling in...
Chicken Carbonara is one of my favorite pasta dishes. Italians have been making pasta alla carbonara for years – it was created by coal miners. The same principles apply to this version; it’s a fast, hearty meal after a hard day’s work.
~ Chicken Carbonara ~
½ cup Parmesan, grated
2 eggs
¼ cup heavy cream
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ lb thick sliced bacon, diced
1 lb chicken tenders, seasoned with salt & pepper
¼ cup dry white wine
¼ cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
12 oz dry spaghetti
1 cup frozen peas
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti. While spaghetti is cooking, whisk together Parmesan, eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Sauté bacon in a large sauté pan until crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate; pour off all but 1 Tbsp drippings. Add chicken; sauté 4 minutes per side; transfer to the plate with bacon. Deglaze the pan with wine, broth, and juice, scraping up any bits on the bottom. Reduce by half, 2-3 minutes.
Cook spaghetti in boiling water, stirring often. Drain pasta into a colander with the frozen peas. Shake pasta to remove excess water. Combine the bacon and chicken mixture with the egg mixture. Add hot pasta and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
{Notes: When you drain the boiling pasta over the peas in the colander, the water is hot enough to thaw them. --- The eggs are the heart and soul of carbonara. Don’t worry about them being raw – they will cook when tossed with the hot pasta.}
Quick and satisfying, this pasta carbonara will fast become a weeknight family favorite!
--- Enjoy!
