Chicken Kids and Husbands Will Eat

Chicken - it's one of those things that feels so boring sometimes so finding ways to make it more interesting is a nice change of pace. I saw a video online of this beautifully cooked chicken with these thin cute little asparagus and thought - yes let's have this - in January... you know when as asparagus is in season - oh wait - no it's not... at all. So the asparagus that I bought was like a wee bit woody, but still, I persisted. Thankfully this dish is a fast cook - I was at massage therapy appointment right after work. Andy took the kids to the library - so they were a tad tired when I got home. Thankfully tossing the butter in a pan with some seasoning, then the chicken, then the veg is all pretty easy. I still can't seem to get meat cooked well. Some of my chicken could have been cooked a tad more - thigh meat is so hard to know when it's done. Andy ate a LOT of it and brought the rest for lunch the next day - so let's say it was a winner. I'll take it as a win. Nicholas just wanted to eat and eat more - yay! That is a true win. When the kids eat what I make? I'll make it every week forever and ever. Ok maybe not... but still it's really nice when they like what I make. Here's hoping for a winner of a dinner tonight!

One Pan Garlic Herb Chicken and Asparagus
3-6 chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts (breasts pounded to even 1/2 inch thickness)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh herbs for garnish (optional)

Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pan/skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic and herbs and cook another minute or so until the garlic is fragrant.
Reduce heat to medium, add chicken to pan, and cook for 5-7 minutes, then flip and cook another 5-7 minutes. (Chicken should be nearly, but not completely cooked through by this point)
Scoot the chicken over the sides and add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the empty portion of the pan. Once the butter is melted, add asparagus. Season asparagus with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, rotating throughout, for 4-6 minutes until tender and chicken is completely cooked through.
Serve immediately garnished with freshly cracked black pepper and fresh herbs if desired.