This creamy chicken carbonara pasta is made with juicy chicken, crispy bacon, and a rich silky sauce tossed with penne. A fast and easy 30-minute dinner that tastes like classic carbonara made simple.

Chicken Carbonara (Creamy Chicken Bacon Penne Pasta Recipe)

Saucy Chicken Carbonara with Penne – Fast, Cheeky, and Totally Irresistible

If you’re craving comfort in a bowl but refuse to settle for boring, let me introduce you to your new dinner hero: Creamy Chicken Carbonara Penna Pasta. It’s like your favorite creamy pasta dish met a smoky bacon bomb and they had a delicious pasta baby.

What Is Chicken Carbonara?

Chicken carbonara is a creamy pasta dish made with chicken, crispy bacon, and pasta tossed in a rich, silky sauce inspired by traditional carbonara. It’s a quick, comforting dinner that delivers classic Italian-inspired flavor in an easy, weeknight-friendly recipe.

This quick weeknight meal is packed with juicy chicken, crispy bacon, penne pasta (yes, we’re shaking things up!), and a lusciously creamy sauce that’ll have your fork doing double duty.

Yes, it’s simple. Yes, it’s fast. And YES, it tastes like you spent way more time than the 30 minutes it actually takes. Because an easy chicken dinner doesn’t have to be complicated to be amazing.

Why This Chicken Carbonara Works

• Easy weeknight win – one pan, 30 minutes, and zero regrets.
• Classic carbonara flavor with a protein-packed chicken twist.
• Rich, creamy sauce that clings to every bite of penne pasta.
• Bacon. Need we say more?
• Pairs perfectly with garlic bread and a dry white wine (or whatever’s in your fridge).

Searching for the best creamy chicken carbonara pasta, a quick chicken bacon pasta dinner, or a no-fuss chicken pasta recipe with eggs that doesn’t make you cry into your colander? You just found it.

Ingredients for Chicken Carbonara

• 12 oz penne pasta (because why not have a little fun?)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 large eggs and 2 egg yolks.. room temperature if possible
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley plus more for garnish
• 1 cup grated/shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon each onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 cups reserved pasta water
• 1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas

How to Make Chicken Carbonara (Step-by-Step)

• Cook the penne pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 3 cups of pasta water before draining.
• Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Remove and set aside, but leave the bacon fat in the pan.
• Sear the chicken in the same skillet with a splash of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook until golden and cooked through.
• Add garlic and red pepper flakes cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat.
• Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, parmesan, sharp cheddar, seasonings and fresh parsley in a bowl. This is your silky, rich carbonara base—don’t worry, you’re not eating raw eggs. The heat from the pasta and skillet will gently cook the mixture into a luscious sauce.

• Combine it all: Add cooked penne to the skillet, then pour the egg mixture over the top. Toss everything together quickly (off the heat!) until the sauce becomes glossy and coats the pasta. Add splashes of reserved pasta water until you reach the sauce consistency that suits you best.

• Toss in the peas, stir it all together, garnish with parsley and more parmesan cheese, and serve hot!

How to Make Carbonara Sauce Without Scrambling the Eggs

• Take the pan off the heat first – This is the big one. Toss the pasta and bacon off direct heat before adding the egg mixture so you don’t accidentally cook it into scrambled eggs.
• Temper the eggs slowly – Whisk the eggs with cheese first, then add a little hot pasta (not pan heat) to gently warm them up before fully mixing in.
• Use hot pasta, not blazing heat – The residual heat from freshly cooked pasta is enough to thicken the sauce without turning it grainy.
• Stir constantly and quickly – Keep everything moving so the eggs coat the pasta evenly instead of clumping in one spot.
• Add a splash of pasta water – The starch helps loosen the sauce and keeps it silky instead of thick and eggy.
• Work fast but not frantic – Think smooth and steady, not panic scramble. Carbonara rewards confidence, not chaos.

