Garlic Butter Bucatini Chicken (Printable)

Al dente bucatini tossed in garlic butter and topped with tender shredded chicken for a quick meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 oz bucatini pasta

→ Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 3 large garlic cloves, finely minced

→ Topping

04 - 7 oz cooked, shredded chicken breast (rotisserie or poached)
05 - Salt, to taste
06 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
07 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook bucatini according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water, then drain.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
03 - Add drained bucatini to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the garlic butter. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
04 - Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Divide pasta evenly between serving plates.
05 - Top each portion with shredded chicken and sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like something from a quiet Italian trattoria but takes less time than ordering delivery.
  • The hollow bucatini grabs onto every drop of garlic butter, so each bite is ridiculously satisfying.
  • You can make it with pantry staples and whatever protein you have on hand.
  • Its elegant enough for guests but easy enough for a weeknight when youre too tired to think.
02 -
  • Do not let the garlic brown or it will turn acrid and ruin the whole dish, keep the heat medium and your eyes on the pan.
  • Reserving pasta water is non negotiable, that starchy liquid is what makes the sauce cling instead of pool at the bottom of the bowl.
  • If you skip salting the pasta water generously, the dish will taste flat no matter how much you season later.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to grate one of the garlic cloves instead of mincing it, the finer texture melts into the butter and distributes the flavor more evenly.
  • If youre using rotisserie chicken, pull it apart with your hands instead of cutting it, the irregular shreds cling to the pasta better than uniform pieces.
  • Finish the dish with a tiny knob of cold butter stirred in at the end, it makes the sauce glossy and adds a silky richness that feels restaurant quality.
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