From Christy Clanton
One pot comfort is guaranteed to solve all the world's problems in one bite! If there was ever a dish that offered you a hug, held your hand, and listened to you unpack your mental baggage this is the one! Let’s be honest though, have you ever seen a pasta dish drowned in yummy fat go wrong?
Recipe for Chicken Carbonara
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 to 6 ounces of bacon, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic (Fresh is best but I have been known to use “Jarlic” from time to time)
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
8 large egg yolks
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
1 pound spaghetti noodles (uncooked)
4 cups coarsely shredded chicken (from 1 roasted chicken)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
Directions
Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon and render the fat sautéing until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic towards the end of the bacon cooking, maybe the last couple of minutes. Cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, and parsley to blend. To save the time of chopping I will pitch all of this into a blender. The herbs aren’t as chunky and vibrant, but it still taste amazing!
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain.
Add the chicken to the pan with the bacon and stir to combine. Next, add the spaghetti and the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly, about 4 minutes (do not boil or you might end up scrambling the eggs). Season the pasta, to taste, with pepper and salt if needed (the bacon will likely add all the salt you need).
Transfer the pasta to a large wide serving bowl. Sprinkle the walnuts and lemon zest over, and serve your delicious chicken carbonara.