Chicken Carbonara
This recipe provides a quick and hearty chicken carbonara featuring crispy chicken strips, linguine, and a creamy Alfredo sauce. Enhanced with fresh asparagus, wild mushrooms, and smoked bacon, it offers a flavorful and satisfying meal that is easy to assemble for a weeknight dinner.
Equipment
- 1 Large Skillet or Sauté Pan For preparing the sauce and combining ingredients.
- 1 Large Pot For cooking linguine and blanching asparagus.
- 1 Colander For draining pasta and blanched vegetables.
- 1 Chef's Knife and Cutting Board For preparing asparagus and mushrooms.
- 1 Tongs or Pasta Spoon For tossing and serving.
Ingredients
Main
- 4 Tyson fully cooked crispy chicken strips
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic-pepper seasoning blend
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated
- 1 cup fresh asparagus sliced and blanched
- 1/2 cup wild mushrooms such as porcini, shittake, chanterelle
- 1/4 cup Tyson Applewood Smoked Bacon fully-cooked
- 6 ounces linguine noodles cooked
- 6 ounces alfredo sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Cook linguine noodles according to package directions until al dente; reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Blanch sliced fresh asparagus in boiling water for 1-2 minutes until tender-crisp, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking and preserve color; drain well.
- Prepare Tyson fully cooked crispy chicken strips according to package directions, ensuring they are heated through and crispy.
- In a large skillet or sauté pan, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat.
- Add wild mushrooms to the skillet and sauté until they are tender and lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in the 1 tablespoon garlic-pepper seasoning blend and 1/4 cup cooked Tyson Applewood Smoked Bacon, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the 6 ounces alfredo sauce and 1 cup chicken broth, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Add the blanched asparagus and the prepared crispy chicken strips to the simmering sauce, stirring to combine.
- Add the cooked and drained linguine noodles to the skillet with the sauce and ingredients; toss everything together until the pasta is well coated.
- Stir in the 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water to achieve desired consistency. Serve immediately.
Notes
This recipe offers a convenient take on Carbonara, using pre-cooked chicken and Alfredo sauce. To elevate the dish: 1. Ensure chicken strips are truly crispy; a quick reheat in a hot pan or air fryer before adding can enhance texture. 2. For the asparagus, blanching should be just until vibrant green and tender-crisp, then immediately shocked in ice water to halt cooking and preserve color. 3. Sauté mushrooms until deeply golden to develop their umami flavor. 4. While the recipe calls for Alfredo, a traditional Carbonara sauce would be egg-based. If aiming for richer flavor, consider whisking a couple of egg yolks with extra Parmesan into the sauce off the heat just before serving, using reserved pasta water to emulsify. This adds creaminess without heaviness. 5. Adjust garlic-pepper seasoning to taste; a pinch of fresh black pepper at the end is always welcome.