One Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken and Asparagus

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This twenty-minute Lemon Garlic Chicken and Asparagus is a simple, healthy meal with crispy chicken and asparagus served in a light lemon sauce. It's quick, easy to make, and packed with flavor.

239 CAL 10g CARBS 5g FAT 38g PROTEIN
7 Comments

This One Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken and Asparagus is one of those meals you will make over and over again. The chicken has the perfect amount of crunch, the sauce is full of lemon and garlic, it works with almost any veggie, and it's on the table in 20 minutes. 

I am majorly crushing on one pan meals these days. There is really nothing better than having a delicious meal and not having to worry about washing a million and one dishes afterwards. And this recipe full of lemony chicken and asparagus is at the top of the list.

The chicken is lightly coated in flour, lemon zest, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. The flour makes sure the chicken gets brown and crispy on the outside. You can use almond flour or coconut flour if you are low carb, paleo, low carb, or gluten-free. Then add the asparagus, garlic, and a quick pan sauce made chicken broth and white wine vinegar.  Paired this recipe with pasta, brown rice, couscous, baked sweet potatoes, or spaghetti squash, and you have a perfect meal in my opinion.

Love the combination of lemon and chicken? Don't miss this Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken, Lemon Dijon Chicken Thighs, or Lemon Chicken Artichoke Soup.

Lemon chicken and asparagus with a garlic pan sauce and crispy chicken served on a plate with a skillet in the background.

Key Ingredients and Easy Swaps

Here are the main ingredients for this one-pan chicken dinner:

  • Chicken breast: When it comes to lean protein, chicken breast is a great option since it soaks up flavor. This recipe will also work with chicken thighs, lean pork, fish, or shrimp. Just make sure to watch the cooking time so the protein doesn't overcook. 
  • Asparagus: Lemon and asparagus is a delicious pair but you could make this with broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, spinach, kale, or any other vegetable you like. Adjust the cooking time as needed to the vegetables come out tender-crisp.
  • Lemon and garlic: The two main flavors in this recipe are lemon and garlic. Fresh lemon juice, fresh lemon zest, and fresh garlic will give the best flavor. In a pinch, you could use lemon pepper to season the chicken and minced garlic if needed.
  • Flour: The flour in this recipe gives the chicken that nice crispy coating, like chicken piccata. For a lighter dish, you can leave it out or swap in a lower-carb flour like almond meal. If you leave the flour off, just make sure to nicely brown the chicken so it has some texture.
  • Pan sauce: To bring the whole dish together, this meal has a simple pan sauce made with chicken broth and white wine vinegar. You could swap in another vinegar if needed. To make a richer sauce, melt in some butter as well. 

Tips and Recipe Ideas

  • Although buying chicken breast tenderloins is the easiest option, if whole chicken breasts are more affordable, just slice them into smaller strips so that they cook more quickly. Try to cut them so that they are uniform in size so that they all cook at the same time.
  • Asparagus is my favorite veggie to use in this recipe but you could definitely use green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, or sugar snap peas if you prefer.
  • Depending on the flavor profiles you like, feel free to add some herbs or spices to the coating for the chicken. Thyme or Italian seasoning is delicious as is oregano and rosemary.
  • Love shrimp? This dish is also delicious with shrimp instead of chicken. Just don't add the shrimp until the last minute so that it doesn't overcook. It won't need to simmer for 5-10 minutes like the chicken.

Side Dishes for Lemon Chicken and Asparagus

This dish can be served on its own since it's got everything you need, but you can also pair it with lots of different dishes.

Crispy lemon garlic chicken and sautéed asparagus wit fresh lemon in a white bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

Some of the most common questions about making this chicken recipe.

You can eat the entire asparagus spear, but the end sometimes can be woody and difficult to eat. For the best result, cut off the bottom inch or so of the stem to remove the tough part. Another trick to knowing where to cut the asparagus is to bend the spear at the bottom and see where it naturally breaks.  Learn more about cooking with asparagus.

If you don't have any white wine vinegar on hand, you could swap in white balsamic vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or red wine vinegar. White vinegar and apple cider vinegar will not work well in this recipe. 

If you would like to make a keto or low carb version of this recipe, simply swap in a low carb flour or breadcrumb for the all-purpose flour. Almond meal, crushed pork rinds, or coconut flour will work. You can also add butter to the sauce if you want to add fat to the dish. 

Chicken and asparagus in a lemon garlic sauce served on a plate with a fork and knife on the side.
The Recipe
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One Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken and Asparagus

239 CAL 10g CARBS 5g FAT 38g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 5 Min
COOK TIME: 20 Min
TOTAL TIME: 25 Min
7 Comments
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1.33 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast tenderloins
  • 2 tbsp. flour (or almond flour for Paleo/Whole30/low carb)
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 lemon (zest and juice)
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cups asparagus, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar

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Instructions

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1

Combine the flour, garlic powder, lemon zest (save the juice), salt, and pepper. Toss the chicken with this until all the pieces are just coated.

Flour, lemon zest, garlic powder, salt, and pepper being mixed in a bowl.
2

Heat the olive over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook on each side for 2-3 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.

Chicken breast tenderloins cooking in a skillet.
3

Add the asparagus and garlic to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add the chicken broth and vinegar to the skillet. Stir and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.

Asparagus cooking in a pan with chicken broth being poured over top.
4

Add the chicken and let simmer for 5-10 minutes on low heat or until the chicken is fully cooked. Squeeze lemon juice over top.

Lemon chicken served with asparagus with extra lemon being squeezed over top.
Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 1.5 cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 239
Calories from Fat 40
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5g
7%
Saturated Fat 1g
3%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 360mg
16%
Total Carbohydrate 10g
3%
Dietary Fiber 2g
9%
Sugars 2g
Protein 38g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
7 Comments
On One Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken and Asparagus
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Dawn
August 23, 2021 - 17:57
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5
I’ve made this a few times. I really enjoy how simple but delicious it is. However I don’t believe the calorie count is correct.
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August 24, 2021 - 12:24
So happy to hear you enjoyed it! We use a third-party nutritional software to calculate nutritional info but I am always happy to double-check it. Can you let me know what you think might be wrong? Thanks.
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Kira
March 23, 2019 - 16:10
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4
I’d definitely recommend this recipie! It was easy to make and super delicious! The chicken was very flavorful and I liked the slight breading flavor from the flour. Next time I make it though, I won’t use as much lemon juice because it overpowered the asparagus in my opinion. I’ll definitely be making this again!
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Rachel Blair
May 12, 2017 - 12:53
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5
This was so simple to make and chalk full of delicious lemony flavor! Definitely will be making again.
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Cari Wolfson
October 10, 2016 - 10:42
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5
Amazing!! Definitely will make again.
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Abby Kindervater
April 21, 2016 - 19:13
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5
My husband and I loved this recipe! Will use regularly.
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February 5, 2017 - 18:23
fantastic recipe. hubby and I loved it. used green beans instead because thats all we had on hand. Threw in some mushrooms as well. Delicious!!!
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