Garlic Butter Bucatini Chicken (Printable Version)

Al dente bucatini coated in garlic butter, finished with tender shredded chicken for a simple, flavorful dish.

# What You'll 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 and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
06 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook bucatini following package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, ensuring it does not brown.
03 - Add drained bucatini to the skillet and toss to coat 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 between plates.
05 - Top each serving with shredded chicken breast. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired and serve immediately.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Ready in 25 minutes but tastes like you fussed over it for hours.
  • Built on three ingredients that actually sing instead of competing for attention.
  • The kind of dish you can make on autopilot but still impress someone with.
02 -
  • Don't brown the garlic—it turns bitter and ruins the whole dish; medium heat and constant attention are non-negotiable here.
  • Pasta water is your friend; that starch helps the butter coat the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom.
03 -
  • Cook the pasta one minute under package time; it continues cooking slightly in the hot pan with the butter.
  • Keep the heat medium throughout and stay in the kitchen—this meal moves fast and rewards your attention.
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