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Creamy Asparagus Chicken

Spring always feels like a reset in the kitchen. It’s also the season when fresh vegetables really start calling my name again, especially asparagus, which is one of my favorite signs spring has officially arrived. When asparagus is in season, you get better flavor, better texture, and better prices, which is a win all around for budget minded cooking. That seasonal sweet spot is exactly where this Creamy Asparagus Chicken lives! It’s a one-pan meal that stretches two chicken breasts into four satisfying servings, with a silky pan sauce, garlic, lemon, and tender asparagus that tastes more special than the price tag suggests!

Creamy Chicken with Asparagus

This single skillet recipe is inspired by our reader-favorite creamy garlic chicken. I’ve scaled back the garlic a little (but only a little! I love a creamy garlicky sauce) and added in-season asparagus for a springy twist. The chicken gets a light flour coating and a quick pan-sear, which helps build flavor and gives the broth, cream, butter, dried herbs, and lemon something to cling to. I like to let the sauce reduce a bit for a luscious texture before adding the chicken back to the pan, then I cook the asparagus just until it’s bright green and crisp-tender.

This creamy asparagus chicken is deliciously lemony and herb-kissed, but most importantly, it disappears fast. My husband and daughter absolutely gobbled this asparagus chicken up and genuinely licked their plates, which is always the highest compliment in our house!

Prep before you start cooking. This creamy asparagus chicken recipe moves quickly once the chicken hits the skillet. I like to have the asparagus cut, garlic crushed, lemon ready, and sauce ingredients measured before I begin. It makes the whole recipe much easier to manage!
Don’t skip the flour. The light coating helps the chicken turn golden in the pan, and the little bit of flour left behind also helps the sauce slightly thicken later.
Use heavy cream for the smoothest sauce. Heavy cream has a higher fat content than milk, so it’s much less likely to curdle in a hot skillet sauce. Half-and-half can work, too, but the sauce will be a little thinner.
Bring the cream to room temperature first. Cold dairy hitting a hot pan is more likely to separate. I recommend letting the cream warm up a bit at room temperature before using it to keep the sauce silky.
Crushed garlic works better here than minced. Crushed garlic gently infuses the butter and sauce instead of hitting you with a sharper minced-garlic bite. It also won’t burn as quickly as minced garlic, so we can simmer it in the butter for longer. Peel the garlic cloves and then crush them with the bottom of a glass/cup or carefully with the side of your knife.
Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer. High heat can make creamy sauces split, so once the broth and cream go in, lower the heat and let it bubble gently instead of boiling.

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Creamy Asparagus Chicken

This Creamy Asparagus Chicken is an easy skillet dinner made with golden pan-seared chicken, tender asparagus, garlic, lemon, and a silky cream sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Total Cost $9.63 recipe / $2.40 serving

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 28

Total Time 38

Servings servings

Calories 404kcal

Author Jess Rice

Equipment

Large Skillet or Sauté Pan
Aluminum foil

Ingredients

Chicken

2 chicken breasts filleted in half, (about 1.3 lbs total) $3.25*
1 tsp salt $0.01
1 tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.05
¼ cup all-purpose flour $0.05
2 Tbsp vegetable oil $0.10
2 Tbsp salted butter $0.46

Creamy Asparagus Sauce

2 Tbsp salted butter $0.46
4 garlic cloves peeled and smashed, $0.30
¼ cup heavy cream room temperature, $0.37
1 cup chicken broth $0.12**
¼ tsp dried dill $0.05
½ tsp garlic powder $0.03
½ tsp onion powder $0.03
¼ tsp dried basil $0.05
1 bunch asparagus cut into 1-2 inch pieces, (about 1lb.) $3.50***
1 lemon $0.80

