Save There's something almost meditative about making this dish on a weeknight when the kitchen is quiet and I'm craving something that tastes like care without the fuss. I discovered this version of garlic butter pasta during one of those stretches where I had just a rotisserie chicken, some butter, and dried pasta in my pantry, and somehow it became the meal I keep coming back to. The bucatini's hollow center drinks in the garlic butter in a way that feels almost luxurious for something so simple. It's the kind of food that proves you don't need a long ingredient list to feel genuinely satisfied.
I made this for my partner on a Thursday night after a long day, and watching their expression change from tired to genuinely pleased while eating a simple bowl of pasta reminded me that cooking doesn't need to be complicated to matter. We sat at the kitchen counter with the windows open, and the smell of garlic butter filled the whole apartment. That night taught me that the best meals are sometimes the ones where you stop overthinking and just let good ingredients speak for themselves.
Ingredients
- Bucatini pasta (200 g): The hollow center is what makes this dish special—it captures the garlic butter better than solid pasta shapes, but spaghetti works beautifully too if that's what you have.
- Unsalted butter (3 tbsp): Use good butter here since it's the star; the quality difference is noticeable when there are so few ingredients.
- Garlic cloves (3 large, finely minced): Size matters—large cloves are easier to mince finely and won't burn as quickly as smaller ones.
- Cooked, shredded chicken breast (200 g): Rotisserie chicken saves time and adds a subtle smokiness; poached works too if you prefer something milder.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper: Taste as you go because the pasta water adds saltiness and you want to balance it perfectly.
- Fresh parsley (1 tbsp, chopped): Optional but worth it—the bright green and herbaceous note lift the whole dish.
Instructions
- Get your water salted and boiling:
- Fill a large pot three-quarters full with water, add a generous pinch of salt (it should taste like seawater), and bring to a rolling boil. This is when you set a timer and prepare everything else because once pasta hits the water, things move fast.
- Cook the bucatini to al dente:
- Add the pasta and stir immediately so it doesn't stick. Cook according to package instructions, but start testing a minute or two before the suggested time—you want it tender but still with a slight bite. Reserve a quarter cup of starchy pasta water before draining; you'll use it to adjust the sauce's consistency.
- Build the garlic butter base:
- While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add your minced garlic. Watch it carefully because you're looking for fragrant and just starting to turn golden, never brown—this takes about one to two minutes and the aroma will tell you when it's ready.
- Bring it all together:
- Add the drained bucatini directly to the skillet and toss constantly, coating every strand in that gorgeous garlic butter. If it feels dry, splash in a little reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until it looks silky and loose.
- Season and serve:
- Taste as you go and season with salt and pepper until it feels balanced—remember the pasta water added saltiness already. Divide between bowls and top each with shredded chicken and a sprinkle of fresh parsley if you have it.
Save This dish became something meaningful to me not because it was complicated, but because it proved that attention to small things—good butter, properly minced garlic, reserved pasta water—could create something that felt like a quiet act of kindness to myself and whoever I was feeding. Food doesn't always need to impress; sometimes it just needs to nourish.
Why This Works as a Dinner Solution
The genius of this dish is that it bypasses all the heavy cream and complicated emulsions that make other pasta sauces feel stressful. Instead, you're working with just butter and garlic and the starch in your pasta water to create something that coats every strand with minimal effort. Once I stopped thinking of this as a simplified version of something more complex and started seeing it for what it truly is—a complete, satisfying meal—cooking became less about filling time and more about enjoying the process. The hollow bucatini matters here because it actually absorbs flavor rather than just sitting on top of sauce.
Making It Your Own
The beauty of a minimalist recipe is that it's a starting point, not a ceiling. I've made this dish in so many different ways depending on what's in my kitchen and what I'm craving—sometimes with crispy sage leaves fried in the butter, sometimes with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice that wakes everything up, sometimes with red pepper flakes when I want heat. My favorite variation came on a Sunday morning when I had some leftover roasted mushrooms and threw them in instead of chicken, and it tasted completely different but equally right. Think of this recipe as a template that welcomes improvisation.
Pairing and Serving
This dish shines best served immediately, while the butter is still silky and coating everything. A crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio or a light Sauvignon Blanc sits alongside it beautifully, cutting through the richness without competing for attention. Some crusty bread for soaking up any garlic butter that remains is practically mandatory, and a simple green salad afterward feels like the natural way to finish the meal.
- Serve in warm bowls so the butter stays glossy and luxurious.
- If you're feeding more than two, this recipe doubles easily—just keep the ratios the same and use a larger skillet.
- Leftovers taste good cold the next day, but honestly, this dish is meant to be eaten fresh.
Save Sometimes the meals that matter most aren't the ones with the longest ingredient lists or the most elaborate techniques. This simple dish reminds me every time I make it that good cooking is really just about respecting your ingredients and paying attention. It's become my favorite kind of recipe—one that feels both easy and special.