Creamy Chicken Carbonara

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook linguine al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before straining.
Combine eggs, cream, Parmesan cheese, basil, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk thoroughly and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a cast iron skillet on medium heat until fully cooked, remove from the skillet and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Keep 1-2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet and discard the rest.
Add minced garlic and sliced chicken to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cook until chicken is fully cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
Return bacon to the skillet, add the warm linguine and toss with chicken and bacon. Turn the burner down to low and let the skillet cool for 2-3 minutes. If the skillet is too hot you run the risk of scrambling the eggs.
Add egg mixture to the skillet and toss with the pasta until fully incorporated. Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of reserved pasta water until creamy. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh basil

Prep makes a big difference in this recipe. Cutting the chicken and bacon before you start anything else makes the recipe move quickly and smoothly. As you get your pasta water boiling, whisk together the sauce and slice your proteins so you can fly right out of the gate.
Pancetta is a common Italian substitute for bacon—it's actually considered Italian bacon. Both bacon and pancetta come from cured pork belly. You can substitute either interchangeably in the recipe depending on availability. Pancetta is often sold predicted into small pieces and is considered recipe ready.