This Simple Dinner Is Based on Asparagus

I wait all year for local asparagus, and this spring’s pining went on longer than usual. A cold start to the growing season in the Northeast stalled things. And while this is true for all produce, asparagus is especially sensitive to nature’s chilly whims.

Early this month at my neighborhood farmers market, only a few vendors had stalks on offer.

Greg Swartz, an owner of Willow Wisp Organic Farm in Damascus, Pennsylvania, said that his asparagus harvest had been about 20% of what it normally is for this time of year.

“Asparagus is a soil thermometer,” he said. “You can tell the soil is cold by how slowly it’s growing.”

This has meant that, instead of my usual early May asparagus binge, I’ve been more thoughtful about how to cook the first verdant stalks. Should I steam them and gloss with butter? Sauté them with ramps? Or roast them along with some kind of protein that I can lay on a sheet pan and throw into the oven at the same time?

I decided on roasting, which combines the ease of a one-pan meal with the coziness of a warm kitchen that’s still welcome right now.

There are two ways I approach roasting asparagus alongside a protein. The first is to choose a protein that will roast in the same amount of time as the stalks -- usually 10 to 20 minutes depending on how high the heat is and how thick the spears are. This works best for relatively speedy ingredients such as fish, meatballs and sausages. But slower cooking ones, such as bone-in chicken parts, will benefit from a head start in the oven.

For this recipe, I begin by roasting a seasoned, cut chicken on a sheet pan by itself. This gives me time to trim the asparagus and slice up some scallions, which I add to the pan after 15 minutes.

Piling the whole bunch of asparagus into a mound next to the chicken lets me fit everything on one pan. And then the stalks on top get a little golden while the ones underneath stay bright green and tender. As the chicken skin crisps, it releases its fat into the pan, further seasoning everything. Finally, I drizzle it all with a lemony dressing spiked with coriander and garlic for a sharp, bright tang.

Asparagus season might be spare this year, but I plan to enjoy every green bite.

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Recipe: Lemon Chicken With Asparagus

Roasting a cut-up chicken with bunches of asparagus and scallions makes for an easy, savory meal that doesn’t stint on vegetables. The key here is to pile the asparagus into a mound, next to the chicken, so everything fits on the same pan. The stalks on top get brown at the edges, while the ones underneath soften but stay bright green. A lemon-mustard sauce spiked with coriander and garlic brings everything together. If you’d rather, you can substitute 3 1/2 pounds of your favorite bone-in chicken parts here for the whole, cut-up bird.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces (3 1/2 to 4 pounds) or use chicken parts

2 teaspoons fine sea or table salt, more as needed

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon paprika

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup torn soft herbs, such as mint, dill or parsley (or a combination)

For the lemon dressing:

1 lemon

2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

Salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:

1. Prepare the chicken: Season chicken all over with salt, coriander and paprika. If you have time, set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 24 hours, covered, in the refrigerator.

2. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange chicken pieces on one side of a sheet pan and drizzle lightly with oil. Roast for 15 minutes.

3. Remove from oven and pile the asparagus on the other side of the pan, top with the scallions, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Drizzle chicken and asparagus with a little more oil.

4. Return pan to oven and continue to roast until chicken is golden and cooked through and the asparagus is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. (If the breast pieces are done before the dark meat, transfer them to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.)

5. While the chicken cooks, make the dressing: Finely grate the lemon zest into a small bowl. Halve the lemon and squeeze the juice into the same bowl. Add the garlic, a pinch each of salt and pepper, and the coriander and whisk well. Whisk in mustard and olive oil. Taste and add more salt, mustard or oil, if needed, to make it bright and very tangy.

6. Drizzle lemon dressing over chicken and asparagus, coating everything well, and serve topped with fresh herbs.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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