Chicken Shrimp Carbonara Linguine

I made Chicken Shrimp Carbonara Linguine last Tuesday and honestly it’s more involved than regular carbonara but the crispy chicken makes it worth the extra pans. You’ve got bacon, breaded chicken, shrimp, and this really creamy sauce that coats everything without feeling too heavy. It took me 40 minutes start to finish and I burned the garlic once so don’t do that.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The breaded chicken stays crispy even after you toss it in the sauce, which shouldn’t work but does.
• You’re using bacon fat to cook everything so the shrimp and vegetables pick up that smoky flavor without extra steps.
• Chicken carbonara gets boring but adding shrimp gives you two proteins that cook at different speeds so there’s always something interesting in each bite.
• The panko crust has parmesan mixed in already so you get these little salty pockets when you bite through.
• Heavy cream and chicken broth thin out the sauce just enough that it’s not like eating straight alfredo.
• Six servings from one skillet and one pot means less cleanup than it sounds like.

The Story Behind This Recipe

I wanted carbonara but I had chicken breasts and shrimp that needed to get used up before the weekend. Regular shrimp carbonara felt too safe and I’d just breaded chicken cutlets two days before so the panko was already out on my counter. Mixing them felt weird at first but then I remembered this Italian place near my old apartment that did a surf and turf pasta that was actually really good, not gimmicky. So I just started cooking and adjusted as I went. The bacon was supposed to be pancetta but I didn’t have any and honestly couldn’t tell the difference once everything was mixed together.

What You Need

You’re cooking linguine for 6 servings which means a full pound, maybe a little more depending on the brand. Salt your pasta water like you’re seasoning soup, not just a pinch.

For breading the chicken you need 1 cup flour in one bowl, then 2 beaten eggs in another, then 1 cup panko breadcrumbs mixed with ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese plus Italian seasoning, garlic powder, kosher salt and cracked black pepper in a third bowl. The parmesan in the breading is what makes the crust taste like something instead of just crunch. You’re using 2 boneless chicken breasts and they should be the normal size ones, not those giant thick-cut things that take forever to cook through.

4 slices of chopped bacon go in first to render the fat, and that fat is what you’re cooking everything else in so don’t use the pre-cooked kind. 1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined already because life’s too short. I used 31-40 count and they were fine.

1 medium red bell pepper sliced, 1 medium onion sliced, 2 cloves of garlic minced. The garlic goes in last because it burns faster than you think. For the sauce it’s 1 cup heavy cream and ½ cup chicken broth which sounds like a lot of cream but it needs the broth to thin it out or you’re just eating glue. Another ½ cup grated parmesan goes in at the end, and fresh parsley for garnish which I actually remembered to buy this time. Oh and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to start everything.

How to Make Chicken Shrimp Carbonara Linguine

Fill your 5 to 6-quart stockpot two-thirds with water and get it to a low rolling boil over medium-high heat. Salt it liberally, like more than feels right, then add the linguine and stir it so nothing sticks to the bottom. Cook until al dente which is usually 2 minutes less than the package says, then drain it completely.

While that’s happening set up three shallow bowls for breading. Flour in the first one. Panko breadcrumbs mixed with ¼ cup parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper in the second. Beat 2 eggs in the third bowl. Mix the panko mixture really well so the cheese doesn’t clump in one spot. Put a cooling rack over a baking sheet because you’ll need it later for draining the chicken.

Take your 2 chicken breasts and dredge them in flour first, shake off the extra, then dip them in the beaten eggs and coat them completely, then press them into the panko mix on both sides. Press hard so the breading actually sticks and doesn’t fall off when you flip them. Put them on the cooling rack while you heat up your skillet.

Get a 12-inch skillet going over medium-high and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss in the 4 slices of chopped bacon and when it starts sizzling loud you know the heat’s right. Stir it frequently and don’t walk away because bacon goes from crispy to burned in about 30 seconds. When it’s deep brown transfer it to a plate with a slotted spoon but leave all that bacon fat in the pan.

