Chicken and Shrimp Alfredo

Fill a large pot with water that has been lightly seasoned with salt, then bring it to a vigorous boil. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and stir in the trottole pasta, returning it to a rolling boil. Cook the trottole uncovered, stirring occasionally, until they are tender but still retain a bit of firmness in the center, approximately 8 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer the cooked trottole to a serving dish; set the pot aside for now.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic, chopped fresh basil leaves, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of black pepper to the skillet. Add boneless chicken breast; cook and stir constantly until it's browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.

Melt butter over medium heat in the same pasta pot that was used to cook the trottole. Add softened cream cheese and stir until it's fully incorporated into a smooth, creamy mixture, about 1 minute. Gradually add 2 cups of milk and heavy cream to the pot, stirring constantly until it's warm and well combined, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese until it's fully incorporated into the sauce, then continue stirring. If the sauce becomes too thick, you can add a bit more milk to thin it out. Add a spoonful of pesto and some chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the sauce.

Add the cooked chicken and trottole back into the sauce, stirring until they're fully coated. Add peeled and deveined shrimp to the skillet; cook and stir constantly until the shrimp turn pink, about 6-8 minutes more.