Use the large frying pan to toast some almonds ahead of time. They will be used as a garnish later.

Crush or grind the fennel seeds. I usually use a small coffee grinder for this.

Mix the ground fennel seeds with the sage and paprika.

Season the chicken with the spice and herb mixture.

Heat the smaller frying pan and add oil or butter. Sear the chicken on both sides. Then lower the heat slightly and cook the chicken for a little over 15 minutes.

If the fillets have skin, score it lightly (2 cuts per fillet are enough). Cook skin-side down first. The rendered fat adds extra flavour to the chicken and, later, to the sauce.

Meanwhile, wash the asparagus. Handle it gently so it does not break. The tips, in particular, can contain a lot of sand.

Peel with a vegetable peeler (lay each spear flat, place a finger under the tip, then peel from the tip towards the base in long strokes). Cut off about 1 cm from the base.

Heat the large frying pan and add oil. Sauté the asparagus on all sides for about 2 minutes. For two servings, the asparagus will probably fit in your largest frying pan. For several servings, it may not fit comfortably. In that case, cut the asparagus into pieces as well.

Squeeze the oranges and add the pulp to the juice as well. Remove any membranes, using a small strainer if necessary.

Add the orange juice to the asparagus. Lower the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer the asparagus for another 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pan and wrap it in aluminium foil to keep it warm.

Scrape up the browned chicken juices from the bottom of the pan. Add the almond butter.

Pour in the juices from the pan containing the asparagus and stir.

Then pour in the cream. Do not add it all at once; hold a little back. This lets you judge how much you need. It depends somewhat on how runny the almond butter is and how much juice the oranges contain.

Arrange the asparagus and chicken on plates and spoon the sauce over them.

Garnish with the toasted flaked almonds.