Creamy Parmesan Carbonara Chicken

The week before. I have been in this position before — the week before September 14th — but each time is different. In 2016 it was the first time, and everything was raw and there was no template. In 2017 I have a template: drive to Worth, bring sunflowers, sit in the grass, talk to her. I have done this once. I know I can do it. I know what the grass smells like in September in a suburban cemetery and what the silence sounds like and what it feels like to sit next to her name.

Back in Nar-Anon on Wednesday. I had not been since the spring — over the summer in Oak Lawn there was a group but I did not go regularly, just occasionally. Coming back here in Sycamore felt like putting on something I had taken off and forgotten about. Pat was there. He brought oatmeal raisin cookies again. We shared them during the break and he asked how my summer was and I said good and he said "The anniversary is coming" and I said yes and he said "It gets a little different every year" and I said I know and he nodded and that was enough.

Made a roasted chicken this week — a whole bird from Aldi, four pounds, under five dollars. Salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon halved and put inside. Roasted at 425 for an hour and fifteen minutes, resting time after. Ate the legs for dinner with roasted potatoes. Picked the carcass for chicken salad sandwiches. Made stock from the bones with celery and onion and a bay leaf. One five-dollar chicken became three meals and a quart of stock.

There is something about roasting a whole chicken that feels substantial — like the act itself is a statement of intention. I am here. I am feeding myself. I am using everything. I have been doing this for a year and a half, cooking carefully on very little, and it has become a language I speak. The chicken says: I am paying attention. I am not wasting anything. I am going to be okay.

The roasted chicken that week was its own kind of anchor — whole bird, nothing wasted, every part of it put to use. That spirit of paying attention, of making something substantial out of something simple, is what I kept coming back to when I thought about sharing a recipe here. This Creamy Parmesan Carbonara Chicken carries the same weight: it’s a pan of something warm and real, built from a short list of honest ingredients, made for the kind of evening when you need the act of cooking to remind you that you’re still here and still feeding yourself well.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 large egg yolks
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Instructions

Season the chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Sear the chicken. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook undisturbed for 6–7 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
Cook the bacon. Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped bacon to the same skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 4–5 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving about 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pan.
Build the sauce base. Add the minced garlic to the drippings and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
Temper the egg mixture. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and heavy cream until smooth. Slowly ladle a few spoonfuls of the hot broth mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper it, then pour the tempered mixture back into the skillet.
Finish the sauce. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes if using, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened, 2–3 minutes. Do not let it boil.
Return the chicken. Nestle the seared chicken breasts back into the sauce along with the crispy bacon. Spoon sauce over the top and warm through for 2 minutes.
Serve. Garnish with fresh parsley and additional Parmesan. Serve over pasta, egg noodles, or alongside roasted potatoes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Creamy Parmesan Carbonara Chicken — One Week at a Time, One Good Meal at a Time