Save There's something about the smell of garlic hitting hot butter that makes you stop whatever you're doing and pay attention. I learned this dish one weeknight when I had exactly three things in my kitchen: pasta, butter, and a container of rotisserie chicken I'd grabbed on autopilot. What I thought would be a forgettable dinner turned into the kind of meal that reminds you why Italian cooking doesn't need to be complicated. The bucatini's hollow center catches every drop of that golden, garlicky sauce, and suddenly you're tasting something that feels both effortless and deeply satisfying.
I made this for my neighbor on a Tuesday after she'd had a rough day at work, and watching her face change when she tasted it was worth more than any fancy plating could ever be. She'd expected something forgettable, something I'd thrown together, and instead she got this simple, honest dish that tasted like care. That's when I realized this recipe isn't about impressing anyone with complexity, it's about making someone feel looked after with something real.
Ingredients
- Bucatini pasta (200 g): The hollow center is the whole point, it traps the garlic butter inside and out so you get flavor in every bite, not just on the surface like with regular spaghetti.
- Unsalted butter (3 tbsp): Don't skimp on quality here, you're tasting it directly, and good butter has a sweetness that makes the whole dish sing.
- Garlic cloves (3 large, finely minced): Mince them small so they distribute evenly and won't overpower in any single bite, and go by smell not timing when cooking them.
- Cooked shredded chicken (200 g): Rotisserie chicken is your shortcut and honestly tastes better than what most of us can poach at home, no shame in taking it.
- Salt and fresh black pepper: These aren't afterthoughts, they're the bridge that brings the garlic and butter into focus.
- Fresh parsley (1 tbsp, optional): A small handful of green catches the light and adds a fresh note that balances the richness, even though it's technically optional it rarely stays that way.
Instructions
- Get the water going:
- Fill a large pot with water, add a generous pinch of salt so it tastes like the sea, and bring it to a rolling boil. This is where the flavor of your pasta starts, so don't rush it or skip the salt.
- Cook the bucatini:
- Add pasta and stir immediately to prevent sticking, then cook to the exact moment it's al dente, that slight resistance when you bite it. Before draining, scoop out and reserve a mug of that starchy pasta water, it's liquid gold for loosening the sauce later.
- Make the garlic butter:
- While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, watching it foam and turn golden. Add your minced garlic and listen for the gentle sizzle and smell the transformation, pull the pan off heat the moment it becomes fragrant, usually 1-2 minutes, before the garlic turns bitter or brown.
- Bring it together:
- Add the drained bucatini directly to the skillet with the garlic butter and toss constantly to coat every strand, the heat from the pasta and pan will create an emulsion. If it looks dry, splash in a little pasta water a tablespoon at a time until it looks like the pasta is wearing a glossy coat, not swimming.
- Taste and season:
- Grind fresh pepper over the top, add salt in small pinches and taste as you go, remembering that the chicken and potential toppings will add their own flavor. Season generously but carefully, this is your moment to make it exactly how you want it.
- Plate and finish:
- Divide between two bowls or plates, top each with a handful of that shredded chicken, and if the mood strikes, scatter parsley across the top like you mean it. Serve immediately while it's still steaming.
Save The first time I made this for someone else, I almost didn't serve it because it seemed too simple, too minimal, like it couldn't possibly be enough. But simplicity is confidence, and a perfect bowl of bucatini in garlic butter says more than a plate covered in components ever could. It's become the dish I make when I want to remind myself that cooking is about presence and attention, not proving something.
When You Want More Flavor
This dish is a canvas, and once you understand the foundation you can play with it. A pinch of chili flakes added to the garlic butter brings a gentle heat that wakes everything up, while a squeeze of lemon juice at the end cuts through the richness and makes the garlic taste brighter. Some nights I add both, some nights I add neither, the beauty is that the core recipe is so clean that any addition feels intentional rather than necessary.
Making It Yours
If chicken doesn't appeal to you, rotisserie mushrooms tossed in the same butter are equally happy in this dish, or you can skip the protein entirely and let the pasta itself be the star. I've made vegetarian versions that honestly taste lighter and more elegant, and I've made versions where I used the last of a store-bought rotisserie chicken and felt like a genius for using what was already there. The recipe stays true no matter what you put on top because the heart of it, that garlic and butter coating every hollow inch of pasta, is what matters.
Serving and Pairing
This is quiet food, the kind you want to eat slowly even though it's fast to make, so give yourself permission to sit down and actually taste it instead of eating while standing at the counter. A crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio cuts right through the butter and reminds your palate to pay attention, and simple green salad on the side rounds out the meal without fighting for attention.
- Have a grater nearby in case you want to finish with a whisper of Parmesan, though honestly this dish works beautifully without it.
- Make sure your chicken is warm when you add it, cold chicken will cool down your whole plate and you'll lose the steam that makes it feel fresh.
- Eat this within minutes of plating, bucatini soaks up sauce quickly and goes from silky to sticky if it sits too long.
Save This recipe has taught me that sometimes the most satisfying meals are the ones that ask the least of you, where every ingredient matters because there are so few. It's a dish I return to when I want to remember why I cook at all.
Your Questions Answered
- → What type of pasta is used for this dish?
Bucatini pasta is used for its thick, hollow shape that holds sauce well.
- → How should the garlic be prepared for best flavor?
Finely mince the garlic and sauté lightly in butter until fragrant but not browned to preserve sweetness.
- → Can I use a different protein instead of shredded chicken?
Yes, roasted mushrooms make a great vegetarian substitute; otherwise, other shredded proteins work well.
- → Is reserving pasta water necessary?
Reserving a bit of pasta water helps loosen the sauce and encourages it to coat the noodles smoothly.
- → What’s a good way to add extra flavor?
A pinch of chili flakes or a light squeeze of lemon juice adds brightness and a subtle kick.