Creamy Asparagus, Mushroom, Chicken
Summer is fast approaching! This means asparagus season is in full swing. I hope you are enjoying spears of this delicious seasonal vegetable. If not, do so soon as asparagus season is short, eight weeks to be exact from mid-April to mid-June.
These bright green shoots have a distinct yet subtle flavour of earthy broccoli and green beans. During asparagus season, it is possible to have asparagus for every meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared and served in countless different ways. As a versatile seasonal vegetable, asparagus goes well as a key ingredient in different recipes from savoury frittatas, buttery risottos, creamy pastas, and simple veggie stir-fry. On its own, asparagus makes an elegant side dish either roasted, sauteed, or blanched.
It’s the perfect spring vegetable that is well-loved for its versatility and ability to absorb different flavours. Whilst I love asparagus prepared in every way, my personal favourite method is grilling these gorgeous spears as a side dish for my summer BBQ. Just a touch of olive oil, salt, and pepper and tastes good with almost everything from juicy steaks, herbed chicken and grilled pork or lamb chops.
Whichever method you choose to cook the asparagus, be sure to trim the woody ends before cooking as the ends are very tough. This is usually about an inch from the bottom and where the bright green spears turn white.
Here’s a family-friendly recipe idea to enjoy this lovely in-season vegetable at its finest.
Enjoy the rest of asparagus season!
Creamy Asparagus, Mushroom, Chicken Pasta
This quick and easy mid-week dinner uses the best of the seasonal vegetable: the versatile asparagus. These bright green spears sold in brunches are earthy yet somewhat nutty flavour has a short growing season of about eight weeks from St. George’s Day to Summer Solistice.
The asparagus pairs perfectly with this garlicky mushroom cream sauce with chicken that comes together in about 30 minutes. Serve over pasta or rice for a family-friendly dish, or on its own for a low-carb and paleo-friendly meal on a warm summery evening.
As this is a one-pot dish means clean up will be a breeze, a double win for busy parents.
Tips:
- Sear the chicken: For this recipe, I used skinless chicken breast but you can also use skinless chicken thigh. Either way, it’s very important to sear the chicken first over high heat to get a nice brown crust. This will help seal the moisture of the chicken so it doesn’t dry out. This is a very important step. You’ll continue to cook the chicken in the sauce over an energetic simmer.
- Sautee mushroom: Please do not waste all the wonderful flavours in your pan from searing the chicken. Add a bit of butter and sautee the mushrooms and garlic stirring occasionally so it doesn’t burn. Sautee until the liquid is released from the mushroom, scraping off the brown bit for the flavour.
- Add the asparagus last: To retain the lovely bright green colour and tender snap of the asparagus, I like to add the asparagus at the end after adding the cream. As for the cream, I usually take the pan off the stove when adding the cream so it doesn’t break. Add some lemon juice to cut through some fat for the perfect dish.
One Pan Creamy Asparagus, Mushroom & Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4-6 chicken boneless and skinless , slightly seasoned with salt and pepper
- 6-10 garlic cloves minced
- 8 oz (250 g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 bunch asparagus stalks cut into 2-3 inch chunks Note: woody ends trimmed off
- 1 cup (230 ml) chicken stock
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup (230 ml) double cream
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ½ cup finely chopped parsley
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter until slightly foaming in a heavy pan over medium-high heat.
- Sear the chicken thigh until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, turn down the heat to medium and sautee the garlic, about 1 minute.
- Add the mushrooms and stir occasionally to prevent burning, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock and lemon juice and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits.
- Turn off heat and add double cream and parmesan cheese. Return to medium heat and whisk sauce until well-combined. Bring the sauce to boil, then reduce to an energetic simmer.
- Add the chicken to the pan, simmer for 5-6 minutes and flip over, simmer for another 5-6 minutes.
- Add the asparagus to the pan, simmer for another 5 minutes (I like to add the asparagus at the end for a tender crisp finish).
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Garnish with chopped parsley.
