Chicken and asparagus cook together in one skillet — seared on the stovetop, finished in a hot oven, all in a lemony crème fraîche pan sauce. Have this dish on the table in 30 minutes, start to finish.

Four browned chicken breasts in a creamy chicken asparagus sauce with tender spears, garnished with fresh thyme and served in a white skillet with a serving spoon and fork.
Tender baked chicken breasts and asparagus in a tangy crème fraîche sauce.

Serve the chicken straight from the pan as a complete weeknight dinner — the sauce is substantial enough that it doesn’t need much alongside. If you want to stretch it, serve it over herb butter orzo.

Featured review

Excellent recipe, my family loved the dinner! I used fresh lemon juice and heavy cream and omitted the herbs and served the meal over pasta. A quick prep for a very tasty meal!!

Maureen M.

Ingredient short list, explained

Raw chicken breasts and fresh asparagus in a baking dish, two shallots, herbs (thyme and tarragon), butter cubes in a bowl, and cream cheese on a blue checkered cloth on a white surface.
  • Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Look for medium-size breasts, totaling about 1 3/4 pounds. The chicken is seared on the stovetop, then it finishes cooking in the oven along with the asparagus.
  • Fresh asparagus: Thin or medium spears work best in this recipe — thick stalks need longer oven time than the chicken can give them without overcooking. I look for tightly closed tips, and snap or trim the woody ends before cutting into 2–3-inch pieces.
  • Creme fraiche: Along with its delicate and nutty taste, I use crème fraîche instead of sour cream or heavy cream because it’s more stable under heat. Crème fraîche won’t break or curdle when it goes into a hot oven, which means the sauce stays smooth rather than separating into a greasy puddle. If you can’t find it, heavy cream is the better substitute — it also holds well under heat.

How to cook it

  • 1. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper on both sides — seasoning before the flour goes on means the flavor is built into the crust, not sitting on top of it.
  • 2. Dust both sides lightly with flour. The flour does two things: It helps the chicken develop a golden crust in the pan and thickens the pan sauce as it bakes.
  • 3. Sear over medium-high heat until deep golden brown — about 3 minutes per side. The chicken should release easily from the pan when it’s ready to flip.
  • 4. Add the shallot and cook until softened. The shallot is also picking up the browned bits left from the sear.
  • 5. Pour in the white wine to deglaze — the browned bits stuck to the pan are the flavor base.
  • 6. Scatter the asparagus around the chicken and add the broth. Thin spears will be fully tender by the time the chicken is done.
  • 7. Add the crème fraîche. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.
4.96 from 85 ratings

Creamy Chicken and Asparagus

Karen Tedesco
Chicken breasts and fresh asparagus in a lemony crème fraîche pan sauce that's rich enough to spoon over everything on the plate. All you need is one skillet and about 30 minutes of cooking time.
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Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (about 1¾ pounds)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) flour (all-purpose or gluten-free)
  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) butter
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 shallot finely chopped, or ¼ cup chopped yellow onion
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) dry white wine
  • ½ cup (120 ml) chicken broth
  • ½ pound (225 g) fresh asparagus sliced into 2-inch pieces
  • ½ cup (115 g) creme fraiche or heavy cream
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme or tarragon, plus a teaspoon chopped herbs for serving
  • Fresh lemon wedge

Equipment

Instructions
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 (220 C) degrees.
  2. Season 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts both sides with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle them with 1 tablespoon flour (all-purpose or gluten-free) and flip to coat both sides.
  3. Place a large ovenproof skillet or saute pan on the stovetop and turn the heat to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. When the butter is melted and starts to bubble, add the chicken breasts to the pan. Cook until one side is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken breasts and cook 1-2 minutes on the other side.
  4. Add 1 shallot finely chopped to the pan, stirring into the fat. Cook until softened, 1-2 minutes. Pour in ¼ cup dry white wine and let it bubble for 30 seconds. Add ½ cup chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat.
  5. Scatter ½ pound fresh asparagus sliced into 2-inch pieces around the chicken breasts. Spoon ½ cup creme fraiche or heavy cream evenly around the chicken. If you're using cream instead, pour it over the chicken. Put 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme or tarragon on top.
  6. Bake the chicken 15 minutes, or until the pan juices are bubbling and the chicken is firm and cooked through. Remove the herb sprigs and add a squeeze of lemon juice over the chicken.

Notes

  • The cooked chicken, asparagus and sauce will keep refrigerated up to 5 days. The bright green color of the asparagus will fade, but it will still taste delicious.
  • To warm it up for serving, cover and place in a preheated 350 oven until hot, about 10-15 minutes.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 243kcal Carbohydrates: 6g Protein: 27g Fat: 11g Sodium: 857mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 2g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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