Craving carbonara but want way more protein? This High Protein Cottage Cheese Carbonara with Chicken delivers the creamy, silky texture you love while packing ~48g of protein and keeping things lighter.
By combining egg with blended cottage cheese and starchy pasta water, you get a beautifully emulsified sauce without heavy cream.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe#
- Very high protein (~48g per large serving)
- Ready in 25 minutes
- Much lighter than traditional creamy carbonara
- Uses the real carbonara technique (no cream)
- Easy to customize
Ingredients#
- Pasta: Spaghetti or linguine works best.
- Chicken thigh: Adds serious protein and stays juicy when thinly sliced.
- Cottage cheese: The secret high-protein sauce maker.
- Egg: Creates the silky emulsion classic to carbonara.
- Garlic + Parmesan + black pepper: Essential flavor builders.
Step-by-Step (with Photos)#
Cook the pasta: Boil in salted water until al dente. Reserve plenty of pasta water before draining.
Cook the chicken: Season thinly sliced chicken with salt and pepper, then sauté until cooked through and lightly golden.
Cooking seasoned chicken strips Make the sauce base: Beat the egg with salt and pepper. Blend or mash the cottage cheese until mostly smooth, then mix the two together.
Mixing cottage cheese with egg 
Smooth cottage cheese and egg sauce base Combine everything: Off the heat, add the drained pasta to the pan along with the cottage cheese-egg mixture, minced garlic, Parmesan, and reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously.
Tossing pasta and chicken with the sauce Gentle finishing: Return to very low heat (or use residual heat) and keep tossing until the sauce thickens and clings to the pasta. Do not overheat or the egg will scramble.
Finishing the carbonara gently so the egg stays silky
Result#
A creamy, peppery, high-protein carbonara with tender chicken and a silky sauce that coats every strand perfectly.
What makes carbonara so creamy#
The magic of carbonara is emulsification: egg proteins + starch from pasta water + fat from cheese create a smooth, velvety sauce. Cottage cheese adds extra casein protein that helps stabilize the emulsion while boosting total protein. Keeping the pan off direct high heat prevents the egg from curdling and turning into scrambled bits — temperature control is key.
Storage Tips#
Best eaten immediately. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water.
Recipe#
High Protein Cottage Cheese Carbonara with Chicken
Ingredients
- 60 g dry pasta (spaghetti or linguine recommended)
- 100 g boneless chicken thigh, thinly sliced
- 1 large egg
- 100 g low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 20 g grated Parmesan or pecorino
- Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
- 60 ml reserved pasta water (plus more as needed)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 60-80 ml pasta water, then drain.
- While pasta cooks, season chicken slices with salt and pepper. Heat a large pan over medium heat with a tiny drizzle of olive oil and cook chicken until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- In a bowl, beat the egg with a pinch of salt and black pepper. In another bowl, blend or mash the cottage cheese until mostly smooth. Mix the egg into the cottage cheese.
- Return drained pasta to the pan (off the heat). Add the cottage cheese-egg mixture, minced garlic, grated Parmesan, and a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss quickly.
- Add cooked chicken back in and continue tossing until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta. Add more pasta water if needed for creaminess. The residual heat gently cooks the egg without scrambling.
- Finish with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and extra Parmesan.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 1 large serving
Amount Per Serving
% Daily Value *
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
