Savory Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs with Roasted Asparagus are a flavorful combination of pan-seared chicken thighs and seasoned asparagus, all baked together in one skillet.
There’s something satisfying about serving a complete meal in one pan. This dish begins with chicken thighs that are pan-seared to perfection. After adding the asparagus, the chicken is placed back in the skillet to bake, allowing all the flavors to meld together. Serve with a basket of breadsticks or dinner rolls to complete your meal.
Ingredients
Chicken:
I used bone-in chicken thighs with skins still on in the recipe. Thighs are juicier and more flavorful, often because they have a little more fat (they’re dark meat), and they don’t dry out as easily. Remember to pat dry the chicken before pan-searing to get a crispier skin.
Asparagus:
Asparagus is low in calories, low in fat, and high in all sorts of nutrients. Be sure to trim the ends where the white starts to meet the green part of the asparagus. And, if you ever need a veggie side dish, check out my Garlic and Parmesan Roasted Asparagus.
Chicken Bouillon:
If you don’t have chicken bouillon powder on hand, just crush up a cube of bouillon to use.
How to Make Chicken Thighs with Asparagus
As stated above, you will need an oven-safe skillet (I love my cast-iron skillet). You will be transferring the skillet to the oven to continue cooking. First, after you have patted the chicken dry, season each thigh with salt and pepper.
Next, heat up the oil in the skillet until hot. Place each piece of chicken in the skillet to pan-sear for 5-7 minutes. You will know when to flip the chicken when the skin naturally releases from the pan. Cook the other side for another 5-7 minutes. No, the chicken will not be fully cooked at this point, but it will continue to cook in the oven. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent it with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the same skillet. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic, oregano, and thyme. Stir for just a minute or two, making sure not to burn it. Then, whisk in the chicken bouillon powder and water, scraping up any brown bits. At this point, add the asparagus, tossing it to coat.
Finally, nestle the chicken in with the asparagus and place the skillet in the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Serve immediately, garnished with lemon slices and parsley.
How Long Will Leftovers Last?
If you have any leftovers, the chicken can be stored safely in the refrigerator for up to four days. Be sure to use a zipped storage bag or sealed container for storage.
Ingredients
- 4-5 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in, pat dry
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
- 3 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
- 1 pound (450g) asparagus, ends trimmed
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder, or one chicken bouillon cube, crushed
- ¼ cup (60ml) warm water, 90°F-110°F (32°C-43°C)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- fresh lemon, sliced, for garnish
- freshly chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- After patting them dry, season the chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper.
- In a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. Once hot, add chicken, skin-side down.
- Cook chicken for 5-7 minutes, or until seared and slightly crispy. (The skin will naturally release from the pan.) Flip and repeat on the remaining side. (The chicken will not be fully cooked through at this point.)
- Transfer the chicken to a plate; tent to keep warm.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet.
- Once the butter has melted, add garlic, oregano, and thyme. Stir until fragrant, but be careful not to burn (1-2 minutes).
- Add chicken bouillon powder and water. Whisk to combine, scraping up the brown bits.
- Add the asparagus, tossing to coat. Add the chicken back into the skillet, nestling the thighs in with the asparagus.
- Bake 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Serve the chicken and asparagus immediately, garnished with lemon slices and parsley.
