Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara

Why You Will Love This Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara

If you have ever sat down at Olive Garden and ordered the Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara, you already know why it has such a devoted following. It is rich, smoky, and impossibly creamy, with tender chicken and juicy shrimp tucked into every bite of pasta. This copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara recipe recreates that exact magic at home, using simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store and a method that comes together in well under an hour.

What makes this Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara Pasta Olive Garden fans love so much is the balance. The bacon brings smokiness, the parmesan brings sharpness, and the egg yolk and cream sauce ties it all together into something silky and luxurious. Once you try this homemade version, you may find yourself making it more often than you ever ordered the restaurant version.

Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients make a real difference here. A good heavy bottomed skillet helps the bacon render evenly and keeps the cream sauce from scorching, and freshly grated parmesan (rather than the pre-shredded kind) melts into a much smoother, glossier sauce. These are the products that genuinely help this recipe shine:

The Secret Behind This Olive Garden Chicken Carbonara Recipe

Real carbonara, the kind you would find in Rome, relies on eggs and cheese to create a sauce without any cream at all. Olive Garden's version, and this copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara, takes a more indulgent American approach by folding heavy cream into the mix. The result is a sauce that is more forgiving for home cooks and even more decadent.

The key steps that make this Olive Garden Chicken Carbonara Recipe taste like the original are:

• Searing the chicken and shrimp separately so each one develops good color and stays tender instead of overcooking.
• Rendering the bacon slowly to pull out maximum smoky flavor before building the sauce in the same pan.
• Tempering the egg yolks gradually into the warm cream so the sauce turns silky instead of scrambled.

Chef's Tip: Pull the skillet slightly off the heat before whisking in the egg yolks. This keeps the sauce gentle and prevents any risk of the eggs curdling into little flecks instead of melting smoothly into the cream.

Tips for the Best Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara

A few small details separate a good carbonara from a great one. First, salt your pasta water generously, since this is one of your only chances to season the noodles themselves. Second, always reserve a cup of starchy pasta water before draining. That splash of liquid gold is what lets you loosen the sauce to the perfect consistency without watering down the flavor.

It also helps to slightly undercook your shrimp during the initial sear, since they will warm back through when tossed with the hot pasta and sauce at the end. Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery fast, so a light touch here goes a long way.

Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe for this Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara:

Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara

Creamy, smoky, and loaded with tender chicken and shrimp, this copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara recipe brings the restaurant favorite straight to your kitchen table in just 40 minutes.

Prep:15 mins

Cook:25 mins

Total:40 mins

Yield:6 servings

Cuisine:Italian American

Yield: 6 servingsCalories: 720Protein: 38g

Carbs: 58gFat: 38gSat. Fat: 19gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gSodium: 980mg

Ingredients

Units

USM

Scale

1x2x3x

• 1 lb fettuccine pasta
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
• 6 slices bacon, diced
• 3 tbsp salted butter, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 large egg yolks, beaten
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for serving
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly cracked, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
• 1 tbsp olive oil, for searing chicken and shrimp

Instruction

1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water, and set aside.

2

While the pasta cooks, season the chicken pieces with a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium high heat and cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.

3

In the same skillet, sear the shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Remove and set aside with the chicken.

4

Add the diced bacon to the skillet and cook over medium heat until crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove most of the rendered fat, leaving about a tablespoon in the pan.

5

Lower the heat to medium low and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter into the bacon fat. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.

6

Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes.

7

Slowly whisk in the beaten egg yolks, stirring constantly to prevent scrambling, then stir in the parmesan cheese, black pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon of butter until the sauce is smooth and glossy.

8

Add the cooked fettuccine to the sauce and toss to coat, using splashes of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce as needed.

9

Fold in the cooked chicken and shrimp, tossing gently until everything is warmed through and well coated in sauce.

10

Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed, then plate immediately, topping each serving with extra parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Equipment

• Large stock pot
• Large skillet or saute pan
• Whisk
• Tongs
• Colander

Notes

This carbonara comes together fastest if you prep all your ingredients before you start cooking, since the sauce moves quickly once the cream hits the pan. Leftovers will thicken in the fridge, so reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of cream or reserved pasta water to bring the sauce back to life. Avoid the microwave if you can, since it tends to make the egg-based sauce separate.

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Serving and Storing Your Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara

This Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara Recipe is rich enough to be a complete meal on its own, though a simple side salad and warm breadsticks will make the meal feel even more like the real Olive Garden experience. A light, crisp white wine such as Pinot Grigio pairs beautifully with the smoky bacon and creamy sauce.

If you happen to have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. The sauce will thicken as it chills, which is completely normal. When you are ready to enjoy it again, reheat gently over low heat on the stovetop, stirring in a splash of milk, cream, or reserved pasta water until the sauce loosens back up.

Chef's Tip: Avoid reheating this dish in the microwave if possible. The egg-based sauce is delicate, and high, uneven heat can cause it to separate. A slow reheat on the stove keeps everything smooth and creamy.

Final Thoughts

This Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara recipe proves that you do not need a restaurant reservation to enjoy one of Olive Garden's most beloved pasta dishes. With smoky bacon, tender chicken, juicy shrimp, and a glossy parmesan cream sauce, this Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara Copycat Recipe is destined to become a regular at your dinner table. Once you taste how easy and satisfying it is to make at home, you may never order it out again.