This isn't a traditional carbonara. This High Protein Chicken Carbonara has a lightened up carbonara sauce, with added protein. It's a twist on an Italian classic and one of our favourite family meals. It has everything you want from a classic carbonara-style pasta, but the twist is that this version uses leftover cooked shredded chicken breast for an easy protein boost, and the sauce gets its creamy texture from Greek yogurt.
There really is no cottage cheese involved in this! Shocking, I know! I think I even surprised myself. I know Greek yogurt isn't traditional at all in a carbonara, but it makes it extra creamy and adds some extra protein too.
This family friendly meal is ready in just 15 minutes. Quick, nutritious comfort food. What more could you want? It's a great way to use up leftover chicken too. We like this as a Monday evening meal after a Sunday roast.
The reserved pasta water in this chicken carbonara is the secret to transforming the sauce into something silky and smooth, so don't skip it.
Looking for more high protein family meals? Why not try our delicious Creamy Tomato and Chicken Gnocchi, easy Cottage Cheese Meatballs or our comforting Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Spaghetti - Use wholewheat spaghetti for extra fibre.
- Bacon - Use a lean bacon or even a pancetta. You could use turkey bacon too.
- Chicken - We used leftover cooked shredded chicken breast. You could cook chicken fresh if you needed to.
- Egg - A medium egg at room temperature.
- Yogurt - Greek yogurt is where a lot of the creaminess in the sauce comes from.
- Parmesan - Grate it yourself, as it melts better than pre-grated.
Chicken Carbonara Variations
Vegetables - To give this a veggie boost, stir through peas, spinach, mushrooms, or steamed broccoli. Peas are especially good because they add a little sweetness that works really well with the salty bacon and Parmesan cheese and you can cook them with the spaghetti too.
Extra protein - If you want an even bigger protein boost, add a little extra shredded chicken or swap the spaghetti for a high-protein pasta.
Spice - If you want a bit of heat, add a pinch of chilli flakes when frying the bacon or sprinkle some over the finished dish.
How To Make Chicken Carbonara
- Step 1: Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions - normally 10-12 minutes.
- Step 2: Meanwhile, cook the bacon to your liking. Once cooked, chop into small pieces and set aside.
- Step 3: Put the egg in a bowl and whisk and then add the yogurt and Parmesan. Mix it all together.
- Step 4: Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain (reserving some pasta water) and then put it into a pan with the bacon, chicken and egg mixture.
- Step 5: Slowly add the reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce is silky and smooth. You may not need all of the water. Mix gently to coat all of the cooked pasta.
Serving Suggestions
Keep it simple and serve this chicken carbonara with a big green salad or some green beans and Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli.
If you wanted to make the meal go further, then serve it with some garlic bread. Try our Cheesy Garlic Bread or Air Fryer Garlic Bread.
Storage
This recipe is best eaten fresh, as carbonara-style sauces always have the best texture straight after cooking. That said, leftovers can still be stored and enjoyed later.
Store - Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat - When reheating, do it gently on the hob or in the microwave in short bursts. Add a splash of water before reheating to help loosen the sauce and bring back some of the creaminess. Be careful not to overheat it, as the sauce can become dry or slightly scrambled if it gets too hot.
Freeze - I would not recommend freezing this one, as the egg and yogurt-based sauce can split when thawed and reheated.
Dannii's Top Tips
- The biggest tip with this recipe is to avoid scrambling the eggs. The easiest way to prevent this is to not have the pan over heat before stirring in the egg mixture. The residual heat from the pasta will warm the sauce enough, especially once you start adding the pasta water.
- It also helps to have your Greek yogurt out of the fridge for a little bit if possible. Very cold yogurt mixed into hot pasta can sometimes seize slightly, so letting it sit out for a few minutes first can make the sauce even smoother.
- Reserve more pasta water than you think you need. You may not use it all, but having extra on hand gives you control over the final texture. Add it slowly, stirring gently, until the sauce loosens into that glossy, restaurant-style finish.
- Use finely grated Parmesan rather than large shavings, as it melts into the sauce much more easily.
- Using leftover cooked chicken breast makes this recipe especially quick, but it also works well with rotisserie chicken if that is what you have on hand.
- Make sure the chicken is shredded rather than cut into large chunks. Shredded chicken mixes through the spaghetti more evenly, so you get some in every forkful.
- Work quickly once the pasta is drained. Hot pasta is what helps create the silky sauce, so you want to get it into the pan and mixed with the egg mixture while everything is still warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
They can if the pan is too hot. The trick is to not have the pan over heat before adding the egg mixture. Then stir gently and add the pasta water slowly. This helps the sauce turn glossy rather than scrambled.
More High Protein Pasta Recipes
If you've tried this high protein pasta carbonara recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
High Protein Chicken Carbonara {47g Protein}
Ingredients
- 140 g (5 oz) of Whole wheat spaghetti
- 50 g (1.75 oz) of Bacon
- 1 Egg
- 3 tablespoons of 0% fat Greek yogurt
- 50 g (0.5 cup) of Parmesan - grated
- 140 g (5 oz) of Leftover chicken - shredded
Instructions
- Cook 140 g of Whole wheat spaghetti according to the packet instructions - normally 10-12 minutes. Reserve some of the pasta water.
- Meanwhile, cook 50 g of Bacon to your liking. Once cooked, chop into small pieces and set aside.
- Put 1 Egg into a bowl and whisk and then add 3 tablespoons of 0% fat Greek yogurt and 50 g of Parmesan. Mix it all together.
- Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain (reserving some pasta water) and then put it into a pan with the bacon, 140 g of Leftover chicken and egg mixture.
- Slowly add the reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce is silky and smooth. You may not need all of the water. Mix gently to coat all of the cooked pasta.
Recipe Notes
- The biggest tip with this recipe is to avoid scrambling the eggs. The easiest way to prevent this is to take the pan off the heat before stirring in the egg mixture. The residual heat from the pasta, bacon, and chicken will warm the sauce enough, especially once you start adding the pasta water.
- It also helps to have your Greek yogurt out of the fridge for a little bit if possible. Very cold yogurt mixed into hot pasta can sometimes seize slightly, so letting it sit out for a few minutes first can make the sauce even smoother.
- Reserve more pasta water than you think you need. You may not use it all, but having extra on hand gives you control over the final texture. Add it slowly, stirring gently, until the sauce loosens into that glossy, restaurant-style finish.
- Use finely grated Parmesan rather than large shavings, as it melts into the sauce much more easily.
- Using leftover cooked chicken breast makes this recipe especially quick, but it also works well with rotisserie chicken if that is what you have on hand.
- Make sure the chicken is shredded rather than cut into large chunks. Shredded chicken mixes through the spaghetti more evenly, so you get some in every forkful.
- Work quickly once the pasta is drained. Hot pasta is what helps create the silky sauce, so you want to get it into the pan and mixed with the egg mixture while everything is still warm.
Nutritional Information
Where nutritional information is provided, it is approximate and calculated using online tools. Values can vary depending on the ingredients and brands used, but we endeavour to be as accurate as possible.
All timings are a guide and may vary depending on the ingredients, equipment and, where relevant, the appliance used. Changing the serving size may also affect the time needed.
Stephanie says
This felt like a cheat meal. We couldn't even taste the Greek yoghurt and the sauce was like carbonara!