A One-Pan Chicken Thigh Supper—All Grown Up.
When asparagus season hits, we just want to load up on the tender springy stalks and gobble them up at every meal. But, man cannot live on asparagus alone—or at least that’s what our kids tell us. So, we took our bunches of asparagus and added it to our favorite weeknight dinner equation:
chicken thighs + veggies + one pan = an easy, delicious, healthy dinner.
This Is the Absolute Best Chicken and Asparagus Recipe...
Because it lets simple ingredients shine. When asparagus is just coming into season, the last thing you want to do is cook it to death, or drown it in a heavy sauce. A lot of meals with asparagus and chicken weigh them down with too many other things. Spring is the time to keep things simple and let good ingredients speak for themselves.
This one-pan garlic herb chicken and asparagus supper sings with flavor thanks to:
- Skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs. Crispy skin, and just enough fat to self-baste as it bakes, they’re worth a few extra calories.
- Fresh garlic and herbs. Again, we’re using restraint—just fresh garlic cloves, and a few sprigs of fragrant fresh thyme.
- A classic wine-and-mustard sauce. Mustard sauce for chicken thighs is oh-so-French and oh-so-good. Somehow, magically, it’s at once pungent and delicate, with a sharpness that cuts right through the richness of the baked chicken thighs.
What Goes With Chicken and Asparagus?
Our garlicky chicken thighs with asparagus stand alone—the olives and roasted cherry tomatoes make the finished one-pan dinner feel plenty bountiful. However! When we’re feeling up for using a second pan, we’ll whip up some simple seasoned brown rice to serve with the baked chicken thighs. Or, you could serve it with a nice loaf of crusty country bread to sop up the sharply savory, herb-flecked, garlicky white wine-Dijon sauce.
Dinner Party-Ready—Weeknights Included.
Holly and I are on a quest to remind others (and often, remind ourselves) that however crazy your life may be, finding time to eat with others should always be a priority. These delectable baked chicken thighs are roasted in a tangy white wine mustard sauce that thickens as it cooks and the whole one-pan meal comes together in under an hour. It's hearty, homey, and simple, with the complex flavors and elegant ingredients that make it feel extra special. It's the perfect meal to make at the end of a busy day—to enjoy and to recharge. I've learned that I'm most fully at rest when in the company of others, and this meal is proof positive that that doesn't mean I have to break my back to break bread with those I love.
Other Secretly Simple Chicken Dinners
Presentable enough for company, easy enough to make anytime.
Tools You’ll Need:
How’d It Turn Out?
We want to know! Snap a photo of your finished baked chicken thighs with asparagus and maybe even a video of the beautiful people you feed it to. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!
