Chicken Carbonara Pasta Bake Recipe

Chicken Carbonara Pasta Bake Recipe

Cook Time: 35 minutes

This comforting and delicious Chicken Carbonara Pasta Bake is a recipe youll want to make again and again. Its rich, creamy, and packed with flavors that everyone will love.

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces diced pancetta
  • 16 ounces spaghetti
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 2 cups grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup heavy cream (room temperature)
  • 2 cups cooked chicken breast (cubed)
  • 1 tablespoon Italian parsley (optional, for garnish)

Directions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 325F (165C). Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 2: In a medium skillet, cook the pancetta over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until it turns lightly browned and crispy. Once cooked, remove it from the pan and set it aside.

Step 3: In a large pot, bring lightly salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti for 5 minutes. Drain the pasta and reserve 2 cups of the pasta water for later use.

Step 4: While the pasta cooks, place the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl and whisk them until smooth. Gradually add 1 cups of the hot pasta water to the eggs, whisking constantly to prevent them from scrambling.

Step 5: Next, whisk in the parmesan cheese, followed by the heavy cream. This forms the rich, creamy carbonara sauce.

Step 6: Add the cooked spaghetti, pancetta, and cubed chicken to the sauce, tossing gently to combine all the ingredients well.

Step 7: Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Stir halfway through the baking process for even cooking.

Step 8: After removing the dish from the oven, stir the pasta and let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes. This resting time allows the sauce to continue thickening. If you prefer a saucier dish, add some of the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.

Step 9: Garnish with fresh parsley and extra grated parmesan before serving. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips

  • For leftovers, store in an airtight in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat gently with a splash of pasta water to bring the sauce back to life.
  • If you didnt reserve enough pasta water, dont worry! Hot water can also be used to adjust the sauce consistency.
  • Since both pancetta and parmesan cheese are salty, make sure to boil the pasta in lightly salted water, not heavily salted.

What to Serve With

Pair this chicken carbonara pasta bake with your favorite roasted or grilled vegetables and a big loaf of warm bread or garlic toast for a complete meal.

How to Store Chicken Carbonara Pasta Bake

Store any leftovers in an airtight in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a bit of pasta water to restore its creamy texture.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

  • Calories: 767
  • Total Fat: 55g (70% Daily Value)
  • Saturated Fat: 25g (126% Daily Value)
  • Cholesterol: 302mg (101% Daily Value)
  • Sodium: 714mg (31% Daily Value)
  • Total Carbohydrate: 29g (11% Daily Value)
  • Dietary Fiber: 1g (4% Daily Value)
  • Total Sugars: 2g
  • Protein: 38g (76% Daily Value)
  • Vitamin C: 1mg (1% Daily Value)
  • Calcium: 351mg (27% Daily Value)
  • Iron: 3mg (15% Daily Value)
  • Potassium: 425mg (9% Daily Value)

Chicken Carbonara Pasta Bake Recipe

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FAQ about Chicken Carbonara Pasta Bake Recipe

Store your leftover Chicken Carbonara Pasta Bake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stove, adding a splash of pasta water if necessary to restore moisture.

Yes, you can freeze Chicken Carbonara Pasta Bake. Place it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight and then bake or microwave until heated through.

If your pasta bake turns out too dry, you can add more reserved pasta water to the dish before baking or while reheating. Start with a small amount and adjust to achieve your desired consistency.

Yes, you can substitute the spaghetti with another type of pasta, such as penne, fusilli, or rigatoni. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time based on the pasta you choose.

Yes, you can substitute pancetta with bacon. Keep in mind that bacon may have a stronger smoky flavor, so adjust the seasoning accordingly.

It is best to use room temperature heavy cream to prevent the sauce from curdling when mixed with the hot pasta water. If you use cold cream, it may cause the sauce to separate.

If you run out of pasta water, you can use hot water as a substitute. Just make sure it’s warm enough to blend smoothly with the other ingredients.

Yes, you can add vegetables such as spinach, mushrooms, or peas to this dish. Just be sure to cook them beforehand and mix them with the pasta and sauce.

