Creamy Chicken and Asparagus Skillet

This Creamy Chicken and Asparagus is one of our ALL-TIME favorite dinner recipes! It combines perfectly tender chicken breasts with bite sized asparagus, nestled in the most rich, creamy, and flavorful sauce. And did I mention you get all of that in just ONE SKILLET?!

this Recipe

Quick & Easy Chicken and Asparagus

I learned the recipe that inspired this dish from my dear friend who was stationed with her husband in Italy for a few years.

Her neighbor taught her how they make basic chicken in cream sauce in Italy, and once she taught me, we couldn’t get enough!

The beauty of this dish is that it is quick and easy, taking as little as 25 minutes to make, but tastes like it is straight from a restaurant kitchen.

The flavors are simple, but AMAZING! So you can serve it on a busy weeknight, or when you have company coming over and each will be equally impressed.

How to Serve Chicken and Asparagus

This dinner is a classic, and with it’s Italian influence, tastes good not only with traditional American side dishes, but also Italian ones as well.

The combination of cream sauce and protein, make this a hearty and filling meal, and the asparagus serves as a veggie, so you can serve it with just one simple side, or a few to make the meal go farther.

Side Dish Favorites

• Mashed potatoes– my all time favorite way to serve Chicken and Asparagus is on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes. Just, put a scoop of mashed potatoes on a plate, then spoon the chicken and cream sauce over the top.
• Sautéed Spinach– If you want a healthy or low carb serving option, my go to is wilted spinach. It makes a great combo!
• Salad– The simplest side, is just a green salad. Top it with balsamic vinaigrette to compliment the flavor of the chicken and asparagus.
• Pasta– serve this over pasta or with a side or pasta tossed with olive oil, garlic and flakey salt.
• Garlic Bread– Last but not least, garlic bread is a must for soaking up every last drop of that creamy sauce on your plate!

Tips for Making Chicken Asparagus Skillet

This is a recipe that I have always made by “feel.” 

I have run through it several times now to get the measurements exactly right so that it would turn out just perfect for you too.

I am going to share some of my little tips and tricks for making this recipe turn out the best below, but scroll down to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.

1. Mix the flour with the garlic powder,  salt, and pepper in a flat dish. Lay each piece chicken in the flour mixture to coat all sides.
   
   If there is any remaining flour mixture, sprinkle it over the chicken.
   
   • All it takes is just this tiny bit of flour for all of that chicken, but flour is an important part of the recipe, because the flour on the chicken helps the sauce thicken later in the recipe.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium to medium high heat. Once the butter is bubbly and hot, add the chicken breast to the skillet in a single layer.
   
   Cook 3-4 minutes on the first side and then flip and cook and additional 3-4 minutes.
   
   • It is important that you use thinly sliced chicken breast. I usually cut any sized chicken breast in half (butterfly) so that it is half the thickness.
     
     This allows the chicken to cook completely in the skillet without having to be transferred to the oven or become tough. If you want the chicken to cook even more quickly, you can use tenderloins or cut the chicken breast in 1″ cubes and prepare the same way.
   • I like to use my Staub cast iron skillet for this recipe. It heats evenly and cooks the chicken beautifully. You can use this, or any skillet that is large, and cooks evenly.
   • When cooking you will want a medium high heat. Wait until the oil is hot, then add the chicken. Let it sit on each side without moving it around much so that it can get that nice, delicious golden brown crust. If it starts to burn, your heat is too high, the chicken and drippings should not burn.
3. Remove chicken from skillet and place it on a plate and set aside. Add asparagus and garlic to the skillet, cooking 1 minute and stirring continually.
   
   Pour in the cooking wine (or broth) and use the spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir to deglaze the pan.
   
   Continue to cook 2 minutes or until the liquid has reduced in half.
   • The recipe starts to go really fast on this step, so make sure you have everything prepped and ready to go!
   • I like to use thicker asparagus spears. For the length that they cook, this prevents them from over-cooking and getting mushy like the smaller ones can.
   • You can use cooking wine or broth, but this step is integral to deglaze the pan, which is a fancy word for get all the brown and cooked bits off the bottom.  The liquid will cook off fast, and then make the perfect base to start the cream sauce.
4. Stir in the heavy cream and remaining 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste.) Bring to a boil, stirring regularly.
   
   Once the cream is boiling, add the chicken back into the sauce and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
   • I prefer to use heavy cream in this recipe. It really has the perfect combination of richness and consistency to make a great sauce. You can use half and half, but I much prefer cream.
   • Bringing the sauce to a boil will start the thickening process. Cook the sauce to the desired consistency, then you can remove the dish from the stove.
   • The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits.

Chicken and Asparagus FAQ’s

Can I use other types of chicken for in this recipe?

Yes! Although chicken breast is my preference, you can use most any boneless, skinless variety of chicken. The cooking time may change based on the size of the chicken you use. Make sure that the chicken is cooked to 165˚F for safe consumption.

Can I adapt this recipe to be gluten free?

You can use gluten free flour in place of regular flour in this recipe to make it gluten free. Other than the flour the ingredients should be naturally gluten free, but I always recommend checking!

How do I make the cream sauce thicker?

If you continue to cook the sauce, it will continue to thicken.  The sauce also will thicken more as it cools.

How can I make the cream sauce thinner?

If you decide the sauce is too thick for your liking, you can thin it by stirring milk, half and half, or cream in one tablespoon at a time until the sauce is to the desired consistency.

Can I add other flavors?

Yes!  This makes a basic garlic cream sauce and is very tasty, but you can also mix it up by adding other flavors. My two favorites are pesto and lemon. See the notes in the recipe card for instructions.

How do I save the leftover Chicken and Asparagus?

You can save leftovers by placing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.  This recipe doesn’t freeze well, so I recommend only making enough for your meal plus a day or two of leftovers.

Do you have more easy chicken dinners?

Absolutely! If you enjoyed my Creamy Chicken and Asparagus, I would love for you to save some of my other recipes to try another night!  Here are a few of our favorites:

• Salsa Fresca Chicken
• Cajun Chicken Pasta
• Jalapeno Popper Chicken
• Baked Caesar Chicken
• or see all of our delicious chicken recipes here!