One-Skillet Lemon Chicken

A large skillet with cooked chicken thighs, asparagus, lemon slices, and a rice dish, seasoned and arranged neatly.

5 from 1 vote

One-Skillet Lemon Chicken

🍋👏🏻🧀 Chicken thighs, farro, and asparagus simmer in ONE skillet to produce a satisfying and complete meal with layers of FLAVOR from lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Parmesan cheese, and more! The chicken is tender and juicy, the farro is hearty, the asparagus is crisp-tender, and it's all ready in 45 minutes. If you've never worked with farro, it's easy or you can sub with another grain.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Course: Chicken, Dinner

Cuisine: Chicken

Keyword: chicken with asparagus, chicken with farro, easy lemon chicken recipe, one skillet chicken, one skillet lemon chicken

Servings:

Calories: 556cal

Equipment

large skillet (must be oven-safe)
digital thermometer

Ingredients

1 cup pearled farro toasted, then rinsed (make sure to select pearled farro which is essentially quick-cooking farro compared to the other types)
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs about 5 pieces; read the FAQs in the blog post for chicken substitution questions
1 teaspoon paprika or to taste (smoked paprika may be substituted)
1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil divided; or more if necessary
1 large shallot sliced thin (or sub with 1/3 cup finely diced white onion)
2 to 3 cloves garlic finely minced
2 ½ cups chicken broth (I recommend reduced sodium)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or to taste (grainy mustard may be substituted, do not use basic yellow mustard)
Zest of 1 medium lemon
Juice of 1 lemon about 2–3 tablespoons juice
1 small bunch asparagus trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups; do not use frozen or canned vegetables; fresh broccolini, broccoli, green beans, or fresh snap peas may be substituted)
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese or more to taste if desired
Optional for garnishing: minced fresh parsley extra grated Parmesan, lemon wedges

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Farro: In a large, oven-safe skillet, add the farro (keep the skillet dry), and toast it over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes; stir nearly constantly until the farro is lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer to a strainer or colander, rinse, and set aside.
Tips - Toasting farro before cooking enhances its nutty flavor and adds depth to the dish. After toasting, rinse the farro to remove any powdery residue. This step preserves the nutty flavor while preventing the dish from becoming gummy or overly starchy. In contrast to rice, where you wash or rinse it first, then cook it; farro is the opposite. Toast first, then rinse it
Chicken: Evenly season the chicken with paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium heat, add the chicken, and sear it for about 4 minutes per side, or until browned; it should not be fully cooked through at this point. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Vegetables: To the same skillet, add the remaining olive oil (or more if desired) and the shallots. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened, stirring very frequently. Then add garlic and cook 30-60 seconds more; stirring continuously.
Incorporating and Simmering: Stir in the rinsed farro. Add a splash of broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits.
Stir in the Dijon mustard, lemon zest, and remaining broth. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low.
Nestle the seared chicken into the skillet.
Baking: Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven, stir in the asparagus and take care to have the chicken thighs to the top of the dish.
Bake for another 10–15 minutes, or the until farro is tender and chicken reaches 165°F as measured by a thermometer.
Baking Tip: If it takes longer (or less) time to for your chicken and farro to be done, so be it. Bake as long as necessary, whatever that means in your kitchen, with your oven, pan, ingredients, etc.
Farro Absorption Tip: Farro continues to absorb liquid as it rests, so don’t worry if there’s extra liquid in the pan when you finish baking. As the dish rests and time passes, the farro will continue to soak up the liquid, and therefore even more flavor.
Finishing: Remove the skillet from the oven, squeeze lemon juice over the dish, and sprinkle with Parmesan.
Optionally, garnish with fresh parsley or other fresh herbs such as oregano or thyme, if desired.
Flavoring Tips: Taste the dish and if necessary, add additional salt or pepper, to taste. If you used reduced sodium broth, chances are you'll want to add a generous bit more salt (I add about 1 more teaspoon) and pepper, but it's based on your preferences. Serve warm.

Notes

Storage: Leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or as desired.

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