Chicken With Pear Sauce

One night (before payday) I found my pantry and fridge was more bare that Old Mother Hubbard's. These are the ingredients I had one hand to make this tasty and comforting dish.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 4  boneless skinless chicken breasts (thawed)
• 4  teaspoons cinnamon (divided)
• 4  fresh pears (peeled, cored and cut into chunks, reserve the pear cores)
• 1  cup chicken broth
• 1  teaspoon ground allspice
• 1⁄2 tablespoon sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄3 cup raisins
• 1  tablespoon asiago cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large skillet, warm the oil over medium-high heat.
3. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with half of cinnamon. Add the breasts to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes on each side or until browned; transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Remove as much flesh as possible from each one of the cores. Place in a microwave safe bowl (2 Celsius capacity) along with chicken broth. Microwave for 2 ½ minutes on high. Set aside.
5. Put chopped pears, cinnamon, salt, allspice, sugar and broth/pear liquid into a food processor. Process until the mixture is of applesauce-like consistency. Stir in the raisins.
6. Place chicken breasts into a lightly greased, 2 quart capacity casserole dish. Cover with the pear mixture. Sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon of Asiago cheese. Bake uncovered at 325 for 35 minutes. Serve over a bed of steamed white rice.