
Folks who grew up in parts of the Midwest or the Northeast will probably remember Uno Pizzeria fondly. This was the place to be on a Friday night or Sunday afternoon and their pizza still has a strong following. For all the times I have sat down to a yummy pizza there with family, I rarely have gone for the pasta. I admit this is a mistake on my part because trying some of the Rattlesnake Pasta someone at our table ordered a few years ago I was blown away.

This cheesy, tangy, hearty pasta has just the littlest bit of heat to it. It’s the perfect combination. That’s probably why this dish has a following almost as strong as the pizza. If you’ve ever wondered how to make it read on because you are gonna want to make this at home ASAP!
To start with we’re cooking the bell pepper then the chicken. You can use any color pepper you want here, but red gives a nice color contrast to the dish.

Then we’re basically making an Alfredo sauce that we’re going to doctor up. If you are super short on time you could use a jar product here, but I recommend going the old school route for the absolute most flavorful meal.

Any good Alfredo needs some garlic and how much you use is up to you. I like to load mine up with 3 hefty cloves in this recipe, but you can adjust as you like.

Whisk the roux as you add some milk and cream then add in your cheeses. This is where it gets really fun. You can see the melty goodness as you stir- always a good sign.

The rattlesnake part of this recipe comes from the pickled jalapeños we’re adding in. Just like the garlic you have to measure this with your heart. You can always start with just a little then keep a small bowl of them on the table for people to add if they want more heat (yes please!).

Then mix it all together with the chicken and pepper and pasta and you’re ready to dig into this classic pizzeria pasta- made from the comfort of home but with all the flavor of a restaurant!
Rattlesnake Pasta
Yield(s): Serves 6-8
25m prep time
20m cook time
458 calories
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeños, plus extra slices for serving
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz) grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 lb penne or cavatappi pasta, cooked and drained
- Red pepper flakes or hot sauce, optional
Preparation
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in Dutch oven or stockpot. Add bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Remover form pan. Add chicken to pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until no longer. Season with salt and pepper then add Worcestershire sauce to deglaze. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add butter and garlic to pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes then whisk in Italian seasoning and flour until thick paste forms. Cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and cream until thick sauce forms. Remove from heat.
- Stir in jalapeños, Parmesan, half the cheddar, and the chicken and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with pasta well to coat each piece. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and serve with some red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or extra sliced jalapeño if desired.
Recipe adapted from Food.