To make the dish less rich, you can reduce the amount of heavy cream or use a lighter cream substitute. You could also reduce the Parmesan cheese or opt for a lower-fat version.

Yes, using pre-cooked chicken (like rotisserie chicken) is a great shortcut for this recipe. Just make sure to cube it before adding it to the dish.

Comments

JudiMac

10/06/2025 01:52:54 PM

I added four small green onions and some garlic. It turned out very dry, even with the added pasta water. I will try it with less pasta next time.

DREGINEK

02/28/2024 02:29:05 AM

Halved but followed exactly and made no changes. Really good and easy! The recipe doesn’t say how to flavor the “cooked chicken” so I sautéd chicken tenderloins and seasoned with some bacon-flavored salt I recently received as a gift. Figured bacon flavoring would compliment this dish - and it did. Didn’t have liquid/sauce issues some other mentioned? Served with a salad and we really enjoyed! Would make again! Thanks Barrett Heald!

tourbillon1dr

12/24/2023 01:29:21 AM

To the people who are complaining, save the pasta water, read the instructions and be more creative . This turned out great , I did some variations and experimented while cooking but it was delicious!

GILLYWOMBAT

04/06/2024 08:34:28 PM

I tried this carbonara and love it...,pasta is one of my favourite dishes,I have it at least 3 times a week,,it makes a change from potatoes. All of my kids have left home now so I only cook for myself and my husband.,.,pasta always goes down well and the carbonara went down a treat...I always make extra for the freezer just incase. I can't make the supermarket due to health issues....it has less calories in it also and is healthy for us both...I served mine with spinach and it went down a real treat...very tasty,freezes well and microwaves well or warm in the oven.,,

Kenny G

08/28/2024 11:14:36 PM

A good Carbonara has strong bacon flavor. I only used Pancetta and wished I had added some real bacon. Overall I thought it lacked flavor.

HandyBeer8399

10/05/2024 04:17:03 PM

Instead use bacon make sure you seasoned chicken to taste and use the fresh shaved parmesan and this was so good

Susie Gute Wall

02/12/2024 12:54:28 AM

It was good but maybe I didn't shred the cheese small enough or I might add more cheese. The pancetta was awesome and tasted like bacon and we only added 8oz. You could substitute with bacon. I would have loved more. We also used linguine instead of spaghetti which I regret. I added some red pepper flakes that I liked. We also forgot to add the parsley at the end. I like the idea of adding garlic and mushrooms as others suggested. I think we will make it again.

BrightTaco5792

11/07/2024 07:49:03 PM

What could you not like about this carbonara with pancetta? The only thing I change is I like to add vegetables I have on hand.

Rosemary44

04/01/2025 05:26:40 PM

It did take a little longer to prepare, but it was so good…and made so much that I had to freeze some. Only change I made was using mini farfalle instead of spaghetti because I didn’t have any.

Karen Kay

09/15/2025 09:40:10 PM

Dry and not very tasty. Very disappointed.

JovialChive3053

11/07/2024 11:30:43 AM

Absolutely loved this recipe! The flavors were vibrant and the instructions were clear.

Matthew Perez

08/17/2024 09:05:11 PM

Bro, this tastes too good to be true.

LushEel9257

04/03/2024 06:27:27 PM

Delicious!

FunkyKnife1871

01/10/2024 03:49:02 AM

I am not a great cook so it was probably me. I only had breaded chicken from Costco so precooked it. It didn't really taste like Chicken Carbonara to me, was it the chicken, did I do something wrong with the mixture maybe? I almost could taste the egg...was it perhaps that I used eggs that were too old, or whisk the cream in wrong? Would someone suggest product names? I really want a good Italian recipe if anyone has suggestions. Thanks!

Tony Bowman

12/20/2023 03:29:29 AM

included mushrooms

cocheeseoz

11/03/2023 12:53:22 AM

made it and sorry I did. recipe produced a cottage cheese sauce with waaay too much water. recipe never spec'd pasta noodle and apparently water to pasta ratio is critical because this was a runny lumpy mess

EagerWhey3191

10/10/2023 03:47:24 AM

Chicken Carbonara Pasta Bake