Creamy Bacon Carbonara Rigatoni
Sliced Chicken

A decadent modern twist on Carbonara, featuring rigatoni tossed in a velvety egg-and-cream sauce with crispy bacon, finished with tender sliced chicken breast.

Ingredients

• 150 g rigatoni pasta (pre-cooked)
• 100 ml heavy cream
• 50 g bacon (diced)
• 1 egg yolk
• 15 g butter
• 20 g parmesan cheese powder
• 1 chicken breast (cooked and sliced)
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 tbsp starchy pasta water
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper
• to taste fresh parsley (chopped)

Instructions

1. 1Prepare the ingredients

   

   Gather and measure out all the components for the Bacon Cream Rigatoni: pre-cooked rigatoni pasta, heavy cream, diced bacon, an egg yolk, butter, parmesan cheese powder, and fresh chopped parsley. Having your mise en place ready ensures a smooth cooking process once you start heating the pan.

   Tip: Cook the rigatoni slightly underdone (al dente) before starting, as it will finish cooking in the cream sauce later.
2. 2Heat the cooking oil

   

   Place a stainless steel pan over medium heat and allow it to get hot. Once heated, pour in a spoonful of cooking oil. This provides the necessary base to sauté the bacon evenly and prevents the meat from sticking to the surface of the pan.

   Tip: Use an oil with a high smoke point to prevent it from burning as the pan heats up.
3. 3Add the diced bacon

   

   Carefully add the diced bacon pieces into the pan with the hot oil. Spread them out across the bottom of the pan to maximize contact with the heat, which helps the fat render out more effectively and starts the browning process.

   Tip: Adding the bacon to a preheated pan ensures it starts rendering immediately rather than just steaming.
4. 4Sauté until crispy

   

   Sauté the bacon bits over low to medium heat, stirring frequently with a spatula. Continue cooking until the bacon becomes fragrant, the fat has rendered out, and the pieces are beautifully golden and crispy. This creates a deeply savory and salty base for your sauce.

   Tip: Keep the heat low during this stage to prevent the bacon fat from burning and becoming bitter.
5. 5Incorporate the cream

   

   Once the bacon has reached the desired crispiness, pour in half of the heavy cream. The cream will immediately start to bubble and deglaze the pan, picking up the flavorful browned bits (fond) left behind by the bacon to create a rich sauce.

   Tip: Pouring the cream in stages helps you manage the consistency of the sauce as it reduces.
6. 6Simmer with pasta water

   

   Add a small amount of starchy pasta water to the simmering mixture of cream and bacon. The starch in the water acts as a natural emulsifier, helping the cream and bacon fat bind together into a silky, cohesive sauce that will coat the rigatoni perfectly.

   Tip: The pasta water also helps season the sauce, so taste for saltiness before adding more salt later.
7. 7Season the sauce

   

   Once the heavy cream and pasta water have begun to simmer with the crispy bacon, season the mixture with salt and freshly ground black pepper. This builds the foundational flavor of the sauce before the pasta is added.

   Tip: Go light on the salt initially, as the bacon and parmesan cheese added later both contain significant sodium.
8. 8Add the rigatoni

   

   Carefully transfer the pre-cooked rigatoni into the pan with the simmering cream sauce. Use a slotted spoon or strainer to move the pasta directly from the pot to ensure it stays warm and carries a bit of extra starch into the sauce.

   Tip: Cooking the pasta slightly under al dente in the water is best, as it will finish cooking and absorb flavor in the pan.
9. 9Prepare the egg mixture

   

   In a separate small mixing bowl, combine one egg yolk with the remaining heavy cream. This mixture will provide the characteristic silkiness and rich golden color of a Carbonara-style sauce without curdling the eggs.

   Tip: Ensure the cream is at room temperature if possible to help the yolk emulsify more smoothly.
10. 10Add parmesan cheese

    

    Add a generous portion of grated parmesan cheese powder to the egg and cream mixture. Stir everything together thoroughly until the cheese is well-incorporated into the liquid.

    Tip: Freshly grated parmesan melts much more smoothly than pre-shredded varieties, resulting in a less grainy sauce.
11. 11Combine the sauces

    

    Pour the prepared egg, cream, and cheese mixture over the rigatoni in the pan. Lower the heat slightly before adding the mixture to prevent the egg yolk from scrambling upon contact with the hot pan.

    Tip: Slow and steady is key here; you want to thicken the sauce into a custard-like consistency, not fry the eggs.
12. 12Final Toss with Butter

    

    Add the butter and a handful of chopped parsley to the pan. Using tongs, gently toss the rigatoni to melt the butter and ensure every piece is evenly coated in the thickening, glossy sauce. The residual heat will finish the sauce to a velvety glaze.

    Tip: If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash more pasta water to loosen it back to your desired consistency.
13. 13Plate the rigatoni

    

    Carefully transfer the creamy Bacon Rigatoni from the pan into a shallow ceramic serving bowl. Position the pasta in the center of the bowl, allowing the rich sauce to pool slightly at the base.

    Tip: Warming your serving bowls in a low oven beforehand will help maintain the temperature and silkiness of the cream sauce until it reaches the table.
14. 14Drizzle with extra sauce

    

    Pour any remaining thick cream sauce from the pan directly over the plated pasta. This extra layer of sauce ensures the dish is luscious and prevents the top layer of rigatoni from drying out.

    Tip: If the sauce thickened too much while plating, add a tiny splash of hot pasta water to the pan and swirl it around to loosen the remaining sauce before pouring.
15. 15Garnish and Serve

    

    Arrange the pre-prepared slices of cooked chicken breast on top of the pasta. Finish the dish by grating a final layer of parmesan cheese and sprinkling the remaining fresh parsley over the top for a professional presentation.

    Tip: Slice the chicken breast against the grain at a slight diagonal for a more professional presentation and a more tender texture.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions