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1
Preheat oven to 400u00b0; preheat a big skillet over med-high heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
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2
Add in onion, thyme, and garlic; season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring frequently for 5-8 minutes until nice and brown.
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3
Remove onions from the pan; add in the remaining olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter.
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4
Add in the chicken; season with salt and pepper; cook until lightly browned 3-4 minutes on each side.
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5
While the chicken is cooking, split the French bread in half lengthwise, just shy of cutting it completely through.
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6
Dig out some of the insides of the bread and discard.
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7
Push the bread open and flatten out to keep it open.
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8
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 5 tablespoons butter, a little salt and pepper, and 3 tablespoons parsley; evenly spread mixture on the inside of the bread.
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9
Cut the buttered loaf into 4 portions, arrange on a cookie sheet; transfer to oven and bake about 5 minutes until golden brown.
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10
Remove toasted bread from oven, set aside on the cookie sheet, and switch the broiler on.
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11
Add the browned onions back to the skillet with the chicken; dust with the flour and continue to cook for 1 minute.
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12
Whisk in the white wine, stock, and half-and-half; bring to a simmer.
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13
Add in the asparagus and continue to cook 2-3 minutes, or until the asparagus are tender and the sauce is thick.
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14
In a small bowl, combine the grated cheese with the bread crumbs; toss to coat the cheese evenly with the breadcrumbs.
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15
Stir the remaining parsley and chopped ham into the chicken and sauce.
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16
Divide the creamy chicken into 4 portions in the pan, then transfer each portion to top the toasted bread.
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17
Sprinkle a little of the cheese on top of the chicken, then transfer the cookie sheet to the broiler to melt and brown the cheese.
