Rattlesnake Pasta

Rattlesnake Pasta is an easy, tasty UNO copycat pasta recipe that's made with tender seasoned chicken and a creamy spicy garlic cheese sauce! A mouthwatering one-pot meal that has dinner on the table in just 35 minutes!

5 from 8 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: creamy jalapeno pasta, creamy spicy chicken pasta, spicy chicken pasta

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 35

Servings: people

Calories: 659kcal

INGREDIENTS

Chicken & Pasta

4 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1 lb Cavatappi pasta
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Spicy Asiago Cream Sauce

1 tablespoon minced jalapeños
3 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon peppercorns
½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
4 ounces Asiago cheese
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 ounces cheddar cheese
2 Jalapeños seeded and sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

I recommend letting the chicken sit out until it is ready to cook. Letting it come slightly to room temp will shorten the cooking time, provide an even cook, and thus maintain moisture, providing a juicy, perfectly cooked chicken breast.
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring water and salt to a boil.
4 cups water, 2 teaspoons salt
Cut a 2” piece of jalapeño pepper and finely mince it to make about 1 tablespoon of minced jalapeño.
1 tablespoon minced jalapeños
Prepare the cream sauce by adding garlic cloves, minced jalapeños, peppercorns, and sea salt to a mortar and crush into a paste with a pestle. Add olive oil once the peppercorns are mostly broken down, and continue to crush until the peppercorns and salt are pulverized. Set aside. Always wear gloves when handling the jalapeños, or be sure to wash your hands before touching anything, especially your face. It may be easier to crush the garlic cloves slightly before adding them to the mortar. If you do not have a mortar, use a ziplock and meat mallet or a bowl and a muddler.
3 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon peppercorns, ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Grate the Asiago cheese into a bowl and set both aside.
4 ounces Asiago cheese
Add the pasta to the water and boil Al dente according to the package instructions. (About 10 minutes)
1 lb Cavatappi pasta
Use this time to shred the cheddar cheese and jalapeño slices that will be added as a finishing touch.
4 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 Jalapeños
When the pasta is done, pour into a colander and place under running cold water. This helps prevent the pasta from over cooking and will also prevent it from sticking together as the chicken and sauce are prepared. Return the pan to the stovetop over high heat.
Add the butter to the pan with ½ of the Italian seasoning and the minced garlic. This infuses the butter with the Italian seasoning and garlic. Since the chicken will be cooking in the butter the chicken will soak in these flavors as it comes to temp.
2 tablespoons salted butter, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon minced garlic
Add the chicken to the pan and sprinkle the remaining Italian seasoning over the top. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Covering the pan traps heat and steam inside which speeds up the cooking time and adds moisture to the chicken breast.
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
Remove the chicken from the pan and place onto a wooden cutting board. Use an upside down mixing bowl to create a dome over the chicken to trap the heat.
Next, prepare the sauce by adding the garlic jalapeno paste to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes. This releases the flavor of the jalapeño and garlic into the butter providing a savory kick of flavor to the base of the sauce.
Sprinkle the flour over the pan and stir until combined. Cook for about one minute or until the flour starts to bubble
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Slowly incorporate the heavy cream and milk into the sauce. Whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk
Once the milk and cream are fully incorporated, reduce the heat to low and stir in the shredded asiago cheese and cayenne pepper. Stir until melted, about 1 minute.
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and toss to coat. Turn off the heat and cover.
Thinly slice the chicken breast. Add the chicken, shredded cheddar cheese, and jalapeño slices to the pasta.
2 Jalapeños, 4 ounces cheddar cheese

NOTES

Savory, creamy asiago cheese sauce has a delicious kick of heat from the garlic jalapeno paste that makes the base of this sauce. Deseed the jalapenos for less of a bite, or keep them in for an extra spicy meal.

NUTRITION