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?!
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.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Chicken breast– It will need to be thinly sliced. You can do this by cutting each chicken breast in half, pounding the chicken out, or purchasing chicken cutlets at the grocery store.
- Flour
- Spices– garlic powder, salt, pepper
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Asparagus – I prefer to get thicker spears if available because they are more “fool-proof” in this recipe. Thin spears will have to be watched closely to make sure they don’t over-cook.
- Fresh garlic
- White cooking wine– Any dry white wine will do, or you can substitute chicken broth if prefered.
- Heavy cream– cream works best in this recipe and I prefer it, but you can substitute half and half or whole milk if you are in a pinch.
Recipe Step by Step
Coat the chicken in the flour mixture and then sear it on each side in a hot skillet.
Remove the chicken and add the asparagus and garlic and cook until tender.
Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Let it simmer, stirring occasionally until it starts to thicken.
Add the chicken breast back into the skillet and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
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.
- 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.
- 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. - The recipe starts to go really fast as you cook, so make sure you have everything prepped and ready to go so that you aren’t having to prep in the middle of the recipe. That is when things can burn!
- 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.
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.
Recipe Variations
This is an incredible base recipe, that allows you to switch up the flavors to create some really delicious variations on the classic Chicken and Asparagus.
- Lemon Chicken and Asparagus– Make recipe as directed, adding 1/4 cup of lemon juice in with the heavy cream.
- Creamy Pesto Chicken and Asparagus– Make recipe as directed, adding 1/4 cup of pesto in with the heavy cream.
- Chicken with Mushrooms and Asparagus– Make recipe as directed, adding 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms to saute for 2-3 minutes before adding the asparagus to saute.
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!
- Italian 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!
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.
More EASY Chicken Dinner Recipes
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
- Crustless Chicken Pot Pie
- or see all of our delicious chicken recipes here!
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.
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.
How do I pick good asparagus?
Asparagus should be bright in color and firm to the touch. The tips of the asparagus should be tightly closed.
Chicken and Asparagus Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breast, thinly sliced (about 6 total pieces)
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 lb asparagus
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1/2 cup white cooking wine, or chicken broth
- 2 cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Mix the flour with the garlic powder, 1/2 tsp 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.
- 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.
- Remove chicken from skillet, and add asparagus and garlic, cooking 1 minute and stirring continually. Pour in the cooking wine 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.
- 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.
- Remove from heat. Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Serve over potatoes, wilted spinach, or rice. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- You can cut the chicken in half, chunks, or use chicken tenderloins in lieu of full chicken breasts to make cooking time faster. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of chicken breast.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Flavor Variations:
- Pesto: after cooking, stir 1/4 cup pesto into sauce
- Lemon: after cooking, stir juice from 1 lemon into sauce
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