Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara (Olive Garden Copycat)
This 30 minute chicken and shrimp carbonara olive garden recipe is easy to make and has layers of luscious flavors from each bite. This upgraded carbonara is a delicious twist on the traditional dish and will be a hit with your family and friends with the creamy sauce - and golden brown chicken and shrimp pieces!
Prepare a pan of boiling water and pour the pasta into the water, boiling until al dente (2 minutes less than package instructions).
Drain and rinse the pasta, then set it aside in a bowl.
Chop the onion and garlic.
Peel the large shrimp and remove the intestines.
Chop the chicken breasts into cubes.
Chop the bacon into cubes.
Whisk the yolks in a cup.
Cooking
Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil, and add the bacon bits. Cook for a few minutes until crispy, then remove them with a slotted spoon, leaving the bacon grease in the skillet.
Add the cleaned shrimps and chicken pieces to the hot skillet and cook for 5 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and the chicken has browned.
Remove the chicken and shrimp to a medium bowl and sauté the onion, minced garlic, and heavy cream for 4 to 5 minutes.
Take the skillet off the heat and whisk in the beaten egg (stirring frequently) until the sauce thickens slightly.
Add the cooked bacon, shrimp, chicken, and cooked pasta back to the skillet, cooking for another minute. Toss the ingredients together until the sauce coats everything.
Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese on top and chopped parsley.
Recipe Notes
Make the sauce thinner.If the rich carbonara sauce is too thick, add a little pasta water to thin it out or chicken broth.Take the skillet off the heat to mix the egg yolksLeaving the skillet on the heat while whisking the egg yolks will make them curdle into scrambled eggs.Buy a slab of bacon rather than slices.It's cheaper to buy a slab of bacon and cut it into cubes yourself. This also allows you to control the amount of fat in the dish.