Have you ever had a carbonara-style chicken recipe? If you’re not familiar, these dishes are typically made with a combination of eggs, parmesan and a little bit of pasta water, all combining over heat for a creamy and delicious sauce. If you’ve been to a Cheesecake Factory or an Olive Garden recently, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ve had a dish like this. The appeal of these dishes is that they are buttery, hearty and relatively straightforward to make. Which is why we’re going to try to do one right at home.
That’s right, today we’re doing a parmesan carbonara chicken but without the eggs. While the main dish here is just the meat and the sauce, this goes perfectly with a side of fluffy rice or with any medley of vegetables you may choose. As an added bonus, we’re adding in some bacon for a little bit of extra flavor and crunch. Although this isn’t the most traditional way to make this recipe, it’s certainly one of the most delicious. So let’s get started.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Chicken:
- 2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons of grated parmesan
- 2 tablespoons of flour
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- pepper
Sauce:
- 2 teaspoons of butter
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 8 ounces of bacon, cut into strips
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 1 1/2 cups of half and half
- 1/2 cup of grated parmesan
- 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch (with 2 teaspoons of water)
Here’s what you do:
1. First, prepare your chicken breasts by slicing them in half horizontally so you have four filets at the end. Season these with salt and pepper. In a side bowl, mix your flour and parmesan before dragging your chicken breasts through the powdered mixture. Shake off the excess and set them aside.
2. Next, heat up your oil and butter in a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Let the butter melt before adding the chicken and cooking until it turns golden on each side. Keep cooking it until the chicken is cooked through, approximately four to five minutes per side. Move the chicken breasts onto a warm plate.
3. After that, add your bacon strips to the pan and fry them until they’re crispy. Drain the excess fat out of the pan but keep about one teaspoon of it in reserve before adding your chopped onions and minced garlic. Keep cooking until the onion turns translucent and turn the heat down to low.
4. Add your half and half to the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer, adding some salt and pepper as necessary. Next, throw in your parmesan cheese as well and keep cooking until it melts slightly. If necessary, add your cornstarch slurry as well if the sauce looks too runny.
5. At the end, add your chicken back into the pan and you’re ready to eat! Serve this dish over pasta or rice, or with a side of steamed vegetables.
As we said, this recipe is incredibly simple and leads to a truly delicious chicken dinner. The combination of fragrant garlic and onions in the sauce adds depth to everything and the bacon adds another pop of flavor at the end. Above all, have fun with this recipe and experiment with how you serve it in the end—let us know what you think!
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