Garlic Butter Chicken and Asparagus

This was very flavorful and healthy.

Ingredients:

• 3 boneless chicken breasts, cut into tenders and halved lengthwise
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2″ long pieces
• 2 t minced garlic
• 1 t Italian seasoning or Herbes de Provence
• 1 T hot sauce (Sriracha)
• 1/2 c chicken broth
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 T minced parsley

For the Chicken seasoning:

• 1 t salt (maybe less)
• 1 t black pepper
• 2 t onion powder

Directions:

• Add the chicken seasonings to the chicken and let sit a few minutes.
• Blanch the asparagus in some boiling salted water for about 2 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain.
• Heat some butter and olive oil in a pan. Gently stir fry the chicken on all sides until golden brown. Lower the temperature, add the garlic and Italian seasonings and cook until fragrant. Remove the chicken and set aside.
• In the same skillet, add some garlic. Deglaze the pan with chicken broth or wine. Bring to a simmer and reduce to half its volume. Add some butter, lemon juice, hot sauce, and parsley.
• Add the asparagus and toss for a couple of minutes to cook. Add back the chicken and stir fry for another minute or so.
• Garnish the chicken with some chopped parsley, red chili flakes, and lemon slices.

Chicken Cutlets Milanese

This recipe brought me back to my childhood – this was one of my most favorite recipes. True comfort food!

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, sliced very thin

1/4 c. capers, drained and patted dry

1/2 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2″ sections

1 large egg, beaten

1 c. fine breadcrumbs

1/2 c. finely grated Pecorino cheese

Garlic powder

1/4 c. chicken broth

1 T. Dijon mustard

Directions:

In a large fry pan, heat some olive oil. Place the capers and cook them until crisp (about 5 minutes). Remove the capers to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

In the same pan, add some more olive oil. Add the asparagus and cook until tender crisp. Mix the chicken broth and mustard together and add to the asparagus. Cook until the liquid is almost all absorbed. Remove the asparagus and set aside. Clean the inside of the pan.

Place the beaten egg in a shallow dish. Mix up the breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl and put it on a piece of wax paper. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Take each breast and pass it in the egg. Then pat it into the breadcrumb mixture.

In the same frying pan, heat some oil. Add the coated chicken breasts and cook until golden on both sides and cooked inside.

Plate them and top them with the crispy capers and asparagus.

 

 

Shrimp & Asparagus Stir Fry

Tasty and 0 weight watcher points! Even better! Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 lb. raw shrimp

1 lb. asparagus, cut into 2″ strips

Crushed red pepper

1 t. minced garlic

1 t. minced ginger

1 T. soy sauce

2 T. lemon juice

Directions:

Heat a large frying pan. Add some olive oil. Cook the shrimp with some salt and the red pepper flakes. Cook until the shrimp is pink. Remove them from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, heat 2 T. olive oil. Add the asparagus, the ginger, and the garlic. Season with some salt. Cook until the asparagus is tender crisp.

Return the shrimp to the pan. Add the soy sauce. Stir until everything is heated through. Just before the dish is ready, add the lemon juice.

 

Chicken Thighs with Asparagus

This was delicious and probably something that would turn out great in the pizza oven. Also it’s 4 Weight Watcher points!

Ingredients:

8 chicken thighs, with skin and bone in

3 T. butter

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 T. chopped oregano

1 t. chopped rosemary

1 t. chopped thyme

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed

1/2 t. paprika

1/4 c. chicken broth

Directions:

Pat chicken dry very well. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika.

Melt 2 T. butter in a pan. Add the garlic and herbs and quickly stir until fragrant, being careful not to burn.

Lay the chicken, skin side down, in the skillet and cook until deeply browned on both sides. Inside temp should be 165. Reduce heat in case if too hot.

Remove the chicken to a dish and keep warm. Melt 1 T. butter in the same pan. Add the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Saute them until they are tender. Deglaze with the chicken broth and cook for a bit longer until soft.

Remove them from pan. Return the chicken to the pan and coat with the pan juices.

Serve side by side.

Chicken Parmigiana in a Pouch

Here’s another really easy “pouch” recipe! These are so easy that absolutely no skill is required!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. asparagus, washed and trimmed

Olive oil to taste

1 garlic clove, minced

1 chicken breast

Shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 c. tomato sauce

Fresh basil leaves

Parchment paper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400.

Place asparagus in a mixing bowl and coat with olive oil. Add some salt and pepper, and the minced garlic. Mix well. Place it on the bottom of a piece of parchment paper large enough to fold over into a pouch.

Place the chicken breast on top. Season with salt and pepper. Top with the tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil leaves.

Fold up the pouch and place it in a baking sheet.

Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the chicken registers 165 internal temperature.

 

Another Way with Asparagus

I had previously posted a recipe with asparagus and eggs that was a staple in my family growing up. This is a variation on it – and a good one, I have to say!

Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

1/3 c thinly sliced shallots

1 T. thyme

2 cups sliced shitake mushroom caps

3 gloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. chicken broth

1 T. butter

Juice of half a lemon

2 eggs

Directions:

Heat some olive oil in a pan. Add the shallots, thyme and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.

Add the asparagus and cook for a few minutes. Add the broth and cover the pan until the asparagus are tender. Reduce the broth down to about 2 tablespoons. Remove from the heat and add the butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

While the asparagus is cooking, heat another pan. Melt some butter. Fry 2 eggs until stiff but still have a runny yoke.

Plate the asparagus and mushrooms. Top with a fried egg. Pour some of the butter mixture (from both pans) over the top. Sprinkle with some more pepper.

Before eating, break the yolk until it flows over the asparagus. Yum!

Cheesy Asparagus

Last night I made this without the added mozzarella cheese and it was delicious – either way would be good, depending on whether you wanted it a bit lighter or not.

Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

3 T. melted butter

Equal parts garlic powder, onion powder and pepper

Grated Parmesan cheese

Shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lay the asparagus on the sheet, trying to keep them in a single layer.

Pour the melted butter on top and make sure the asparagus are all covered (I use my hands to roll them around a little to coat them with the butter).

Sprinkle the spices on top.

Grate the parmesan cheese on top.

Bake them in the oven for about 10-15 minutes until they are tender.

If you want to add the mozzarella cheese, top the asparagus with the mozzarella cheese and return them to the oven for another 5-7 minutes until the cheese starts to melt and start browning.

My Favorite Way with Asparagus

This dish is quintessential Italian (or at least, Northern Italian!). I grew up with this and sometimes this is all it takes to make a simple, yet very satisfying dish (especially now while asparagus is nice and fresh!).

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed

1 egg

Parmesan cheese, grated

Butter

Directions:

Place the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water. Cook until tender.

In the meantime, melt some butter in a frying pan. Add an egg and cook it until the whites are done but the yolk is still runny.

Plate the asparagus and place the egg on top of them. Drizzle the butter from the pan over it all.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese!

 

Stove top Asparagus

This is one of the easiest methods of cooking asparagus – and also one of the most delicious!

Ingredients:

1 lb asparagus, trimmed

1/8 cup butter

2 T. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

Seasonings such as salt & pepper

Directions:

Melt the butter in a frying pan. Stir in the olive oil, seasonings and garlic. Cook for a short moment, being careful not to brown the garlic.

Add the asparagus and cook for 10 minutes, turning the asparagus to make sure they are covered in the butter sauce.