Crispy Parmesan Asparagus Chicken Pasta

# What You’ll Need:

→ Asparagus

01 - 1 bunch asparagus (about 14 oz), woody ends trimmed

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

05 - 1/3 cup grated Asiago cheese

06 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

07 - 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

→ Chicken

08 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz)

09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

11 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Pasta

13 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta

14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

15 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

16 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

17 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

18 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

19 - Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

20 - Salt and pepper to taste

21 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

02 - Place asparagus on prepared sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, Asiago, Parmesan, and lemon zest. Toss to coat, arrange in single layer, and roast for 12–15 minutes until tender and golden. Cool slightly, then chop into 1-inch pieces.

03 - Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to plate and rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.

04 - Cook pasta in large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.

05 - In same skillet used for chicken, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in chicken broth and heavy cream; simmer 2–3 minutes. Add Parmesan and stir until melted and creamy.

06 - Add drained pasta, lemon juice, and half of reserved pasta water to skillet. Toss to coat, adding more pasta water as needed for silky sauce. Season to taste.

07 - Gently fold in sliced chicken and chopped crispy asparagus. Warm through.

08 - Serve immediately, garnished with parsley and extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

The asparagus stays crispy even after roasting and mixing into the warm pasta, giving you actual texture instead of mushy vegetable disappointment.
You're making a proper cream sauce from scratch in about five minutes, which feels fancier than it has any right to be.
The lemon juice is your secret weapon—it cuts through the richness so you don't feel weighed down after eating.

02 -

Reserve that pasta water before you drain—it's liquid gold for thinning your sauce to exactly the right consistency without watering down the flavor.
Don't skip letting the chicken rest after cooking; those five minutes let the juices settle so slicing doesn't turn them into dry little pieces.
The cheese on the roasted asparagus needs to crisp up properly, which means arranging the stalks in a single layer rather than piling them on top of each other.

03 -