Butter Chicken Asparagus (Print-Friendly Version)
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken & Spices
01 -
Cut up 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts into small chunks
02 -
1 teaspoon salt
03 -
2 teaspoons onion powder
04 -
1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
→ Vegetables
05 -
Trimmed and cleaned asparagus, about 2 bunches
→ Sauce & Flavorings
06 -
Divide 1/2 cup unsalted butter into two parts
07 -
Split 2 teaspoons minced garlic between steps
08 -
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
09 -
1 teaspoon olive oil
10 -
1 tablespoon hot sauce like Sriracha if you want it spicy
11 -
Juice squeezed from half a lemon
12 -
1 teaspoon Italian herbs or Herbes de Provence blend
13 -
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
14 -
Optional red pepper flakes to sprinkle at the end
15 -
Lemon slices to finish
# Step-by-Step Directions:
01 -
Mix chicken chunks with onion powder, salt, and pepper. Let it hang out while you prep other stuff.
02 -
Trim and rinse the asparagus. Boil for 2 minutes then quickly dunk in ice water to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.
03 -
Warm olive oil and a quarter of the butter in a big cast-iron pan over medium heat. Brown chicken in batches till golden all over. Lower heat, add garlic and herbs, cook for a minute until fragrant, then take chicken out and keep warm.
04 -
In the same pan, cook the remaining garlic over medium-high heat. Pour in broth to loosen browned bits and let it reduce by half. Stir in the rest of the butter, lemon juice, hot sauce if you like, and parsley until smooth.
05 -
Add asparagus to the sauce and cook 2 minutes for tender-crisp texture. Push asparagus aside, toss chicken back in, and mix together for a minute till warmed through.
06 -
Sprinkle extra parsley, add red pepper flakes if you want some heat, and garnish with lemon slices. Eat right away.
# Helpful Notes:
01 -
Cook the chicken in smaller piles so it gets browned instead of steamed.
02 -
If your asparagus is skinny, you can skip the boiling step to save time.