Lightened Up Chicken Carbonara

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  Pasta, Pappardelle, Fresh, Egg(340g)
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  Bacon, Center-Cut Pork(227g)
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  Chicken Breast, Boneless Skinless(680g)

  Boneless skinless. Buy in bulk and freeze — Costco rotisserie packs work too.

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  Yellow Onion
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  Garlic(180g)
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  Cream Cheese, 1/3 Less Fat (Neufchatel)(227g)

  Standard block cream cheese. Neufchatel (1/3 less fat) is a good swap.

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  Egg, Whole, Large
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  Parmesan Cheese(60g)

  Grated Parmesan — the shelf-stable canister is fine for cooking.

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  1 cup reserved pasta water + 1/2 cup extra (just in case)

Instructions

1. 1Dice the onion into small pieces and mince the garlic. Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized chunks and chop the bacon into ½-inch pieces.
2. 2Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook 8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water, and return the pasta to the pot.
3. 3While pasta cooks, whisk together the cream cheese and eggs in a large bowl until smooth and lump-free. Stir in the parmesan and set aside.
4. 4Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crispy and golden brown. Add the onion and cook 3–4 minutes over medium heat until softened.
5. 5Add the garlic to the skillet and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add the chicken and cook 6–8 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until no longer pink and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
6. 6Reduce heat to low. Slowly pour the cream cheese mixture into the skillet while stirring constantly and gently for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken evenly. Add reserved pasta water ¼ cup at a time as needed to reach desired sauce consistency.
7. 7Pour the sauce and chicken mixture into the pot with pasta and toss gently until evenly coated.
8. 8Divide the carbonara evenly into 6 airtight containers while hot. Refrigerate up to 4 days.