Chicken Thighs Stuffed with Asparagus and Lemon Shallot Sauce

Time: 35 - 40 minutes
Effort: Easy
Serves: 2

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless (optional) chicken thighs
8 green asparagus stalks, lightly steamed
2 tbsp butter 
Juice from 1/2 lemon, plus the rind - grated
2 shallots, sliced lengthwise (not too thin)
4-5 white mushrooms, sliced thickly
Fine sea salt and a generous amount of fresh grated pepper
Cooking string to tie up the thighs

Steam the asparagus until crisp. (About 3 minutes or less). Open up each chicken thigh, skin side down - like a butterfly. Insert 2-3 asparagus stalks cut to size, keeping the remainder for decoration later. Roll up each thigh, and tie the ends securely with string, cutting off any extra. Set aside. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet until very hot. Add the chicken thighs and brown on each side, then remove onto a plate. Reduce the heat a little and add the rest of the butter, shallots and mushrooms. Saute until the shallots are transluscent, then add the chicken and a little water to deglaze the skillet. Add the lemon juice, rind, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for approx. 25 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Serve with mashed potatoes (shown here - mashed with parsnips) and garnish with the remaining asparagus.