Sheet Pan Lemon Herb Chicken and Asparagus is a quick and easy dinner, with juicy chicken, tender asparagus and all made in one pan, perfect for those busy weeknights!
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You can't go wrong with any sheet pan meals! Clean up is easy and you get a healthy dinner in no time. If that sounds like something you're about, you'll enjoy this One Pan Honey Mustard Chicken dinner!
Why This sheet pan lemon chicken works
This delicious chicken dinner is easy to put together, and is overflowing with flavor from the fresh herbs and lemon slices.
Sheet pan meals are simple to customize if needed and you can easily feed the whole family from a single baking tray.
The pops of citrus flavor from the lemon juice is the perfect compliment to your juicy chicken.
Simple Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken: Bone-in skin on chicken breasts
- Butter: Softened
- Lemon: Lemon zest and lemon juice from a lemon. Do not use bottled lemon juice.
- Herbs and spices: minced garlic cloves, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper
- Olive oil
- Asparagus: You can use fresh or frozen.
- Parmesan cheese: Grated or shredded.
How to Make Sheet Pan Lemon Herb Chicken and Asparagus
- Step 1: In a small bowl, add butter, lemon zest, half the lemon juice, and fresh herbs.
- Step 2: Place chicken on the cutting board and use paper towels to pat dry.
- Step 3: Use your fingers to separate the skin from the meat and rub some of the herb butter lemon mixture under the skin. Rub a layer on top of the chicken as well and season with salt and pepper.
- Step 4: Transfer chicken to a baking sheet and bake. Remove tray from the oven, place asparagus around the chicken in a single layer, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and parmesan. Finish baking and drizzle with the rest of the lemon juice before serving.
Amazing Dinner Tips
- Make sure you get up under the skin as much as possible with that buttery herb mixture. The butter is what helps the skin get that crispy goodness that we love. So make sure you use it all.
- You may need to adjust the baking time of your asparagus if it's thinner.
- Make clean-up even easier by lining the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Always use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken.
- Add a hint of sweetness by drizzling chicken and asparagus dinner with honey or pure maple syrup.
- If you want your chicken to get a little extra golden brown and to get the asparagus even more tender, you can pop the pan with the whole meal under the broiler for a few minutes. Be sure to watch it though because it can go from beautiful to burnt in the blink of an eye.
Recipe Faq's
Of course! Baby potatoes, diced sweet potatoes, green beans, cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, brussels sprouts, broccoli, broccolini, zucchini, cauliflower, bell peppers and onions are all great options.
Yes. chicken breasts are good for feeding good-sized portions, but if you want to use chicken thighs that tend to be more economical, you can. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time as necessary.
Additionally, you can use skinless chicken breasts if desired and if you choose boneless chicken breasts adjust the cooking time
to 18-20 minutes before adding the asparagus to finish cooking 8-10 minutes.
Add your favorite starch or carb to make this a complete meal. Serve alongside some homemade mashed potatoes, on a bed of white rice, cauliflower rice, or brown rice, or some Ciabatta Bread.
More Chicken Recipes
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Easy Sheet Pan Lemon Herb Chicken and Parmesan Asparagus
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-4 bone-in skin on chicken breasts about 4 pounds
- 6 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 lemon zest plus the juice
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon pepper divided
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb asparagus
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375
- Rinse the asparagus and trim off woody end pieces, set aside
- In a small bowl, mix butter, lemon zest, 1/2 lemon juice, garlic, thyme and rosemary.
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and pat dry with paper towels. Working with one breast at a time, use your fingers to carefully separate the skin from the meat. Rub some butter herb mixture under the skin, Then spread the rest over the tops. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken breasts on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven place asparagus around the chicken and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle remaining kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle Parmesan over the asparagus. Bake for another 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, squeeze remaining half of lemon over chicken and veggies.
How much butter is a “cube” ?.
Yes you can use dried herbs Meg. Dried herbs are a lot stronger then fresh, so you would use 2 teaspoons of dried Rosemary and Thyme. Hope this helps 🙂
Can I use dried Rosemary and Thyme for this recipe? If so, would I use the same amount as fresh?
Can’t wait to try this recipe out!
Yes it would be no problem to double it 🙂
Looks awesome can’t wait to make it!! I love fresh herbs! Could I double this?
Yes Terri, Its the same. Hope you enjoy it 🙂
planning on making this for dinner tonight, looks great - the recipe calls for 3/4 of a cube of butter - is that the same as a stick?
Thanks
Terri
Yes, 20 minutes for boneless. Hope this helps Allison 🙂
If I am using boneless breasts, when you say cook for twenty minutes instead is that for the 30 minutes with the bone in option? Thanks!
This is a keeper !