Rattlesnake Pasta
Inspired by the classic J. Alexander’s dish, rattlesnake pasta is a bold and creamy Cajun chicken pasta dish, with bright red peppers, slices of jalapeños, and a rich alfredo sauce. It’s got a little heat offset by a cheesy cream sauce, and it’s a delicious restaurant-quality dish your friends and family won’t believe you made at home!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- The best part of rattlesnake pasta? Ok, well, it’s hard to narrow it down to just one, but high up on the list is all the FLAVOR in this dish! Red bell peppers. Jalapeños. Sautéed onions. Garlic. Parmesan and mozzarella! Lime juice. And, of course, we can’t forget the Cajun seasoning. Every bite is absolutely filled with incredible, mouth-watering flavor.
- Also on the list of “reasons to love rattlesnake pasta”? It’s a legitimate “restaurant-quality” meal because it’s a perfect copycat of a favorite J. Alexander’s menu item! You may have also seen it at Uno’s, 54th Street Grill, or Redland’s Grill. Regardless, making it at home is much easier on your monthly budget, which means you can have rattlesnake pasta whenever you want!
Chef’s Tips
- Be careful not to boil the pasta too long! You actually want to shave about 2 minutes off whatever cook time is listed on the package instructions. That way, you’ve got the perfect al dente texture by the time you actually eat the penne.
- Try to use a Cajun seasoning that doesn’t contain salt if you can find one. That way, you can salt your dish however you like! If your Cajun seasoning does contain salt, add it first, then taste the dish before adding any more salt. You may find you don’t need any extra at all!
More Can’t-Resist Pasta Dishes!
- Salmon Alfredo Pasta
- Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Lemon Pepper Pasta
- Firebirds’ Chicken Pasta Copycat Recipe
- Mushroom Stroganoff
- TikTok’s Famous Baked Feta Pasta
- Baked Ziti Pasta
- Tuna Alfredo (with Jarred or Homemade Sauce)
- Pasta Napoletana
- Green Chili Mac and Cheese
- Tofu Pasta
- Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
- Fried Spaghetti (Made From Leftovers!)
Rattlesnake Pasta
Inspired by the classic J. Alexander's dish, rattlesnake pasta is a bold and creamy Cajun chicken pasta dish, with bright red peppers, slices of jalapeños, and a rich alfredo sauce.
- large pot
- large wooden spoon
- colander
- cutting board
- large chef's knife
- Large skillet
- tongs
- large bowl
- whisk
For the Pasta
- 1 quart cold water
- 1 tablespoon sea salt (or kosher salt)
- 1 pound penne
For the Chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately [adjustable]2[/adjustable]-[adjustable]3[/adjustable] medium chicken breasts)
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (plus more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or vegetable oil)
For the Vegetables
- 10-12 thin slices red bell pepper (approximately [adjustable]1[/adjustable] small bell pepper; core and seeds removed)
- 1 jalapeño pepper (thinly sliced)
- ½ cup diced yellow onion (approximately [adjustable]1[/adjustable] small onion)
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic (approximately [adjustable]3[/adjustable] large cloves)
For the Alfredo Sauce
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half-and-half (at room temperature)
- 1 cup grated parmesan (at room temperature)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- salt (to taste)
- freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- ½ tablespoon lime juice
Serving Suggestions (All Optional)
- chopped fresh cilantro (approximately [adjustable]2[/adjustable] tablespoons total)
For the Pasta
Fill large pot with [wprm-ingredient text=”1 quart cold water” uid=”6″] and place pot on stovetop over high heat. Bring water to rolling boil.
Once water begins to boil, add [wprm-ingredient text=”1 tablespoon sea salt” uid=”7″] to pot. Stir to incorporate, then let water return to rolling boil.
When water is once again boiling rapidly, add [wprm-ingredient text=”1 pound penne” uid=”5″] to pot. Boil pasta 2 minutes less than time indicated on pasta packaging, until pasta is almost al dente.
Immediately pour pasta and water into colander. Drain pasta well and set aside.
For the Chicken and Vegetables
While pasta boils, place [wprm-ingredient text=”1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts” uid=”1″] on cutting board. Trim chicken as needed, then cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Sprinkle [wprm-ingredient text=”2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning” uid=”3″] over chicken, seasoning chicken on all sides.
Place large skillet on stovetop over medium-high heat. Add [wprm-ingredient text=”1 tablespoon avocado oil” uid=”2″] to pan and continue heating pan until oil is hot and shimmery.
When oil is hot, place seasoned chicken in skillet. Cook chicken pieces approximately 3 minutes or until opaque and lightly browned. Flip chicken pieces over and cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned on other side.
Transfer chicken to large bowl and set aside. Return skillet to stovetop and reduce heat under pan to medium.
Add [wprm-ingredient text=”10-12 thin slices red bell pepper” uid=”8″], [wprm-ingredient text=”1 jalapeño pepper” uid=”10″], and [wprm-ingredient text=”½ cup diced yellow onion” uid=”11″] to skillet. Stir to incorporate, then sauté vegetables approximately 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When vegetables just begin to soften, add [wprm-ingredient text=”1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic” uid=”12″] to pan. Stir to incorporate, then continue sautéing vegetables 2 minutes or until vegetables have softened and onions are translucent.
Transfer sautéed vegetables to bowl with chicken. Set aside.
For the Alfredo Sauce
Return skillet to stovetop and reduce heat under skillet to medium-low. Add [wprm-ingredient text=”¼ cup unsalted butter” uid=”14″] to skillet and let butter melt completely.
Once butter has melted, add [wprm-ingredient text=”¼ cup all-purpose flour” uid=”15″] and whisk until flour is fully incorporated, creating roux.
Cook roux 3 minutes, whisking constantly, being careful not to burn roux.
After 3 minutes, remove skillet from heat. Slowly add [wprm-ingredient text=”2 cups half-and-half” uid=”16″] in small increments, whisking constantly.
When all half-and-half is incorporated into roux, add [wprm-ingredient text=”1 cup grated parmesan” uid=”17″] in small increments, whisking well after each addition until parmesan is fully incorporated.
Return skillet to medium-low heat. Add [wprm-ingredient text=”1 ½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning” uid=”18″], [wprm-ingredient text=”salt” uid=”19″], and [wprm-ingredient text=”freshly cracked black pepper” uid=”20″] to skillet and whisk to incorporate. Once incorporated, let mixture simmer 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened.
Once thickened, remove skillet from heat and add [wprm-ingredient text=”1 cup shredded mozzarella” uid=”21″] and [wprm-ingredient text=”½ tablespoon lime juice. ” uid=”22″]Stir ingredients together then return skillet to heat, stirring until cheese is just melted.
To Serve
Add prepared pasta, chicken, and vegetables to skillet and stir ingredients together until just incorporated.
Portion rattlesnake pasta into serving bowls. Garnish pasta with [wprm-ingredient text=”chopped fresh cilantro” uid=”23″] if desired and serve immediately.