Tools You’ll Need for perfect Creamy Chicken Carbonara Penne Pasta

• Large skillet
• Pasta pot
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Tongs (for that satisfying pasta twirl)

Tips for Creamy, Silky Pasta Sauce

• Work fast once the egg mixture hits the pasta.. you want silky sauce, not scrambled eggs.
• Use room temp eggs for a smoother sauce.
• Don’t skip the pasta water! It helps emulsify the sauce.
• Add cooked asparagus or fresh spinach for extra veggies (and color).
• Penne holds the creamy sauce in every ridge and nook—delicious and fun to eat! This pasta shape is the MVP of the carbonara world if you ask us.
• Adding a squeeze of lemon sure wouldn’t hurt this dish at all .. just sayin’..

What Pasta Works Best for Carbonara?

• Penne (like this recipe) – Great for catching that creamy sauce inside the tubes, so every bite is loaded and rich.
• Spaghetti or fettuccine – The traditional choice; long noodles let the silky sauce cling and coat every strand.
• Rigatoni or other ridged pasta – The ridges grab onto the sauce and bits of bacon, giving extra flavor in every bite.
• Avoid super delicate pasta – Thin noodles like angel hair can get overwhelmed and don’t hold up well to a rich carbonara sauce.
• Go for texture over novelty – Carbonara is all about the sauce sticking, so anything with surface area or grooves wins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use pre-cooked chicken? Yes! Shredded rotisserie chicken works in a pinch. Just warm it up before adding.

Can I make it low-carb? Use zoodles or your favorite low-carb pasta alternative.

What if I don’t eat pork? Swap bacon with turkey bacon or skip it and bump up the seasoning in the chicken.

Final Bite

This simple chicken carbonara pasta recipe is the definition of weeknight magic. It’s fast, creamy, comforting, and just the right amount of extra. Whether you’re feeding a hungry crew or just treating yourself to some pasta therapy, this one’s going into the repeat file.

Penne pasta gives it that cheeky little twist that makes it stand out from the rest—and taste even better. Every bite is packed with more sauce thanks to its ridged, tubular shape. Sauce lovers, this one’s for you.

You Might Also Like:

• Chicken Feta Pasta
• Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta
• Cheesy Chicken Noodle Casserole

Creamy Chicken Carbonara Penne Pasta

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Creamy Chicken Carbonara Penne Pasta is a fast, easy dinner made with juicy chicken, crispy bacon and a no-scramble secret to that rich sauce you didn’t know you needed.—ready in 30 minutes with a penne pasta surprise!

Heather

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Serving Size 6 servings

Ingredients

• 12 oz penne pasta because why not have a little fun?
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 slices bacon chopped
• 4-6 cloves garlic minced
• 3 large whole eggs room temperature if possible
• 2 large egg yolks room temperature if possible
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley plus more for garnish
• 1 cup grated/shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 cups reserved pasta water
• 1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas

Instructions

• Cook the penne pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 3 cups of pasta water before draining.
• Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Remove and set aside, but leave the bacon fat in the pan.
• Sear the chicken in the same skillet with a splash of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook until golden and cooked through.
• Add garlic and red pepper flakes cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat.
• Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, parmesan, sharp cheddar, seasonings and fresh parsley in a bowl. This is your silky, rich carbonara base—don’t worry, you're not eating raw eggs. The heat from the pasta and skillet will gently cook the mixture into a luscious sauce.
• Combine it all: Add cooked penne to the skillet, then pour the egg mixture over the top. Toss everything together quickly (off the heat!) until the sauce becomes glossy and coats the pasta. Add splashes of reserved pasta water until you reach the sauce consistency that suits you best.
• Toss in the peas, stir it all together, garnish with parsley and more parmesan cheese, and serve hot!

Notes

Tips for Success

• Work fast once the egg mixture hits the pasta.. you want silky sauce, not scrambled eggs.
• Use room temp eggs for a smoother sauce.
• Don’t skip the pasta water! It helps emulsify the sauce.
• Add cooked asparagus or fresh spinach for extra veggies (and color).
• Penne holds the creamy sauce in every ridge and nook—delicious and fun to eat! This pasta shape is the MVP of the carbonara world if you ask us.
• Adding a squeeze of lemon sure wouldn’t hurt this dish at all .. just sayin’..

Nutrition

Calories: 577kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 239mg | Sodium: 1066mg | Potassium: 384mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 837IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 326mg | Iron: 2mg

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