Top Chef Entrée Winner: Balsamic and Fig Glazed Pear-Topped Chicken Breast Recipe

Ingredients:
4 oz goat cheese
¾ tsp. thyme
¼ tsp. fresh minced garlic
½ cored pear
½ cup low sodium chicken broth
1 ½ cup dried figs
¾ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup sugar
chicken breast
salt
pepper

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 375* degrees.
Goat Cheese Filling: 
1. Combine the goat cheese, thyme and garlic until thoroughly mixed.
2. Take the cored pear and with a rounder tablespoon, scoop the mixture into the pear. Put aside.

Fig Sauce: 
1. Puree the low sodium chicken broth, dried figs, balsamic vinegar and sugar in a blender until smooth.
2. Strain out solid and pour half of the fig sauce into a 13/9 in. pan.

Chicken: 
1. Place a chicken breast over the fig sauce in the 13/9 in. pan.
2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place filled pear on top of the chicken, open side down.
3. Drizzle chicken with remaining fig sauce.
4. Bake at 375* degrees for 20 minutes, basting occasionally. Bake for another 30-40 minutes until chicken breast reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
5. Serve and enjoy.
*Baking time will vary, depending on how many chicken breasts you wish to cook at once.




Recipe Type: Authentic
Awards: Top Chef Competition: Entrée Winner
Source: http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/TCmenu_winners.pdf