The Briny Lemon: Panko-Crusted Chicken with Pan-Seared Asparagus

Recipe updated May 2015

Quick and easy chicken breasts make lean, light, and tasty dinners—especially when panko breadcrumbs are added. Panko provides a thin, crispy coating for great crunchy texture on the outside, while the inside stays moist and tender.

But the other key to flavor in this recipe is the simple vegetable sauce spooned over the chicken. Crisp-tender pan-seared asparagus, sweet grape tomatoes, and a little chicken broth and white wine cook quickly in the same pan as the chicken to make this a fresh and easy one-skillet meal.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 large egg
1 cup panko
4 6- to 7-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 1 inch in thickest part
3 tbsp olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 oz asparagus spears, cut into 2-1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup quartered grape tomatoes
chopped fresh basil, for garnish

Vegetables for the Sauce

Prepared Vegetables

Preparation

Whisk the egg in a medium bowl and spread the panko on a plate or in a baking dish.
Dip each chicken breast in the egg, letting excess drip off. Press into the panko, coating both sides thoroughly.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet (or other heavy pan) over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook until golden and crispy on the outside and just cooked through, 15-18 minutes total, depending on thickness. Add more oil if the pan becomes too dry. (Tip: Once the crust has browned on both sides, lay a piece of aluminum foil lightly over the pan to help retain moisture.)
Transfer the chicken to a plate. Do not wipe out the skillet.

Chicken Beginning to Cook

Cooked Chicken

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the asparagus and red onion and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes.
Add the chicken broth and white wine and cook, scraping up brown pieces, 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the asparagus is crisp-tender and the tomatoes begin to soften, 2-3 minutes longer.