Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Lemon, and Asparagus

 I have really been absent from my blog. I have been checking in on all of my friends but life has just gotten very hectic and something had to give. One boy is home from college for a bit and leaves again in a few days for a summer job. The other one, my baby, is going to graduate from high school and will be leaving the nest very soon. Everything is good...and I feel like I need to be in the moment right now enjoying my family while they are here and we are all together.

As you can see by some of the other posts I have made, that I am a big fan of the easy, delicious, chicken dinner. This one comes from Everyday Food...I had it in my files marked to try, and then a friend from a message board I belong to tried it and loved it and that gave me a little push. I made this for Sunday dinner last night and all of my hungry guys gave this a huge thumbs up!

We have gorgeous local New Jersey asparagus here now and it was perfect for this dish. What I loved about it was one pan to wash...that was it. Very little prep and the guys adored this. The original recipe calls for a whole chicken cut up...but we love the juicy thighs. I used two pounds of new tiny creamer potatoes and there was not a one left. There are lovely, lemony, juices after this is roasted...I will make this one many times again I am sure. The light was horrible in my kitchen last night...so please excuse the pics.
  
Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Lemon, and Asparagus
adapted from Everyday Food
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, halved
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Coarse salt and ground pepper
 Bone in, Skin on chicken thighs , about 3 pounds
1 bunch asparagus (1 pound), trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges 
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
6 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place potatoes and half the butter in a roasting pan; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until potatoes are golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Place chicken, skin side up, on top of potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Roast until chicken begins to brown, about 20 minutes.

Scatter asparagus,garlic, lemon, remaining butter, and thyme around chicken. Roast until asparagus is tender and chicken is opaque throughout, 5 to 15 minutes. Serve chicken, vegetables, and lemon drizzled with pan juices.