Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara
You'll be glad you stayed home with this Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara which is definitely better than the real deal!
Servings 6
Calories 1317kcal
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- 1 pound medium-size shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon pepper (freshly ground preferred)
- ½ teaspoon salt
Carbonara
- 16 ounces spaghetti
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 4 ounces pancetta diced
- ½ cup salted butter
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
- 2 cups heavy cream
Topping
- ¼ cup parmesan romano cheese shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup Italian seasoned panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup salted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- Fresh parsley finely chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Marinade
- Add the chicken tenders and shrimp to a gallon-sized food storage bag. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, pepper, and salt.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken and shrimp. Seal the bag and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
Carbonara
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the noodles and then set them aside.
- While the pasta cooks, pour the chicken, shrimp, and marinade into a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for 7 minutes. Add the bell peppers to the skillet, and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set to the side for now.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. (I use the same one I cooked the pasta in.) Add the pancetta and cook for 5 minutes until crispy, stirring often.
- Add the butter to the pot and lower the heat to medium-low. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour. Then add the crushed garlic, parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and egg yolks. Whisk constantly for 5 minutes to prevent to eggs from scrambling.
- Add the cooked spaghetti and stir to coat in the sauce. Transfer the pasta to a 9-inch x 13-inch baking sheet and spread it into an even layer. Top the pasta with the cooked chicken tenders, shrimp, and bell peppers.
- Preheat your oven's broiler to low. (I find this lets me control the doneness of the topping better than high broil.)
Topping
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the parmesan romano cheese, mozzarella, seasoned bread crumbs, melted butter, and garlic powder until well combined. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the casserole.
- Broil the pasta for 5-7 minutes, until the top is golden brown and slightly crispy.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped parsley for garnish. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 1317kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 90g | Saturated Fat: 48g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 29g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 449mg | Sodium: 1597mg | Potassium: 790mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3275IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 376mg | Iron: 3mg
