Olive Garden’s chicken and shrimp carbonara is a popular dish at the Italian-American restaurant chain. With its creamy alfredo sauce, chicken, shrimp, and fettuccine noodles, it’s easy to see why this dish is a customer favorite. However, with its rich ingredients, the chicken and shrimp carbonara is also high in calories. So just how many calories are in Olive Garden’s chicken and shrimp carbonara?
An Overview of Olive Garden’s Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara
Olive Garden describes their chicken and shrimp carbonara as “A blend of creamy alfredo sauce, crispy bacon, chicken, rigatoni, and shrimp. Topped with Romano cheese.” The dish features fettuccine noodles tossed in a rich, creamy alfredo sauce with pieces of grilled chicken, shrimp, onions, mushrooms, and bacon. It’s finished off with Romano cheese and parsley.
The alfredo sauce is Olive Garden’s signature sauce, made with a blend of heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and garlic. It’s known for being extremely rich, creamy, and high in calories and fat. The chicken and shrimp add extra protein to the dish, while the bacon provides a smoky, salty crunch.
Nutrition Information for Olive Garden’s Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara
According to Olive Garden’s online nutrition information, here are the nutrition facts for their chicken and shrimp carbonara:
| Serving Size | 1 entree – 507g |
| Calories | 1610 |
| Total Fat | 94g |
| Saturated Fat | 59g |
| Trans Fat | 1g |
| Cholesterol | 295mg |
| Sodium | 3280mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 90g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4g |
| Sugars | 12g |
| Protein | 63g |
As you can see, one serving of Olive Garden’s chicken and shrimp carbonara contains a whopping 1610 calories. It also contains 94g of fat, 59g of which are saturated. It’s high in cholesterol at 295mg and sodium at 3280mg. So this one dish supplies a huge amount of your recommended daily intake of calories, fat, and sodium.
Breaking Down the Calorie Count of Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara
What makes this dish so high in calories? Let’s break down the major calorie sources:
- Alfredo sauce – The creamy alfredo sauce is made with heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and butter or oil. These all supply a large amount of fat and calories. Just 1/4 cup of alfredo sauce can contain around 300 calories.
- Fettuccine noodles – Fettuccine is not a particularly high-calorie pasta on its own. But once tossed with alfredo sauce, the carb and calorie count quickly adds up.
- Chicken – A 3oz portion of grilled chicken breast contains about 140 calories. Olive Garden’s chicken and shrimp carbonara likely contains around 6-8oz of chicken.
- Shrimp – Shrimp is relatively low in calories compared to other protein sources, with 100g containing about 120 calories. But with the generous portion size at Olive Garden, the shrimp still adds a fair amount of calories.
- Bacon – Just 2 strips of bacon can contain about 40-50 calories. Bacon is high in fat, which drives up the calorie count.
- Cheese – Parmesan cheese has a strong flavor, so a little goes a long way. But it still contributes fat and calories – about 110 calories per 1/4 cup shredded.
When you combine large servings of high-calorie ingredients like cream, cheese, pasta, chicken, and bacon, it’s easy to see how this dish gets up to 1610 calories.
How Olive Garden’s Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara Compares to Other Dishes
Olive Garden has a wide variety of pasta dishes, meat entrees, seafood, and specialty Italian options. How does the chicken and shrimp carbonara stack up against some of their other popular menu choices?
| Dish | Calories |
| Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara | 1610 |
| Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken | 1210 |
| Seafood Alfredo | 970 |
| Chicken Parmigiana | 1280 |
| Lasagna Classico | 800 |
| Spaghetti with Meat Sauce | 610 |
| Herb-Grilled Salmon | 530 |
While dishes like the seafood alfredo, chicken parm, lasagna, and spaghetti with meat sauce are all high in calories, none are quite as calorie-packed as the chicken and shrimp carbonara.
The simple spaghetti with tomato meat sauce contains less than half the calories of the chicken and shrimp carbonara. And lighter options like the herb-grilled salmon clock in at just 530 calories.
So if you’re looking for a lower-calorie entree at Olive Garden, the chicken and shrimp carbonara is one of the most calorie-dense options on the menu.
Tips for Making Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara Healthier
If you love the tasty flavors of chicken and shrimp carbonara but want a lighter version, there are some simple ways to cut down on the calories:
- Ask for light alfredo sauce or sauce on the side – Get a smaller amount of alfredo sauce or ask for it served on the side so you control how much you use.
- Choose whole wheat pasta – Opt for a fiber-rich whole wheat pasta instead of regular fettuccine to add more nutrients.
- Load up on veggies – Ask for extra veggies like broccoli, tomatoes, spinach or peas to bulk up the dish and add nutrients.
- Skip the bacon – Nixing the bacon will trim a good amount of fat and sodium.
- Easy on the cheese – Ask for light cheese or get it on the side to control portion size.
- Split the dish – Share an order with a friend to cut the calorie amount in half.
With a few simple tweaks, you can still enjoy the great flavors of chicken and shrimp carbonara in a lighter, healthier way.
Healthier Alternatives to Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara at Olive Garden
If you want to skip the high-calorie chicken and shrimp carbonara altogether, Olive Garden has some great lighter options that can satisfy your Italian cravings.
Herb-Grilled Salmon
This flavorful salmon dish packs protein and heart-healthy omega-3s. Served with veggies, it comes in at just 530 calories.
Vegetable Primavera
Loaded with fresh veggies sautéed in a light lemon sauce over pasta, this vegetarian primavera has only 480 calories.
Herb-Grilled Chicken
Herb-grilled chicken breast is a leaner alternative to chicken parm or carbonara, with 200 calories for a 5oz portion.
Minestrone Soup
Warm up with a bowl of minestrone soup made with veggies, beans and pasta for just 110 calories in a hearty 1 cup serving.
Salad with Light Dressing
Fill up on a garden salad with a light balsamic vinaigrette. An Olive Garden side salad has about 150 calories without heavy dressings or loads of cheese.
Conclusion
Olive Garden’s chicken and shrimp carbonara packs a whopping 1610 calories along with high amounts of fat, cholesterol, and sodium. All those creamy, high-calorie ingredients like alfredo sauce, chicken, bacon and cheese quickly drive up the calorie count.
While it’s one of the highest-calorie options at Olive Garden, there are many ways to tweak the dish to make it healthier, like going easy on the sauce and cheese or skipping the bacon. And for even fewer calories, there are great lower-calorie alternatives like salads, grilled chicken, or seafood.
So next time you visit Olive Garden, keep the calorie count of the chicken and shrimp carbonara in mind. But don’t worry – with a few smart menu picks, you can still enjoy authentic Italian flavors without breaking your daily calorie budget.
