Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara
This Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara recipe delivers creamy, smoky, restaurant-quality pasta right at your own table, ready in under 45 minutes.
Bring the Olive Garden Classic Home
If you have ever ordered the Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara Pasta at Olive Garden and thought about it for days afterward, you are not alone. This copycat Olive Garden chicken and shrimp carbonara recipe recreates that rich, smoky, unbelievably creamy pasta dish in your own kitchen, and honestly, it might just beat the restaurant version. Between the crispy bacon, tender chicken, plump shrimp, and that silky parmesan cream sauce, every bite delivers the comfort food experience you are craving.
This is one of those recipes that looks like it took hours of effort but actually comes together in well under an hour. Once you understand the rhythm of a good carbonara sauce, you will find yourself making this copycat Olive Garden chicken carbonara on repeat.
Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients genuinely matter here. A wide, deep skillet lets you toss the pasta and sauce together without spilling, and freshly grated parmesan (not the shelf-stable stuff) melts far more smoothly into the eggs and cream. Good quality bacon also makes a real difference in the smoky depth of this dish.
What Makes This Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara So Good
Unlike a traditional Roman carbonara, this Olive Garden chicken carbonara recipe leans into heavy cream alongside the classic egg and parmesan base, giving it that extra luxurious, restaurant-style richness people love. The combination of seared chicken, quickly sauteed shrimp, and crispy bacon means every forkful has something different going on.
Chef's Tip: Pull the skillet off the heat before whisking in the egg mixture, and add it slowly while stirring constantly. This keeps the eggs silky instead of scrambled, which is the number one thing that can go wrong with any carbonara.
Tips for Getting the Sauce Just Right
A great chicken and shrimp carbonara pasta recipe really comes down to sauce technique. Here is what helps:
- Always reserve a cup of starchy pasta water before draining. It is liquid gold for adjusting sauce consistency.
- Grate your own parmesan rather than using pre-shredded, which contains anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.
- Keep the heat on low once the eggs go in. Gentle heat is what turns eggs into silky sauce instead of scrambled bits.
- Do not overcook the shrimp. They only need a couple of minutes per side to stay tender and juicy.
This Olive Garden chicken and shrimp carbonara copycat recipe is also easy to scale up if you are feeding a crowd, just double the ingredients and use a larger skillet or pot to give everything room to combine evenly.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:
Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara
This Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara recipe delivers creamy, smoky, restaurant-quality pasta right at your own table, ready in under 45 minutes.
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti or fettuccine
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for serving
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup chicken broth, for thinning sauce if needed
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly cracked, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp salt, plus more for pasta water
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instruction
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
While the pasta cooks, season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and italian seasoning.
In a large deep skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
Add olive oil to the same skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Sear the chicken pieces until golden and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
In the same skillet, add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove and set aside with the chicken.
Reduce heat to medium, add the butter and minced garlic, and saute for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
In a small bowl, whisk the beaten eggs with the grated parmesan cheese.
Remove the skillet from heat briefly, then slowly whisk the egg and cheese mixture into the cream sauce, stirring constantly to prevent scrambling.
Return the skillet to low heat and stir until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a splash of reserved pasta water or chicken broth.
Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat thoroughly in the sauce.
Fold in the cooked chicken, shrimp, and crispy bacon, tossing gently to combine and warm through.
Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed.
Garnish with chopped parsley and extra parmesan cheese, then serve immediately.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Deep skillet or saute pan
- Whisk
- Tongs
- Colander
Notes
Serving and Storing Your Carbonara
Serve this pasta hot, straight from the skillet, with extra grated parmesan and a crack of fresh black pepper on top. A simple side salad and warm breadsticks make it feel like a true Olive Garden style dinner at home.
If you happen to have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. When reheating, go low and slow on the stovetop with a splash of cream, milk, or chicken broth stirred in. This loosens the sauce back up without breaking the eggs, which can happen if you blast it in the microwave.
Variations to Try
- Extra veggies: Stir in sauteed mushrooms or baby spinach for added texture and color.
- Spicy kick: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the cream sauce for gentle heat.
- Lighter version: Swap half the heavy cream for whole milk and use turkey bacon to lighten things up slightly.
However you serve it, this copycat Olive Garden chicken and shrimp carbonara recipe is proof that you do not need a restaurant reservation to enjoy this creamy, comforting favorite. Once you make it at home, you will have full control over the ingredients, the portions, and best of all, the leftovers.
