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Baked Chicken Thighs With Asparagus

Bathed in a garlicky white wine-dijon sauce and cooked with kalamata olives and cherry tomatoes, these crispy-skinned baked chicken thighs with asparagus are all gussied up for spring.

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Baked chicken thighs in a cast iron skillet surrounded by asparagus, olives, and tomatoes.

A One-Pan Chicken Thigh Supper—All Grown Up.

When asparagus season hits, we just want to load up on the tender springy stalks and gobble them up at every meal. But, man cannot live on asparagus alone—or at least that’s what our kids tell us. So, we took our bunches of asparagus and added it to our favorite weeknight dinner equation:

chicken thighs + veggies + one pan = an easy, delicious, healthy dinner.

Ingredients laid out for baked chicken thighs with asparagus recipe.

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This Is the Absolute Best Chicken and Asparagus Recipe...

Because it lets simple ingredients shine. When asparagus is just coming into season, the last thing you want to do is cook it to death, or drown it in a heavy sauce. A lot of meals with asparagus and chicken weigh them down with too many other things. Spring is the time to keep things simple and let good ingredients speak for themselves.

This one-pan garlic herb chicken and asparagus supper sings with flavor thanks to:

  • Skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs. Crispy skin, and just enough fat to self-baste as it bakes, they’re worth a few extra calories.
  • Fresh garlic and herbs. Again, we’re using restraint—just fresh garlic cloves, and a few sprigs of fragrant fresh thyme.
  • A classic wine-and-mustard sauce. Mustard sauce for chicken thighs is oh-so-French and oh-so-good. Somehow, magically, it’s at once pungent and delicate, with a sharpness that cuts right through the richness of the baked chicken thighs.
Bone in, skin on chicken thighs browned in a cast iron skillet.
shallots and garlic sautéed in a cast iron skillet.
Shallots, garlic and thyme sautéed in a cast iron skillet with white wine and mustard sauce.
Baked Chicken Thighs With Asparagus, cherry tomatoes, shallots and olives in a white wine dijon sauce.

What Goes With Chicken and Asparagus?

Our garlicky chicken thighs with asparagus stand alone—the olives and roasted cherry tomatoes make the finished one-pan dinner feel plenty bountiful. However! When we’re feeling up for using a second pan, we’ll whip up some simple seasoned brown rice to serve with the baked chicken thighs. Or, you could serve it with a nice loaf of crusty country bread to sop up the sharply savory, herb-flecked, garlicky white wine-Dijon sauce.

Baked Chicken Thighs With Asparagus close up in a pan with olives and tomatoes.

Dinner Party-Ready—Weeknights Included.

Holly and I are on a quest to remind others (and often, remind ourselves) that however crazy your life may be, finding time to eat with others should always be a priority. These delectable baked chicken thighs are roasted in a tangy white wine mustard sauce that thickens as it cooks and the whole one-pan meal comes together in under an hour. It's hearty, homey, and simple, with the complex flavors and elegant ingredients that make it feel extra special. It's the perfect meal to make at the end of a busy day—to enjoy and to recharge. I've learned that I'm most fully at rest when in the company of others, and this meal is proof positive that that doesn't mean I have to break my back to break bread with those I love.

Baked Chicken Thighs With Asparagus in a pan with olives, tomatoes and shallots in a white wine garlic sauce.

Other Secretly Simple Chicken Dinners

Presentable enough for company, easy enough to make anytime.

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How’d It Turn Out?

We want to know! Snap a photo of your finished baked chicken thighs with asparagus and maybe even a video of the beautiful people you feed it to. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!

Baked Chicken Thighs With Asparagus

  • Serves: 6
  • Prep Time:  10 min
  • Cook Time:  55 min
  • Calories: 377

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6 medium shallots, quartered
  • 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
  • ⅔ cup dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc
  • 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup mixed olives, pitted
  • 1 pound asparagus, evenly sized, ends trimmed

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center position.

  2. Pat the chicken dry. Season all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt and pepper.

  3. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, working in batches as needed, add the chicken, skin side down, and cook, undisturbed, until the skin begins to brown, about 6 minutes. Flip the chicken and repeat on the other side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

  4. To the same skillet over medium heat, add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Stir in the thyme, wine, and mustard. Simmer until the wine has reduced slightly, about 2 minutes. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt.

  5. Return the asparagus to the skillet along with the cherry tomatoes and olives. Nestle the chicken into the vegetables, skin side up. Bake in the oven until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer, about 35 minutes.

  6. Garnish with additional thyme leaves, if desired. Serve family-style.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories377
  • Protein25 g
  • Carbohydrates15 g
  • Total Fat24 g
  • Dietary Fiber4 g
  • Cholesterol112 mg
  • sodium1308 mg
  • Total Sugars6 g

Baked Chicken Thighs With Asparagus

Questions & Reviews

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  • Patrick

    What's the cook time for boneless thighs?

    20-25 minutes. Hope you enjoy Patrick!

  • Carolyn

    Bit confusing - assuming the chicken and all ingredients goes in the oven at 375 for 35 minutes - it says if the chicken skin is getting too brown to turn to medium ??? Assuming that’s in the first step not the last ?????

    Yes, that is in step 3. Hope you enjoy Carolyn!

  • Anne

    Can I cook this day before and reheat?

    Sure! Hope you enjoy Anne!

  • Holly

    What can I use n place of the wine

    You can use chicken stock. Hope you enjoy!

  • Pam

    I don't have a cast iron skillet and don't have time to buy one before I want to make this dish. Can I do the initial steps in any stove top pan then transfer to a baking dish? If so, are any adjustments needed to be sure I don't lose any of the flavor when transferring from the stovetop pan to a baking dish?

    Yes, that will work fine!

  • Rebecca

    Made this tonight, didn't have the shallots sub onions, didn't have tomatoes, left them out, didn't have any white wine, used chicken broth and chicken broth tomato flavor. Even with all of the alterations, it was still amazing! I really liked the saltiness from the olives, and could have made a meal out of the asparagus and onions alone it was very good.

    Thanks Rebecca, happy you loved it and that all your substitutions worked out!

  • KNS

    Just LOVED this recipe. So heart, flavorful and filling. Will certainly be my go-to when I have guests over.

    Thank you! We are so happy you loved it!

  • erika

    lovely dish. thank you

    Thanks Erika, glad you enjoyed it!

  • Jan

    I found this recipe today as I was trying to find something different from our usual chicken thighs meals. Made as written and absolutely delicious! This has gone into the recipe collection. This will be on our table again very soon. Thank you!

    Thank you so much Jan, this is so great to hear! We are so glad you loved it and will be making it again!

  • Glenda

    Nice dish. I also added a garlic puree it thicken the sauce.

    Thanks Glenda, so glad you enjoyed it!