# Is There Anything More Decadent Than Chicken Carbonara?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [December 31, 2018, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986 "2018-12-31T15:17:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2018, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/1 "2018-12-31T15:17:10Z")
I think I am spelling it the right way. It has been a while since I had it.
True story. There is this local diner. And they outward appearance makes them look like any other diner. But appearances can be deceiving.
They make delicious gourmet food there. They even call it the “counterside gourmet” apparently in reference to this contradiction.
Anyways, I may share its name if anyone asks. It is in metro Detroit. And if you ever visit, I would highly recommend it.
Anyways, that is where I had my first Chicken Carbonara. And it is decadent. White sauce made of heavy whipping cream, bacon, noodles, caramelized onions, and chicken.
I just have to wonder, and this is a serious question. It is so decadent. Is there anything, any of you have tried, that could possibly be even _ **more** _ decadent? Because I am curious to know.
Thank you in advance for all your kindly replies:).
:):)🙂
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### Author:  [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2018, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/2 "2018-12-31T15:25:47Z")
I’m sure it’s absolutely delicious, but that ain’t Carbonara.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2018, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/3 "2018-12-31T15:28:55Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#):
>
> Anyways, that is where I had my first Chicken Carbonara. And it is decadent. White sauce made of heavy whipping cream, bacon, noodles, caramelized onions, and chicken.
Egg. Got to have egg to be a la carbonara. My gf is a pundit when it comes to carbonara.
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### Author:  [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2018, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/4 "2018-12-31T15:30:47Z")
Wait-- do you mean
“Chracterized by or reflecting a state of moral or cultural decline.”
Or
“Luxuriously self-indulgent.”? Because those are going to lead to _way_ different lists.
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### Author:  [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2018, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/5 "2018-12-31T16:02:30Z")
> [@zoid](#):
>
> I’m sure it’s absolutely delicious, but that ain’t Carbonara.
Sounds like Chicken Alfredo with bacon…
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2018, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/6 "2018-12-31T16:32:51Z")
> [@kayaker](#):
>
> Egg. Got to have egg to be a la carbonara. My gf is a pundit when it comes to carbonara.
An no cream in carbonara. That said, “carbonara” is one of those dishes that has been so muddled in meaning that it could be anything from the classic dish to something with cream and even peas in it. So, unless you’re at a classic Italian restaurant, it’s anyone’s guess what you will get.
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### Author:  [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2018, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/7 "2018-12-31T16:47:22Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#):
>
> I just have to wonder, and this is a serious question. It is so decadent. Is there anything, any of you have tried, that could possibly be even _ **more** _ decadent? Because I am curious to know.
The answer to this question is \*\*real \*\*“[Spaghetti alla Carbonara](https://giulianohazan.com/experience-rome-with-a-plate-of-spaghetti-alla-carbonara/).” The linked recipe is a decent version. I made a variation last night without the extra egg yolks (only because I was making a small amount and was also lazy.) Absolutely delicious, and decadent enough that I only make it a couple times a year, if that.
That said, the recipe you posted DOES sound good. But I’m with the others on this thread - Carbonara MEANS something, and it’s not “any pasta that includes bacon and a white-ish sauce.”
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2018, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/8 "2018-12-31T16:54:10Z")
> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> An no cream in carbonara. That said, “carbonara” is one of those dishes that has been so muddled in meaning that it could be anything from the classic dish to something with cream and even peas in it. So, unless you’re at a classic Italian restaurant, it’s anyone’s guess what you will get.
My gf makes a heavenly pasta alla carbonara but she would never order it in a restaurant, because you’re unlikely to get pasta alla carbonara.
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2018, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/9 "2018-12-31T17:21:28Z")
More decadent would be to send a Lear jet for me to have that lunch, in that diner, in Detroit. I’m waiting for the invite.🙂
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### Author:  [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/10 "2018-12-31T20:20:17Z")
I thought carbonara was a bacon and egg sauce, at least that’s how I’ve done it, but I haven’t made it in years.
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/11 "2018-12-31T20:34:45Z")
> [@jasg](#):
>
> Sounds like Chicken Alfredo with bacon…
Not according to [Quiznos](http://www.quiznos.com/Menu/all-natural-chicken-sub-sandwiches/Chicken-Carbonara.aspx). 😉
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/12 "2018-12-31T20:48:09Z")
> [@Patx2](#):
>
> I thought carbonara was a bacon and egg sauce, at least that’s how I’ve done it, but I haven’t made it in years.
Traditionally, it is something like that. The bacon should be guanciale. Guanciale is cured from the jowl of the pig. You can also use pancetta instead. Pancetta is a rolled pork belly. Unlike bacon, neither of them are smoked, and have a different type of flavor to them. Guanciale is especially luxurious and sweet/nutty with a hint of tang to it. Basically, you take a pork jowl, salt it good, hang it for a month or so in a temperature-and-humidity appropriate place, and, voila, you have guanciale. I’ve made it a couple of times, but it is somewhat a pain to source the jowl, and you can buy guanciale at specialty Italian meat shops around here (and, honestly, theres is better as they source better pork and have years of experience making it.)
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### Author:  [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/13 "2018-12-31T20:55:31Z")
Man, I hate it when people use “decadent” wrong. Joris-Karl Huysmans and Gabrielle D’Annunzio weren’t talking about a plate of noodles and bacon, bro.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/14 "2018-12-31T21:46:25Z")
Love me some carbonara. Deceptively easy to make, except for tempering the eggs, but so rich and satisfying.
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### Author:  [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/15 "2018-12-31T22:29:55Z")
Love love love carbonara. My variation adds green peas and onions and uses bacon since I usually can’t find the real stuff (and can’t be bothered to go hunt it down). If you use eggs and extra egg yolks, then cream is entirely unnecessary (and probably would detract from the dish).
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### Author:  [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2019, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/16 "2019-01-01T07:09:22Z")
What is Ravioli Al Uovo with truffles?
I made a dozen Ravioli Al Uovo with browned butter sauce tonight as an appetizer for New Year’s Eve. Good stuff. It ain’t hard but takes time. I suppose you could do this with carbonara sauce.
check this out: [Hanging with Harris: Uova en Raviolo at SD26 - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3I_X_mKthQ)
I have 9 chickens, so we have a ton of eggs. Still, I used about 2 dozen eggs between the tortellini and the egg yolk filling. Pretty awesome though.
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### Author:  [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2019, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/17 "2019-01-02T22:32:34Z")
This version of [Alfredo](https://deadspin.com/two-ways-to-make-alfredo-sauce-so-rich-itll-stop-your-h-536382947) is pretty damn decadent. I make both carbonara with pancetta and this version of Alfredo and they’ll bothdrive your cholesterol to a bad place if done properly…😃
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### Author:  [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2019, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-more-decadent-than-chicken-carbonara/826986/18 "2019-01-02T23:26:53Z")
When I lived in Iraq, every couple of months I’d go on R&R. The first night, I’d stay at the Four Seasons in Amman, order a room service steak and eat it in bed wearing a hotel bathrobe while drinking bourbon from the bottle and watching TV. I’d use the robe as my napkin and when I was done I’d go have a cigar. Those were decadent meals.