Asparagus Stuffed Chicken

Savory lemon- and herb-seasoned chicken stuffed with tender asparagus and provolone and parmesan cheeses, this asparagus stuffed chicken is incredibly easy to prepare, yet elegant and ready to wow anyone who tries it!

If you love this one pot meal, you’ve gotta try my Honey Lime Garlic Chicken, Three Cheese Stuffed Balsamic Chicken, and Honey Roasted Chicken and Sweet Potatoes. 

I’ve talked about this before, but each year I tend to gravitate toward a couple of ingredients that I just can’t seem to get enough of. Last year I feel like I really discovered the magic of thyme and fell in love with strawberries all over again. This year I am LOVING all things lemon.

And asparagus? Well, I find myself grabbing a bundle at the store almost every week without any specific plans for it. And today is the day that lemon and asparagus are coming together in the best way possible. This recipe for Asparagus Stuffed Chicken is so easy and the perfect way to amp up your weeknight chicken game without spending extra time in the kitchen.

Why this Recipe Works

Just enough lemon — I debated naming this dish “Asparagus Stuffed Lemon Chicken” but ultimately left the lemon off because it’s just not all that lemon-y. It really just has a hint of lemon that works perfectly with all of the other ingredients simply by being placed on top of the chicken breasts right before you pop them in the oven. 

Cheese — Oh, did I not yet mention the cheese? Oh you betcha there’s cheese in this dish. Inside the chicken you’ll find ultra-melty provolone and parmesan cheeses (one of my favorite cheese combinations ever) hugging the tender stalks of asparagus. 

Italian seasonings — What goes best with provolone, parmesan, and lemon, you ask? Why, all the Italian spices of course! Plus, a hint of paprika for a little mild sweet/spicy flavor. 

One pot — Okay in this case it’s one skillet, but you get the idea. One cooking pan to use means only one to clean up. The best way to make a meal, in my opinion, because doing dishes is the worst. 

Here’s how you Make It

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Then, using a super sharp, large chef’s knife, slice each chicken breasts horizontally to form a pocket. Make sure you don’t cut all the way through the chicken. Stop about ½ an inch from the other end so that you can stuff it.
2. Next, rub the sliced chicken with oil on both sides and then season them with salt and pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and the Italian seasoning/dried herbs. Don’t be afraid to use your fingers to really rub the seasonings into the chicken.  
3. Now they’re ready for stuffing. Do this by opening the pocket of one breast at a time and placing two slices of provolone cheese, then 3-4 asparagus stalks, and lastly sprinkle with 1/4th of the parmesan cheese before closing the pocket and using toothpicks to secure the pocket closed. Repeat the process for each breast. 
4. Melt the butter in a large oven-safe skillet (I love a large cast iron for this) over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, stir in the honey. Then, immediately add the stuffed chicken breasts to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes until browned, then carefully flip and cook another 2 minutes till browned on the other side. Top the chicken with slices of lemon. 
5. Put the whole skillet in the preheated oven for an additional 15-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, the cheese is melted, and the asparagus is tender. (Time will vary based on the thickness of the chicken breasts you used.)
6. Spoon any extra sauce from the pan over the chicken and be sure to remove the toothpicks before serving. 

What Part of Asparagus do you Eat?

Technically you can eat the entire stalk of asparagus if you want. However, the ends can get very woody and hard, so I always cut that part off. How much of the bottom of the stalk you cut off depends on how much of it is woody. You can simply hold either end of the stalk in each hand and snap, it will snap at the hard woody part and you can discard that.

Or if you prefer all of the asparagus the same size, you can line it all up at the stem side and go ahead and cut off about 1-2 inches from the bottom to be safe. 

Expert Tips 

• I recommend only making as much of this dish as you plan on eating. While it certainly keeps in the fridge (and will still taste delicious), reheating it with the cheese again can be somewhat problematic. The cheese tends to melt all out of the chicken before it’s heated through. 
• Using the toothpicks to keep the breasts together while they cook is key. Otherwise, when you try to flip, all the cheese and asparagus will slip out and you’ll be left with a hot, cheesy mess in the bottom of the skillet instead of in your chicken.
• Try to use similarly sized chicken breasts if possible. This ensures more even cooking times across all of the chicken.

Did you try this Asparagus Stuffed Chicken recipe? YAY! Please rate the recipe below!