- 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, or any herb blend
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic, or to taste
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 lemon, sliced (optional)
Directions
-
Pat chicken thighs dry and trim any excess fat.
-
In a small bowl, combine Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Season both sides of chicken thighs with herb mixture.
-
In a large, nonstick skillet, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. When oil is hot and butter is melted, add chicken in a single layer and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and keep warm.
-
Pour chicken broth into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to a boil. Boil until broth is reduced in volume by half, 3 to 5 minutes.
-
Add asparagus and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is a deep, bright green color, 3 to 5 minutes.
-
To the asparagus, add fresh garlic and lemon juice and cook about 1 minute. Add butter, one tablespoon at a time. Stir quickly, until each pat is fully melted, before adding another.
-
Return chicken to the skillet, nestling the pieces down into the sauce and asparagus. Sprinkle with minced parsley and cook until the internal temperature of chicken, measured with an instant-read thermometer, reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 2 to 3 minutes.
-
Spoon sauce over the chicken thighs to serve, and garnish with lemon slices. Serve warm.