If you are looking for that easy midweek meal, this Roasted Lemon Chicken with Asparagus is my go-to! This dish is one of my family's favorites and on a busy day- it is beyond helpful since it is so simple. Also a perk- it can be cooked all in one pan so there is not hours of clean up. My kind of meal. 

Ingredients

Spice Mix:

• 1 tablespoon- salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Chicken:

• 6- 8 chicken drumsticks or thighs (skin on)
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1 lb of asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 lemons, cut in half

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. In a medium bowl, mix together all spice mix ingredients. 
3. Heat a large cast iron skillet * (or another sturdy, ovenproof pan) over high heat on the stove top. Add the olive oil and the onions and season with 1 tsp salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are slightly soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
4. Heavily coat the skin side of each piece of chicken pieces with about half of the spice mix. 
5. Take the onions out of the pan and set aside. (You can also just scootch them to one side of the pan so you are using less dishes) 
6. Using the same cast iron, place the chicken, skin-side down on heat. While the skin side is down, season the upturned sides of the chicken with spice mix. 
7. Cook the chicken, undisturbed, until the skin is lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes, then flip each piece and cook for another 3 or 5 minutes, until the chicken is lightly browned. Pour onions back into the chicken dish to surround the pieces of chicken. Add asparagus over onions and chicken. 
8. Turn off the stove, and squeeze the lemon halves over the chicken. Tuck the lemon halves in between the pieces of chicken.
9. Transfer the chicken to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 20-30 minutes depending on the size of your chicken. (If you have a meat thermometer, the chicken should be 165 degrees at the thickest part.)

*My pan is 12 inches but anything between 10-14inches should work great!

Enjoy!

Elizabeth 

Photographs by Anna Pata