Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs with Asparagus
This Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs with Asparagus delivers 27g protein and 388 calories per serving — a complete meal covering protein and vegetables in one pan. Quick-preps 6 servings on the stovetop with minimal cleanup, supporting your post-workout recovery window. Cuts down daily cooking frequency while maintaining consistent macros.
Ingredients
- •Chicken Thigh, Bone-In, Skin-On(900g)
Boneless skinless thighs. Fattier than breast but more forgiving to cook.
- •1 pinch salt (to season)
- •1 pinch cracked pepper
- •Thyme, Dried(10g)
- •Olive oil(15g)
Regular (not extra-virgin) olive oil for high-heat cooking. EVOO for dressings.
- •Unsalted Butter(30g)
- •Garlic(23g)
- •Lemon Juice, Fresh(80g)
- •Lemon(100g)
- •Thyme, Fresh
- •Asparagus(500g)
Instructions
- 1Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season generously with salt, pepper, and dried thyme on both sides.
- 2Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes until shimmering. Place chicken thighs skin-side down and sear for 4–5 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip and sear the other side for 5 minutes until browned.
- 3Reduce heat to medium, push chicken to the sides of the skillet, and add butter and minced garlic to the center. Cook the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant, then pour fresh lemon juice over the chicken and scatter fresh thyme leaves around the pan.
- 4Cover the skillet with a lid or foil and continue cooking over medium heat for 18–22 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F at the thickest part of the thigh.
- 5Arrange asparagus spears around the chicken in the pan and cook uncovered for 8–10 minutes until the asparagus is tender-crisp and the chicken skin remains crispy.
- 6Divide the chicken thighs and asparagus evenly among 6 airtight containers while hot, spooning the lemon-butter pan sauce over each portion. Garnish with fresh lemon slices and remaining thyme leaves.
- 7Allow containers to cool to room temperature, then seal and refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition — Per Serving
388
calories
27g
protein
32g
fat
- Carbohydrates
- 8g
- Saturated fat
- 0.4g
- Sodium
- 2 mg
- Dietary fiber
- 0.7g
6 servings per batch · ~26g each
Macro data sourced from USDA FoodData Central
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How much protein does Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs with Asparagus have per serving?
This recipe contains 0g protein per serving and 35 calories with 7g fat and 3g carbs — it functions as a vegetable and fat side dish, not a primary protein source. You'll need to pair it with a separate protein like chicken breast, fish, or eggs to complete a meal.
How long does Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs with Asparagus take to prep?
Quick prep on the stovetop yields 6 servings, meaning the asparagus and butter sauce come together fast for meal prep batching. This is best used as a versatile side to accompany 4-6 oz of protein in your main dishes throughout the week.
Is Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs with Asparagus good for fat loss?
At only 35 calories per serving, this is a negligible-calorie vegetable side that supports fat loss meal prep by adding volume and satiety without calorie impact. Use it as your vegetable component across multiple meals to keep your daily total flexible.
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