Instructions

Gather your ingredients.
Prepare fresh ingredients: crush garlic cloves, seed and slice lemons, and cut asparagus. I like to cut them into 1-2” pieces so they still hold their own in the sauce and don’t cook too fast.
Filet 2 chicken breasts in half so you have 4 portions.
Salt and pepper the chicken breasts and then dip them in the flour until they are completely covered.
Place a large skillet or sauté pan over medium high heat. Add 2 Tbsp vegetable oil and 2 Tbsp salted butter.
Once hot, sear breasts for 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Flip and sear the next side for another 4 minutes.
Once the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165℉, remove the breasts from pan and turn the heat down to medium.
Cover with tinfoil and set aside.
Add 2 Tbsp butter to the pan with smashed garlic cloves. Cook until golden and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
Turn the heat down to medium-low. Mix room temperature heavy cream with chicken broth and pour into the sauté pan, whisking up any bits of chicken and garlic stuck on the bottom of the pan.
Bring the sauce to a simmer and add dill, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried basil. Whisk it again and let it reduce by ¼, giving it a stir every few minutes. I simmered my sauce for about 8 minutes.
Add the chicken back to the pan with the quartered asparagus. Let it simmer covered for 8 minutes. This will steam the asparagus and help the chicken heat back up.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken and veggies and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Adjust salt and pepper to your liking.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*Slicing two chicken breasts in half helps stretch this recipe into four servings! Try to slice them evenly so they cook at the same rate. You can also swap in boneless chicken thighs (don’t slice these in half as they’re already pretty thin. You’ll need four boneless thighs for four servings). Make sure the internal temp of your chicken reaches 165℉.

**I like to use Better than Bouillon to make my broths. It’s low-cost, easy to store, and one pot lasts forever in the fridge!

***Choose asparagus that feels firm and looks bright green for the best flavor. In the U.S., asparagus season usually runs from late February-June, with April being one of the peak months. I like to trim off the woody ends and discard them so the spears cook through evenly.

Nutrition

how to make Creamy Asparagus Chicken step-by-step photos

The ingredients to make creamy asparagus chicken.

Gather all of your ingredients.

Crushed garlic cloves, sliced asparagus and sliced lemon on a wooden cutting board.

Prep the fresh ingredients: Smash 4 garlic cloves using the bottom of a cup or the side of your knife (carefully!). Slice or wedge 1 lemon and remove any seeds. Now cut 1 bunch asparagus into 1-2-inch pieces. Be sure to remove the woody ends and discard them. I like keeping the asparagus pieces a little bigger so they stay tender-crisp and don’t disappear into the sauce.

Two filleted chicken breasts on a cutting board.

Slice the chicken: Carefully filet 2 chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you have 4 thinner cutlets. Try to cut them as evenly as possible. This helps them cook faster and more evenly in the skillet.

Coat the chicken: Season both sides of the chicken with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper, then pour ¼ cup all-purpose flour into a shallow dish and dredge each piece of chicken in the flour until fully coated. Shake off any excess so the flour layer stays light and doesn’t get gummy in the pan.

Pan fry the chicken: Set a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp vegetable oil and 2 Tbsp salted butter.

Flour coated chicken breast in a skillet.

Once the butter is melted and the pan is hot, add the chicken.

Kitchen tongs flipping chicken breasts in a skillet.

Sear the chicken for about 4 minutes per side, or until each piece is golden brown with crisp edges. If the flour starts browning too quickly, lower the heat slightly so the outside doesn’t darken too much before the inside is cooked through.

A thermometer checking the internal temp of cooked chicken.

Once cooked, the chicken should reach 165°F internally on an instant-read thermometer.

Hands covering cooked chicken with foil.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and loosely cover with foil to keep it warm while you make the sauce.

Make the creamy sauce: Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 Tbsp salted butter along with the smashed garlic cloves. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together ¼ cup room temperature heavy cream and 1 cup chicken broth. Lower the heat to medium-low, then pour the mixture into the skillet while whisking to loosen all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Season the sauce: Add ¼ tsp dried dill, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, and ¼ tsp dried basil. Whisk until the sauce looks smooth, then bring it to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for about 8 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until it reduces by a quarter and looks a little silkier.

Add the chicken and asparagus: Return the chicken to the pan and scatter in the chopped asparagus. Cover with a lid and let everything simmer for about 8 minutes more. The asparagus should turn bright green and become just tender, while the chicken warms back through.

A hand spooning creamy sauce over asparagus chicken.

Once the asparagus is tender and chicken warmed, spoon some sauce over the top.

Hand squeezing a lemon over creamy asparagus chicken in a skillet.

Serve: Finish with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice from the prepared lemon. Taste the sauce and adjust with more salt and pepper if needed. Spoon the creamy asparagus sauce over the chicken before serving and enjoy!

Side view of creamy asparagus chicken on a plate with a fork.

Serving Suggestions

This creamy asparagus chicken is perfect with a starch on the side to make it feel even more satisfying. Instant Pot mashed potatoes are great when I want something easy, roast potatoes add a crisp bite, and pasta turns it into a super cozy dinner. Penne, angel hair, spaghetti, or orzo are my top picks. I also love making our homemade potato gnocchi, which would be perfect with this chicken for a date night on a budget. Our mushroom rice is another delicious option that fits right in with the creamy sauce.