Add the breaded chicken breasts to the hot bacon fat and you should hear a strong sizzle immediately. Cook them 6 to 7 minutes per side until they’re golden brown, flipping carefully so the crust doesn’t tear off. If the crust is darkening too fast turn the heat down a little. When they’re done move them back to the cooling rack, and rinse the rack quick to get rid of any loose crumbs.

Throw the pound of shrimp right into that same skillet with all the bacon fat still in there. They’ll pop a little as they cook, 2 to 3 minutes per side until they’re firm and pink all the way through. Take them out and put them on a clean plate. Now add your sliced red bell pepper and onion to the skillet and stir them often so they don’t scorch. After 4 to 5 minutes they’ll soften and turn slightly translucent and your kitchen will smell sweet. Add the 2 cloves of minced garlic last and stir just until it’s fragrant, maybe a minute tops because overcooked garlic tastes bitter and weird.

Pour in 1 cup heavy cream and ½ cup chicken broth, stirring to scrape up all the brown bits stuck to the pan. Turn the heat down so it’s simmering lightly but not boiling. Let it bubble gently for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken up while you slice the rested chicken into one-inch pieces. Try to keep that crispy coating intact when you cut it.

Turn off the heat completely and add the remaining ½ cup parmesan cheese to the cream, stirring constantly until it melts into a smooth sauce. Fold in the sliced chicken, cooked shrimp, drained linguine and crispy bacon. Toss everything just enough to coat it evenly but not so much that you wreck the chicken crust. The way the shrimp carbonara sauce clings to the chicken pieces without making them soggy is actually kind of impressive, I noticed it most when I was plating it. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and extra parmesan if you want, then serve it hot right away.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I added the garlic at the same time as the bell peppers and onions and it burned while everything else was still cooking. Burned garlic tastes acrid and bitter and there’s no saving it once it’s done, you just have to dump everything and start over. I also didn’t rest the chicken on a rack the first time, I just put it on a plate and the bottom got soggy from sitting in it’s own oil. The rack lets air circulate underneath so the breading stays crispy on both sides. Now I always rinse the rack between the raw breaded chicken and the cooked chicken because otherwise you’re just putting cooked food on a surface that touched raw chicken which is gross.

Chicken Shrimp Carbonara Linguine

By Emma

Prep:

10 min

Cook:

30 min

Total:

40 min

Servings:

6 servings

Ingredients

• kosher salt as needed
• linguine enough for 6 servings
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• Italian seasoning to taste
• garlic powder to taste
• kosher salt to taste
• cracked black pepper to taste
• 2 beaten eggs
• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 slices chopped bacon
• 1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp
• 1 medium red bell pepper sliced
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Method

1. 1 Fill a 5 to 6-quart stockpot two-thirds with water and bring to a low rolling boil over medium-high heat. Salt the water liberally, then add linguine. Stir to prevent sticking. Cook until al dente, then remove from heat and drain thoroughly.
2. 2 While pasta cooks, place the flour in a shallow bowl to set up your dredging station.
3. 3 In another shallow bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, ¼ cup grated parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper. Mix well so the flavors distribute evenly.
4. 4 Beat eggs in a third shallow bowl, getting ready for coating.
5. 5 Prepare a cooling rack set over a baking sheet to let breaded chicken rest and drain excess oil later.
6. 6 Dredge chicken breasts first in flour, shaking off excess. Next, dip into beaten eggs, coating fully, then press into the breadcrumb mix on both sides, ensuring the coating sticks well by pressing firmly. Place breaded chicken on the cooling rack.
7. 7 Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add extra virgin olive oil, then toss in chopped bacon. The loud sizzle tells you heat is right; stir frequently and watch carefully to prevent burning. Once bacon crisps to deep brown, transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate, leaving bacon fat in the pan.
8. 8 Add breaded chicken breasts to hot skillet. Expect a strong sizzling sound; adjust heat if crust darkens too quickly. Cook 6 to 7 minutes per side until golden brown, flip carefully without losing the crust. Transfer cooked chicken back to the cooling rack to rest and drain, simultaneously rinse rack to remove crumbs.
9. 9 Add shrimp immediately into the skillet with bacon fat. Listen for the shrimp to pop slightly as they cook; 2 to 3 minutes each side until firm and pink throughout. Remove shrimp to a clean plate.
10. 10 Add sliced red bell peppers and onion to the skillet. Stir often to avoid scorching. As vegetables soften—about 4 to 5 minutes—you'll see them turn slightly translucent and smell their sweet aroma.
11. 11 Add minced garlic last to the softened veggies. Stir just until fragrant, no more than a minute—overcooking garlic dulls the flavor.
12. 12 Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring to deglaze the pan. Reduce heat to maintain a light simmer without boiling. This subtle bubbling thickens the sauce gently over 2 to 3 minutes, concentrating the flavors while preventing curdling.
13. 13 While cream simmers, slice rested chicken into one-inch pieces. Handle them carefully to keep that crispy breading intact.
14. 14 Turn off heat and add remaining ½ cup parmesan cheese to the cream mixture, stirring continuously until it melts into a creamy sauce. Fold in sliced chicken, cooked shrimp, drained linguine, and crispy bacon. Toss everything just enough to coat evenly without spoiling the crust on chicken.
15. 15 Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and a sprinkle of extra parmesan. Serve hot immediately to enjoy the contrast of textures and the rich fragrant sauce.

