Spice Rub For Chicken and Roasted Asparagus

We have chicken breasts in this house a lot, so it's nice when you can change things up a bit and spice it up. 

This rub is super yummy and would work really well if you barbecued the chicken. I pan seared mine along with some quinoa and roasted asparagus. I could seriously eat a whole bundle of asparagus myself, love the stuff!

Spice Rub:
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. cumin

Mix all the ingredients together and sprinkle on both sides of the chicken and cook however you would like.


This rub would be enough to cover about 3 normal size chicken breasts, maybe 4, but I like to really cover the chicken.

Now for the roasted asparagus, this could not be any more simple! I think keeping veggies as natural tasting as possible and not overcooking is my favorite!

Roasted Asparagus

1 bundle of asparagus
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lemon 

Set oven to 425 degrees. Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus, you can usually tell where the asparagus is a little discolored, almost has a purplish hue. Or if you grab both ends and bend, the asparagus should naturally break at the right spot.
Spread the asparagus on a foil lined cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil lightly over the asparagus and roll them around a bit to get them all coated. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
Put them in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, depending on how think the spears are, you DON'T want to overcook them, I really don't like when they are mushy. You still want their bright green color. 
When they are finished cooking squeeze the lemon over them. You don't want to do it before the lemon will taste a little bitter if you cook it.

 

After the chicken rested for about 5 minutes I sliced it, put it on top of some quinoa I cooked with an avocado and greek yogurt sauce.