Chicken Carbonara

One of my good friends suggested that I try this recipe... and I'm so glad I did! Quick (I'm talking 30 minutes), easy (who knew carbonara wasn't complicated?) & delicious (the leftovers are even better!) I used the meat from a rotisserie chicken and fresh herbs from my garden. You can find pancetta near the deli section at your grocery store (usually where they have the fancy/imported cheeses). Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis (Food Network).


Ingredients
2 tsp. olive oil
4 oz. thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
8 large egg yolks
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
1 lb. spaghetti
4 cups coarsely shredded chicken (from 1 roasted chicken)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon peel

Directions
Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and garlic and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, and parsley to blend.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Add the chicken to the pan with the pancetta and stir to combine. Next, add the spaghetti and the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly, about 4 minutes (do not boil or you might end up scrambling the eggs).

Season the pasta, to taste, with pepper and salt if needed (the pancetta will likely add all the salt you need). Transfer the pasta to a large wide serving bowl. Sprinkle the walnuts and lemon zest over, and serve.

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