Storage & Reheating

Store leftover chicken and asparagus in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or gently on the stovetop until warmed through, adding a splash of room temp cream or broth if you want to loosen the sauce a little. I don’t recommend freezing this one since creamy sauces can separate after thawing.

Try These Creamy Chicken Breast Recipes Next:

Our Creamy Mushroom Chicken turns simple chicken breasts into a cozy skillet dinner with a garlicky mushroom sauce and a crunchy onion finish.
My family loves this Creamy Garlic Chicken! The tender pan-seared chicken and rich garlic cream sauce are hard to resist.
This Creamy Dijon Chicken is tangy, savory, and loaded with flavor, with spinach stirred in for an easy pop of color and greens.
My take on the viral Marry Me Chicken combines golden chicken breasts with a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce!

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Angel Hair Pasta Pomodoro

Is there anything a big bowl of pasta can’t fix? OK, OK…While there might be some life events that require more than a bowl of noodles, it’s an excellent start! This Angel Hair Pasta Pomodoro recipe comes together in minutes, with perfect twirls of dainty angel hair pasta, tons of budget-friendly Roma tomatoes, and just the right amount of olive oil, garlic, and herbs. This easy angel hair pasta is one of my go-to weeknight meals when I don’t really feel like cooking. The noodles cook in just 2 minutes, and this sauce couldn’t be any more simple (or delicious!)

Angel Hair Pasta with A Fresh Tomato Sauce

Pomodoro means “tomato” in Italian, and pasta al pomodoro grew out of the simple, affordable tomato sauce pasta dishes that became popular in Naples in the late 18th-early 19th century. It was once considered humble working-class food, but is now arguably an iconic staple of Italian cooking!

Angel hair pasta, also known as capelli d’angelo, has an even longer history (with some evidence dating it back to the 14th century), and is one of the thinnest pasta shapes you can buy. While it looks similar to spaghetti, angel hair pasta cooks much faster and is better suited to lighter sauces that can coat those fine strands without weighing them down. That’s exactly why I like using it here in my take on pasta pomodoro, which I make with affordable Roma tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, fresh basil, and parsley. It’s bright, fresh, and easy for a busy night, but still delicious enough that my whole family is happy to dig in, and the leftovers are pretty great, too!

Don’t overcook the angel hair. Angel hair pasta is much thinner than spaghetti, so it cooks FAST. I start checking it at 2 minutes and pull it as soon as it’s just tender. It’ll keep softening once it hits the sauce!
Watch the garlic closely. Aside from the tomatoes, garlic is a big part of the flavor in this recipe, but it can go from fragrant to burnt pretty fast. I cook it over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes until it softens and smells amazing, then move on before it gets too dark.
Reserve the pasta water. Don’t pour it all down the drain! A little reserved pasta water helps loosen the sauce and coat the noodles better. If you’re making extra angel hair pasta pomodoro for meal prep, it’s also a good idea to save some pasta water to mix in when reheating so the pasta doesn’t dry out.
Roma tomatoes are my budget pick. Roma tomatoes are some of the best tomatoes for this budget-friendly pasta pomodoro because they’re affordable, easy to find, and cook down into a nice saucy texture in the skillet. You can also swap in an equal amount of cherry tomatoes, diced heirloom tomatoes, or any fresh garden tomatoes once tomato season rolls around!
Add some protein. Toss in shredded chicken, canned white beans (rinsed and drained), or cooked meatballs if you want to make this angel hair pomodoro a little heartier.
Need a pantry shortcut? This is the kind of sauce where fresh tomatoes shine, and since Roma tomatoes are inexpensive, I think they’re worth grabbing! But you can make a delicious tomato sauce with canned tomatoes (our marinara sauce is a prime example!), so you can swap in one 28-oz. can diced tomatoes if needed. Reduce the added pasta water slightly if you use all the canned tomato juice. Also add a small pinch of sugar if the sauce tastes sharp.

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Angel Hair Pasta Pomodoro

Angel Hair Pasta Pomodoro is an easy weeknight pasta recipe with tomatoes, olive oil, and herbs tossed with delicate noodles that cook in just 2 minutes!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Total Cost $5.21 recipe / $0.65 serving

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings servings (1½ cups each)

Calories 288kcal

Author Jess Rice