One-Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken and Asparagus

Stages of cooking

1

2

3

4

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8

1. Pat chicken thighs dry and trim any excess fat.
   
2. In a small bowl, combine Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Season both sides of chicken thighs with herb mixture.
   
3. 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.
   
4. 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.
   
5. Add asparagus and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is a deep, bright green color, 3 to 5 minutes.
   
6. 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.
   
7. 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.
   
8. Spoon sauce over the chicken thighs to serve, and garnish with lemon slices. Serve warm.