Sheet-Pan Chicken with Asparagus
Juicy sheet pan chicken roasted with pencil-thin asparagus, fresh lemon, and a touch of dried tarragon. This simple one-pan dinner is bright, flavorful, and ready in about 30 minutes.
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 large bunch pencil-thin asparagus trimmed
- 2 lemons 1 sliced for roasting, ½ lemon juiced to yield 1 tablespoon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Pat the chicken dry and place it on the sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and dried tarragon.
- Roast the chicken for 13 minutes — this is its head start.
- While the chicken roasts, toss the asparagus with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Slice one lemon into thin rounds.
- Pull the pan from the oven. Add the asparagus and lemon slices around the chicken.
- Return the pan to the oven and roast for another 15–20 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F. Total cook time for the chicken will be about 30–33 minutes.
- If your chicken reads around 160°F, pop it back in for 3–5 more minutes — but pull the asparagus first so it doesn’t overcook.
- Remove from the oven and drizzle 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice over everything. Let rest for 5 minutes, then spoon any pan juices over the chicken before serving.
Notes
A note on the asparagus: pencil-thin is key here. Thicker stalks take longer to cook and won't finish at the same time as the chicken. If pencil-thin is all you can find at your store, great — you're set. If your asparagus is thicker, see the FAQ below for how to adjust.