This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure Policy.
Rich and indulgent, this easy recipe for Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara is the perfect family meal for a Friday night! An American-style carbonara sauce is levelled up with tender chicken and juicy shrimp. And don’t forget those crispy pieces of pancetta!
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
Why This Is Such A Delicious Take On Carbonara
- Carbonara is a famously tricky recipe to get right, but I’ve taken all the stress out of making it for dinner tonight by making it American-style with half and half to stop the eggs scrambling, and I’ve added chicken and shrimp for the ultimate Friday night dinner! It’s rich, elegant, creamy and cheesy.
- But, because my version still uses egg yolks (plenty of recipes lean on cream and broth, which will make a tasty sauce, but not a carbonara sauce!) it still has that signature carbonara taste you get when you order it at a restaurant.
- With minimal seasoning (just parmesan, salt and pepper) the flavors of the pancetta (or bacon), chicken and shrimp are really allowed to shine without being lost in a sauce with too much going on.
What I Learned Testing This Recipe
- The pasta finishes cooking in the sauce, so cook it to only just-al-dente. I found I got soft, overdone pasta when I started testing this recipe and I was cooking it the usual amount.
- Don’t skip the tempering step, and whatever you do, go slowly! Pouring in hot half and half too fast cooked the yolks on contact. A tablespoon at a time, whisking constantly, until the bowl feels warm to the touch, is what works best to get a smooth, rich sauce.
- Pat the chicken and shrimp completely dry before cooking them. Surface moisture means they will steam not sear in the pan, compromising both texture and flavor!
Ingredients
Bucatini or spaghetti – I find long varieties of pasta work best in this recipe, but really any dried pasta you have in the pantry (except for pastina-style soup pastas or angel hair) will work in this recipe. Gluten free pasta also works well here.
Pancetta – Or thick bacon, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces.
Half and half – Okay, so you don’t get cream in a traditional carbonara, but you don’t get chicken or shrimp either! The half and half helps guarantee a rich and creamy sauce every time. If you want to sub heavy cream you can, but watch the sauce doesn’t get too thick (adding splashes of pasta water will help this) but don’t sub milk instead which is too thin for this recipe.
Egg yolks – Classic for a carbonara! And I’ve got plenty of ideas for using up the leftover egg whites!
Boneless skinless chicken breasts – Cut into bite-sized pieces. You could also sub in thigh meat.
Large shrimp – Peeled and deveined.
Parmesan cheese – Grating your own is essential to getting the sauce to the right consistency. Pre-shredded or grated cheese is usually tossed with anti-caking agents which will turn the sauce gluey.
Freshly ground black pepper – I know I don’t usually list things like salt and pepper other than on the recipe card, but using freshly ground pepper is so important here as it is what makes a flat carbonara and excellent one. Pre-ground pepper simply won’t cut it here.
Serving & Storage Suggestions
This chicken and shrimp carbonara recipe is a complete meal, but to make it more substantial I sometimes add a salad and some garlic bread.
Carbonara (especially made with shrimp!) is one of those recipes that only really works eating it when it has just been made, so don’t plan for any leftovers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, simply double the quantity of whichever you’ve left out and adjust the cooking times accordingly.
The yolks are heated in the simmering half and half, which cooks them gently, though not completely. If you’re concerned, especially when serving pregnant women, young children, older adults, or anyone immunocompromised, make sure to use fresh, pasteurized eggs.
Graininess usually means the sauce got too hot and the eggs scrambled slightly. An oily sauce can come from heat that’s too high or from too much rendered fat left in the pan. Drain most of the pancetta fat before adding the half and half, and keep the heat gentle once the yolks go in if you’re experiencing these issues.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Spaghetti Carbonara with Chicken and Shrimp
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked bucatini or spaghetti
- 6 ounces pancetta or thick bacon, sliced into 1/2” pieces
- 2 cups half and half
- 4 large egg yolks
- ½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1½ cups Parmesan cheese freshly grated, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Add the pancetta to a large skillet and saute over medium-low heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pancetta to a bowl using a slotted spoon.
- Increase the heat to medium high and add chicken and shrimp to the skillet. Cook for about two minutes, stirring after the first minute. Cook until golden brown on sides and cooked through. Transfer to plate or bowl.
- Add the half and half to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Temper egg yolks by adding some half and half into egg mixture, then slowly return to skillet, whisking vigorously over medium heat. Whisk in the Parmesan cheese. Stir in the black pepper. Season with salt if desired (the bacon and cheese add plenty of salty flavor but you may like additional salt!)
- Add the cooked pasta, bacon, and chicken to the skillet and toss well to combine.
- Garnish with more Parmesan cheese if desired, and serve immediately.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tag @40aprons on Instagram and be sure to leave a review on the blog post!
Never Miss A Meal!
New Recipes Straight To Your Inbox
A curated selection of our most recent recipes, delivered straight to your inbox once a week.
Thank you!
You have successfully joined our subscriber list.