Creamy Chicken and Bacon Carbonara Recipe

This creamy chicken and bacon carbonara is one of those family pasta dinners that feels quite indulgent without needing cream or an enormous amount of cheese. It combines chicken, bacon, mushrooms and onions with pasta in a creamy sauce made with Primula Light, reduced-fat cheddar and chicken stock.

I should probably say straight away that this isn’t a traditional Italian carbonara. A traditional carbonara is a very different dish, usually made with eggs, hard cheese and cured pork. This is my easy, lower-fat chicken and bacon version, inspired by the creamy carbonara-style pasta dishes many of us make at home.

It takes just over half an hour and makes six generous portions, so it’s particularly handy when you’re feeding the family and don’t want to make separate meals for everyone.

If chicken pasta is a regular feature in your house, have a look at my easy chicken pasta recipes too because I’ve got plenty more ideas.

Just Average Jen is an independent blog not connected with any weight loss plan. Please check nutritional values and/or syns/Swips yourself. Information correct at time of writing – always check official Slimming World materials for updates.

What you need for this chicken and bacon carbonara

The recipe uses 350g of pasta along with 300g chicken breast and eight rashers of bacon with the visible fat removed.

Mushrooms, onions and garlic add plenty of flavour and also bulk the dish out a bit without making it feel as though you’ve simply thrown vegetables into a bowl of pasta because you think you should!

For the creamy sauce, you’ll need chicken stock, Primula Light and reduced-fat cheddar.

It’s definitely a creamy pasta dish rather than a dry carbonara, and the sauce is deliberately quite loose. If you prefer a much thicker sauce, I’ve included a simple option for that below.

Which pasta should I use?

Use whichever pasta shape you and your family actually enjoy.

Spaghetti is the obvious choice when you hear the word carbonara, but there’s absolutely no requirement to use it for this recipe. Fusilli, penne and other pasta shapes work just as well and can actually be easier for children to eat.

I tend to think there’s very little point buying a special packet of pasta when you’ve already got three half-used packets in the cupboard!

Cook your pasta according to the packet instructions while you’re preparing the chicken, bacon and sauce.

Making the chicken and bacon sauce

While the pasta cooks, add the chicken pieces to a large frying pan and cook them over a medium heat, stirring regularly.

Add the chicken stock, crushed garlic, bacon and finely diced onion and continue cooking before adding the mushrooms.

Once everything is cooked, add the Primula Light and grated cheddar and stir until the cheese has melted into the stock and created the creamy sauce.

Black pepper works particularly well with carbonara-style dishes, so add plenty if you enjoy it.

Finally, drain the pasta and stir it through the chicken and bacon sauce so that everything is well coated.

When cooking chicken, make sure it is thoroughly cooked and steaming hot all the way through, with no pink meat remaining. The Food Standards Agency gives the same advice for poultry.

What if the carbonara sauce is too runny?

This recipe makes quite a loose creamy sauce, and I know some people prefer carbonara much thicker.

If that’s you, mix a tablespoon of cornflour with a small amount of cold water and stir it into the sauce towards the end of cooking. Give it a few minutes to thicken before adding the pasta.

Don’t tip dry cornflour straight into the pan because you’re much more likely to end up chasing little white lumps around your carbonara!

Alternatively, simply leave the sauce bubbling gently for a little longer before adding the pasta so that some of the liquid reduces.

Can I use Philadelphia instead of Primula?

Yes. If you aren’t concerned about following a particular eating plan, a lighter cream cheese such as Philadelphia Light can be used to make a similar creamy sauce.

It won’t be exactly the same because Primula and cream cheese have slightly different textures and flavours, but this isn’t a recipe where one particular brand is essential.

If you’re following Slimming World, Weight Watchers or another plan, check the current values for whichever product you choose because branded products and plan allowances change.

Adding more vegetables

There are already 300g of mushrooms and two large onions in this recipe, but you can easily add more vegetables if you want to.

Peppers work well, particularly if you have one sitting in the fridge that needs using. Peas would also be an easy addition and wouldn’t need much extra cooking.

I wouldn’t personally get too carried away with the idea of “hiding” vegetables. If your children aren’t mushroom fans, cutting them smaller might make the texture less noticeable, but there’s nothing wrong with serving vegetables in ways they genuinely enjoy either.

One reader who made this recipe told me her children left the mushrooms but devoured everything else, which seems a pretty realistic review of family cooking to me!

Is this a Slimming World chicken carbonara?

This recipe has always been popular with readers looking for a Slimming World chicken carbonara because it uses trimmed bacon, chicken breast, reduced-fat cheese and Primula Light rather than making the sauce with cream.

I wouldn’t describe it as automatically Syn-free, though, because Slimming World allowances and product values can change, and the exact products you use matter.

If you’re following Slimming World now, check the current values for your Primula, cheese, bacon and other ingredients and work out the recipe using the products you’ve actually bought.

The same applies if you’re following Weight Watchers, Noom or another weight-loss plan. The recipe itself doesn’t need to change just because you’re counting it differently.

If you’re looking for more ideas, my Slimming World chicken recipes brings together plenty of other chicken dinners that may suit the way you eat.

Can I make chicken carbonara without bacon?

You can leave the bacon out, although naturally the finished dish won’t have quite the same smoky, salty flavour.

If you’re removing it because you don’t eat pork, don’t simply assume a chicken or turkey bacon alternative will have identical nutritional values. Check whichever product you’re using if that matters for your diet or eating plan.

You may also find that the sauce needs a little more seasoning when the bacon isn’t there.

Can I make this ahead?

You can, although creamy pasta is usually nicest when it’s freshly made.

If you have leftovers, cool them and refrigerate them promptly. When reheating, make sure the food is steaming hot all the way through. The Food Standards Agency recommends reheating leftovers thoroughly and only reheating them once.

You may find that the sauce thickens considerably in the fridge because the pasta continues absorbing moisture. Adding a small splash of water or stock when reheating can help loosen it again.

Can I use frozen chicken?

If you’re starting with frozen chicken breast, defrost it safely before cutting it into pieces for this particular recipe.

That makes it much easier to cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces and follow the cooking method properly.

My guide to defrosting chicken safely has more advice if, like me, you’ve ever gone to make dinner and realised the chicken is still sitting solidly in the freezer!

What to serve with chicken and bacon carbonara

This is already quite a substantial meal because you’ve got pasta, chicken, bacon, vegetables and a cheesy sauce all in one bowl.

You could simply serve it on its own, or add a big salad or some extra vegetables on the side.

Garlic bread obviously works brilliantly with creamy pasta too. It won’t magically become less delicious just because you’re trying to eat healthily, so if you fancy garlic bread, I’d rather have some and enjoy it than spend dinner staring resentfully at everybody else’s!

More chicken and pasta recipes

If creamy chicken pasta is your thing, my easy chicken pasta recipes page has lots more ideas to try.

You might particularly like my chipotle chicken pasta if you want something creamy with a bit more heat, while chicken fajita pasta bake is a good one when you fancy something cheesy that can go into the oven.

For completely different chicken dinners, head to my healthy chicken recipes collection where you’ll find curries, tray bakes, fakeaways, tacos, slow cooker meals and plenty more.

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