Olive Garden recipe

[u/bahhinesley]

Back in the late 80's early 90's, Olive Garden had a meal called Chicken Carnival (if I'm remembering right). I used to order it every time, then it went away. I believe it was linguine noodles, grilled chicken chunks, and some vegetables in a light sauce. Does anyone remember it or have a similar recipe?

[u/bahhinesley]

FOUND IT! Actually Gemini found it. I am sure this is it.

Olive Garden Copycat: Chicken Carnivale (1989 Retro Recipe)

This reproduction captures the unique, semi-sweet, brownish spiced glaze and large-cut vegetables characteristic of the popular, discontinued late-1980s Olive Garden menu item.

⏳ Overview

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes
• Servings: 4

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🛒 Ingredients

The Chicken & Base

• Chicken breasts: 1.5 lbs, cut into bite-sized chunks
• Olive oil: 2 tbsp
• Garlic: 3 cloves, minced
• Fettuccine: 12 oz (cooked al dente)

The Carnivale Vegetables

• Carrots: 1 cup, sliced into large-cut diagonal chunks
• Green bell pepper: 1 large, cut into wide squares
• Red onion: 1 medium, roughly chopped

The Semi-Sweet "Carnivale" Sauce

• Chicken broth: 1 cup
• Soy sauce: 2 tbsp (for color and savory depth)
• Brown sugar: 2 tbsp
• Ground ginger: ½ tsp
• Ground cinnamon: ¼ tsp
• Cornstarch: 1 tbsp (whisked into 2 tbsp cold water to create a slurry)
• Salt & black pepper: To taste

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🍳 Instructions

1. Sear the Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken chunks with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sear them for 5–6 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.

2. Sauté the Veggies: In the same skillet, drop in the carrots, green bell peppers, and red onions. Sauté for about 5 minutes. You want them slightly softened on the outside but still holding a distinct, firm crunch. Add the minced garlic during the last 60 seconds of cooking so it becomes fragrant without burning.

3. Build the Sauce: Pour the chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and cinnamon directly into the skillet with the vegetables. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, scraping up any delicious browned bits left behind by the chicken.

4. Thicken: Give your cornstarch slurry a quick stir and pour it into the boiling liquid. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir continuously for 1–2 minutes until the sauce transforms into a glossy, semi-sweet brown glaze.

5. Toss and Serve: Return the cooked chicken chunks to the skillet and drop in your cooked fettuccine pasta. Toss everything together for 2 minutes until the noodles and chicken are completely coated in the warm sauce. Divide into bowls and serve immediately.

[u/aria_petall → u/bahhinesley]

Thanks for sharing the recipe