Roast Chicken with Asparagus and Tahini Sauce

From Epicurious.com, a reprint from April 2005 Gourmet Magazine, with a couple of very minor changes:

Ingredients

• 2 lbs asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 4 tbs olive oil
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (3 lbs total)
• 1/3 cup + 1 tbs well-stirred tahini (make sure you stir before measuring!)
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbs garlic, minced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°
2. Toss asparagus with 2 tbs oil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a 15×10 inch shallow baking pan.  Roast on bottom rack, shaking pan once or twice, for 10 minutes
3. As asparagus cooks, pat chicken dry and sprinkle all over with 1/2 tsp salt and remaining pepper
4. Heat 2 tbs oil in 12 inch ovenproof skillet over medium high heat until hot but not smoking
5. Brown chicken, turning over just once, until golden, about 6 minutes total
6. Transfer skillet to middle of oven and roast until cooked through, about 5 more minutes
7. While chicken roasts, puree tahini, water, lemon juice, sugar, garlic and remaining salt in blender until smooth.  (about 1 minute)  Add water if sauce is too thick.
8. Server chicken and asparagus drizzled with sauce and remaining sauce on the side.

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