Nutritional information

Calories

644

Protein

40g

Carbs

44g

Fat

34g

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Tips for the Best Chicken Shrimp Carbonara Linguine

The breading sticks better if you press down hard on the chicken after you coat it in panko, like really push it into the crumbs with your palm. I learned this after my first batch where half the coating slid off into the oil.

Don’t drain your pasta too early and leave it sitting in the colander. It’ll clump together and then when you add it to the sauce you have to break it apart which tears up the breaded chicken. Drain it right before you’re ready to toss everything together.

The sauce will look thin when you first add the parmesan but it thickens as it sits off the heat while you’re tossing everything in. If you keep it on the burner trying to thicken it more you’ll end up with clumpy cheese instead of smooth cream.

Save a cup of pasta water before you drain just in case. I didn’t need it this time but the one time I forgot to do this the sauce was too thick and I had no way to loosen it without ruining the consistency.

When you fold the chicken into the sauce do it last and be gentle. The more you stir the more likely that crispy coating breaks apart and then you just have soggy breaded pieces floating around instead of actual texture contrast.

Serving Ideas

I ate mine straight from the skillet the first night which wasn’t elegant but it was hot and that’s what mattered. The second night I reheated a portion and put it in a shallow bowl with extra cracked pepper on top and it felt fancier without any extra work.

Garlic bread seems obvious but it’s actually really good for soaking up the extra sauce at the bottom of your plate. I used frozen Texas toast because I’m not making bread from scratch on a Tuesday.

A simple arugula salad with lemon juice cuts through all that cream. I didn’t have arugula so I used mixed greens and it was fine, just needed the acid to balance everything out.

Variations

You could swap the linguine for fettuccine and it’d work just as well since they’re both flat noodles that hold cream sauce. I wouldn’t use spaghetti though because it’s too thin and the sauce just slides off.

Turkey bacon instead of regular bacon makes this slightly less heavy but you lose some of that smoky depth. I tried it once when I was out of pork bacon and it was okay but not something I’d choose on purpose.

Skip the breading entirely and just pan-sear seasoned chicken breasts if you want this done in 30 minutes instead of 40. You lose the textural contrast but the shrimp carbonara sauce still tastes really good and it’s less cleanup.

Sun-dried tomatoes added with the bell peppers give you these sharp tangy bursts that cut the richness. I’d use maybe a third of a cup chopped up, not too much or it takes over the whole dish.

FAQ

Can I use a different pasta shape for this carbonara linguine? Fettuccine or pappardelle work because they’re flat and wide enough to hold the cream sauce. Penne or rigatoni won’t coat the same way and you’ll end up with pools of sauce at the bottom of your bowl instead of every bite being saucy.

