Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

Place each chicken breast on a cutting board. Carefully butterfly each breast by slicing horizontally through the thickest part, being careful not to cut all the way through, so it opens like a book.

Place a piece of plastic wrap over each butterflied chicken breast and pound gently with a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan until about 1/2-inch thick.

In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Rub this mixture evenly over both sides of the flattened chicken breasts.

Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus spears. Blanche the asparagus in boiling water for 1-2 minutes until bright green and slightly tender-crisp. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain well and pat dry. Chop the blanched asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, minced garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Mix until well combined. Fold in the chopped asparagus.

Lay each flattened chicken breast open. Place one slice of prosciutto on one half of the chicken breast.

Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of the asparagus-cream cheese mixture onto the prosciutto-lined half of each chicken breast.

Fold the other half of the chicken breast over the stuffing. Secure the edges with toothpicks if needed to keep the stuffing inside.

Place the stuffed chicken breasts in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). The chicken should be golden brown.

For extra crispiness, you can transfer the cooked chicken to an air fryer and cook at 375°F (190°C) for 3-5 minutes, or until the exterior is slightly crispy.

Remove from oven or air fryer, let rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.