We whipped up this Carbonara with some fresh made whole wheat noodles we brought back from the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto. For you foodies out there who are planning a trip to that northern city, this is a must on your visit. It is an indoor marketplace with European style food stalls and booths from fishmongers, bakers, butchers and other specialty foods. The basement floor includes desserts, clothing and jewelers, and other artisan crafters. So that’s my plug for the St. Lawrence Market! Now to the task at hand; Pasta Carbonara.
You don’t need to use whole wheat pasta. You don’t need to add all these veggies. We just wanted to empty out our veggie drawer and this recipe is a perfect way to do so! Don’t get squeamish about the raw eggs. They cook gently with the heat of the pasta and the pan, so it is important to make sure the pasta is hot. If you are not convinced, you can use 1/2 cup Egg Beaters® or other pasteurized egg product as a substitute.
Chicken Veggie Drawer Carbonara with Whole Wheat Pasta
Ingredients:
Egg Mixture
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream (with 1/4 cup extra on hand if needed)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
The rest
1/2 lb. thick cut bacon, diced (may use Pancetta to be more traditional)
1 lb. chicken tenders, chopped
salt and pepper for chicken
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup chopped/sliced red pepper
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 medium sized Portabello mushroom, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 cup frozen peas
1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
Directions:
Whisk together the egg mixture ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Saute bacon over medium heat in a large pan until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 1/2 Tbsp. drippings. Return pan to heat with the reserved drippings and brown the chicken pieces on all sides in the bacon fat, seasoning with salt and pepper as they cook. This takes about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the plate where the bacon is.
Return pan to heat, add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and add red pepper, garlic, onion and mushrooms. Saute until golden and tender. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.
Return pan to heat and raise it to high. Deglaze it with the wine, lemon juice and broth, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom with a wooden spoon. Reduce liquid by half, about 3 minutes.
In a colander, have the frozen peas waiting. When pasta is done, drain directly on top of the peas in the colander. Shake the colander so peas get properly heated and pasta drained. Back in the pan go the vegetables, chicken, bacon and the hot pasta with the peas. Lower heat to medium-low.
Pour the egg mixture over the pasta and toss with a wooden fork and spoon until the dish is well combined, heated through and the egg mixture has thickened slightly. If you feel there is not enough sauce to go around, grab that extra 1/4 cup of cream you set aside earlier and splash it in there. Toss around, and serve immediately with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
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