Pan-Seared Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Asparagus
Ingredients
- 4chicken breast (about 6 ounces each)
- 1 poundasparagus
- 3 tablespoonolive oil
- 4 clovesgarlic
- 1lemon
- ·salt
- ·black pepper
- ½ cupwhite wine (or chicken broth)
Prep
- 01
Mince 4 cloves garlic.
- 02
Trim woody ends from 1 pound asparagus (bend each spear until it snaps naturally) and rinse.
- 03
Juice 1 lemon.
Method
- 01
Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- 02
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, lay chicken breasts flat and cook 6–7 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through (165°F at the thickest part). Transfer to a plate.
- 03
Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add asparagus in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes until lightly browned.
- 04
Stir asparagus, add garlic, and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in wine, scraping up any browned bits from the pan bottom.
- 05
Return chicken to the skillet, nestling it among the asparagus. Squeeze lemon juice over everything and simmer 2–3 minutes until liquid reduces slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- 06
Plate chicken with asparagus and sauce drizzled over top.
Spice Tips
For a touch of warmth, add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes to the garlic in step 4. For depth, stir in 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard with the wine. Fresh herbs like dill or tarragon are lovely stirred in at the finish.