What size shrimp should I buy if the store doesn’t have 31-40 count? Anything in the 26-30 or 36-45 range works fine, you just adjust cooking time by maybe 30 seconds either way. Bigger shrimp take slightly longer to cook through and smaller ones cook faster but it’s not a huge difference.

Can I bread the chicken ahead of time? Yeah you can bread it up to 4 hours before and keep it in the fridge uncovered so the coating stays dry. If you cover it or leave it longer than that the breading gets soggy from condensation.

My sauce broke and looks grainy instead of smooth, what happened? You either had the heat too high when you added the parmesan or you added it while the cream was still boiling. Always turn off the heat completely before stirring in the cheese and it should melt smooth.

How do I know when the chicken is cooked through without cutting it open? It should feel firm when you press the center with tongs and the juices run clear if you do pierce it. Or just use a meat thermometer and make sure it hits 165°F in the thickest part.

Can I use pre-shredded parmesan from a bag? Fresh grated melts better but bagged parmesan works in a pinch, just use a little less because it’s drier and saltier. The sauce might not be quite as smooth but honestly when everything’s mixed together you probably won’t notice.

Do I really need to use a cooling rack for the chicken? If you skip it and just use a plate the bottom of your breaded chicken sits in oil and gets soggy. The rack lets air circulate underneath so both sides stay crispy which is the whole point of breading it.

Can I make this without bacon? You can but you lose the smoky flavor that makes everything taste cohesive. If you skip it add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to cook the shrimp and vegetables or they’ll stick to the pan.

What’s the best way to reheat leftovers without making the chicken soggy? Oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes works better than microwave. The microwave steams everything and turns the breading into mush but the oven crisps it back up a little.

How long does this keep in the fridge? 3 days max in an airtight container. After that the cream sauce starts separating and the shrimp get rubbery and weird.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts? Boneless thighs work but they’re fattier so the breading might not stick as well and they take a couple extra minutes to cook through. I haven’t tried it myself but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.

Why did my garlic turn bitter? You added it too early or your heat was too high. Garlic burns really fast, like in under a minute if the pan’s too hot, and once it’s burned it tastes acrid and there’s no fixing it.

Can I freeze this? I wouldn’t freeze it because cream sauces separate when you thaw them and the breaded chicken loses all its texture. You’d basically be eating mushy pasta with weird grainy sauce.

What if I don’t have heavy cream? Half and half makes a thinner sauce that’s still okay but milk is too thin and won’t coat the pasta right. You really need the fat content from heavy cream for this to work the way it’s supposed to.

Do I have to use linguine or can I use whatever pasta I have? You can use what you have but the shape matters more than you think. Flat noodles like linguine hold cream sauce better than tube shapes, and spaghetti is too thin to carry the weight of the chicken and shrimp in each bite.

Can I use frozen shrimp? Yeah just thaw them completely first and pat them really dry with paper towels. If they’re still wet they’ll steam instead of getting that slight sear and they’ll water down your sauce.

How do I keep the breading from falling off when I flip the chicken? Press the coating on hard before you cook it and don’t flip it until it’s actually golden brown on the first side. If you flip too early the breading hasn’t set yet and it’ll stick to the pan instead of the chicken.

What can I substitute for panko breadcrumbs? Regular breadcrumbs work but the texture won’t be as crunchy. Panko has bigger flakes that stay crispier even after they sit in the sauce for a bit.

Is there a way to make this less rich? Use half and half instead of heavy cream and cut the bacon down to 2 slices. It’ll still taste good but you won’t feel as heavy after eating a full serving.

Why does my pasta clump together after I drain it? You either didn’t salt the water enough or you let it sit too long after draining. Toss it into the sauce right away while it’s still hot and slightly wet from the water.

Can I add more vegetables? Mushrooms or zucchini would work if you add them with the bell peppers and onions. Don’t add too much or you’ll have more vegetables than pasta and it stops being chicken carbonara and just becomes pasta primavera with protein.

What kind of bacon works best? Thick-cut gives you better crispy pieces that don’t shrivel up too much. Regular cut works fine too, you just end up with smaller bacon bits mixed in but the flavor’s the same either way.