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Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara

Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara

Carbonara pasta is one of the most famous and easy dishes to make in Italian cuisine. This egg-free Americanized version is equally easy and delicious
5 from 10 votes
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Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8
Calories: 525kcal

Ingredients

FOR THE SHRIMP:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, or 1 lb cubed boneless, skinless chicken breast

FOR THE SAUCE:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup onion, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons bacon bits
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  • 1 ½ cups milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pound box of linguine or any long pasta

FOR THE TOPPING:

  • ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

  • Marinating the shrimp in olive oil, garlic, and Italian seasoning is the first step. Try to let them marinate for at least 30 minutes. It’s ok if you can’t. This step is not crucial.
  • While shrimp is marinating, make the sauce. Melt the butter and saute the minced onion and garlic. Try to mince them as finely as you can, so the sauce is smooth, and nobody gets a big piece of garlic or onion.
  • Add the flour and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Even if it clumps up, move it around the pan to cook it, or the sauce will taste of raw flour.
  • Pour in the heavy cream and milk and use a whisk to combine everything until there are no more clumps in the sauce. Without a whisk, it is hard to make the sauce smooth.
  • Mix the bacon bits and ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese into the sauce. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer just until it thickens up.
  • While making the sauce, cook the pasta according to package instructions and save a bit of the cooking water to add to the sauce if you feel it is too thick. Cook pasta al dente, do not let it overcook. Drain and set aside. Add a splash of olive oil to it so it won’t stick.
  • Time to cook the shrimp. Heat a medium-sized skillet until hot and add the shrimp with the oil they were marinating in. Cook them for just a couple of minutes on each side.
  • Throw the cooked shrimp with any juices left in the pan into the sauce.
  • Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix to combine.
  • Make the topping: mix the Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses with the panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, minced garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and chopped parsley.
  • Transfer pasta to an oven-safe this, sprinkle topping over it, and broil for about 5 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are slightly brown and the cheeses are melted. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 24g
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