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Chicken Carbonara (With Spaghetti Squash)

by HealthMatters September 11, 2024, 3:57 am 1.5k Views

I’ve been on an Italian chicken kick lately and have been making lots of Italian inspired chicken dishes. First, it was the chicken piccata, then I made a healthy variation of chicken cacciatore, chicken Florentine, chicken Marsala, and now chicken carbonara.

While these pasta recipes have many of the same flavors, I like putting a healthy twist on them. I’ll often use veggies instead of pasta for a tasty version lower in carbs.

Classic Chicken Carbonara

Creamy chicken carbonara is often made with an alfredo sauce or creamy sauce and served over fettuccine, bucatini, or linguine pasta. More Americanized versions will even use penne pasta. Traditionally this pasta dish is made with an egg mixture sauce instead of alfredo. Italians whisk together pasta water, egg yolks, and hard cheese (like pecorino Romano) to make the creamy sauce.

An Updated Chicken Pasta

I substituted spaghetti squash for the pasta to make a grain-free version. I also made a healthier (and optional) carbonara sauce and added some wilted spinach and asparagus for flavor and extra nutrition. Instead of pancetta, which can be hard to find, this recipe uses crispy bacon.

This is an all in one dish with protein, healthy fats, and plenty of veggies. And since it’s cooked in one pan, there aren’t many dishes to clean. I use a skillet, but you could also use a large pot if your skillet isn’t big enough.

My kids liked this one and ate it without complaint!

Chicken Carbonara Over Spaghetti Squash

Delicious and healthy chicken carbonara served over nutrient-packed spaghetti squash.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Cut the spaghetti squash in half and scrape out the seeds with a spoon.
Place them face down on a baking sheet or in a large baking dish with ¼ inch of water. Cook for 30 minutes or until tender when poked with a fork.
While the squash is cooking, butterfly the chicken by cutting it in half lengthwise.
Pound it with a meat hammer or the bottom of a cast iron pan until it’s ¼ to ½ inch thick.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, place the asparagus in about ¼ inch of water. Cook over high heat until the asparagus is bright green and starting to soften. Once the water has evaporated add 1 Tablespoon butter and sprinkle with some sea salt.
Remove the asparagus from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, cook bacon until crispy.
Remove the bacon and cook the skinless chicken breast in the bacon grease, sprinkling each side with some of the sea salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
Remove the cooked chicken and set it aside.
Saute the onion in the remaining bacon grease until soft.
Add the spinach and extra butter or olive oil if needed and cook until the spinach is barely wilted.
Add the cream if using and about ¼ teaspoon of the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
At this point, the spaghetti squash should be soft so remove it from the oven and drain off the water. Scrape out the insides with a fork. It should be a little al dente, not mushy.
To serve, put some spaghetti squash on a plate, top with some wilted spinach, then a piece of chicken, some crumbled bacon, and the asparagus.
Garnish with Parmesan if using.