Chicken Breasts With Pears and Dried Figs

Clipped out of our local newspaper; this Mediterranean-inspired recipe courtesy of that gang of rogues: The Pear Bureau Northwest. Original recipe called for fresh thyme.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Yields: 6 chicken breast

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup  goat cheese (I used French feta-read *NOTE)
• 3⁄4 teaspoon fresh oregano or 3⁄4 teaspoon fresh marjoram
• 1  garlic clove, finely minced
• 3  pears, cored, peeled and cut in half
• 1 1⁄3 cups chicken broth
• 1 1⁄4 cups dried figs, chopped
• 3⁄4 cup  dark  balsamic vinegar, plus
• 1  tablespoon  dark  balsamic vinegar
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 6  boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon cracked black pepper

• Garnish

• 3  figs, cut up
• 1  sprig fresh oregano or 1  sprig fresh marjoram

Directions

1. *NOTE: If using feta, it is high in sodium, so you may want to adjust the amount of salt indicated in the recipe. Also, the directions did not say to peel the pears, but I did anyway.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the cheese, fresh herb and garlic. Place 2 rounded tablespoons of the mixture onto the center of each pear half.
3. In a blender or food processor, puree the chicken broth, figs, balsamic vinegar and sugar until smooth. (You may have to do this in batches.).
4. Pour the chicken broth mixture into a strainer over a bowl. Using a spatula, press the liquid through the strainer into the bowl. Discard the solids.
5. Pour HALF of the fig sauce into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Place the chicken breasts over the sauce in the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Now take a filled pear half and place cut side down (that means the filled half is placed cut side down) over each chicken breast. Drizzle with the remaining fig sauce.
7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
8. Cover baking dish with foil and bake in oven for 20 minutes.
9. Remove the foil and continue baking, basting the chicken occasionally, for approximately 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160 degrees.
10. Cut chicken breast and pear in half to serve. Spoon fig sauce over pear. Garnish with cut up figs and sprigs of herbs.