Friday, July 22, 2011

Chicken Carbonara

A very filling Italian meal, this chicken dish is by no means light but is well worth the splurge. This is a great meal to make for guests as this recipe easily serves 6-8 people. Serve it with a salad and some garlic bread for a wonderful Italian feast. You could also leave out the chicken and maybe add some broccoli for a filling vegetarian meal.

Chicken Carbonara
Serves: 6-8
Nutritional Info (per 1/8 serving): Calories 769.2, Total Fat 47.9g, Saturated Fat 23.6g, Cholesterol 375.2mg, Sodium 533.3mg, Potassium 291.5 mg, Total Carbohydrate 42.1g, Dietary Fiber 4.6g, Sugars 1.4g, Protein 41.4 g

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
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
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 the pancetta and garlic and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, and parsley to blend.

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 pancetta 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 pancetta 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.


Source: Giada De Laurentiis of Food Network

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