Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Add them to a medium bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil then sprinkle them with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and paprika. Toss quickly to coat.
Heat the remaining Tablespoon of olive oil in a deep, large skillet, like a cast-iron skillet, over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot and shimmering, add the chicken thighs, flat side down, and sear for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through until the chicken reaches just below 165°F to allow for carryover cooking while it rests. Remove the chicken to a clean plate or cutting board.
Turn the heat down to medium heat and add the butter to the bottom of the pot and stir to melt. Add the shallot and saute until soft, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
Pour in the uncooked orzo and stir around to toast the orzo for 1-2 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, coconut cream or heavy cream, and nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese, and use the spatula to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan from cooking the chicken and onion.
Turn the heat up to high and bring the mixture to a boil then turn it down to low heat and simmer, covered, for 13-14 minutes, opening the lid every 3 or so minutes to gently stir to avoid the bottom browning. Double-check the orzo package instructions and adjust cook time as needed to reach al dente.
About 4 minutes before the cooking time is up, open the lid and stir the orzo then place the chopped asparagus on top, without stirring, place the lid back on and cook to steam for the remaining 3-4 minutes, until the orzo is al dente and the asparagus is tender.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest, mixing the asparagus into the orzo as you do. Place the chicken thighs back on top and sprinkle with fresh herbs before serving.