Chicken and Pear Bake with Walnuts and Crumbled Blue Cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Bosc or Anjou pears, unpeeled, halved, and cored
2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp (15 mL) pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp (15 mL) fresh squeezed lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (125 mL) chicken stock
1/2 lb (250 g) broccolini spears or Chinese broccoli
2 cups (500 mL) radicchio leaves
1/4 cup (60 mL) natural sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup (60 mL) crumbled blue cheese
Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C).
Lightly oil a baking dish just large enough to hold 4 chicken breasts and 4 pear halves.
Combine olive oil, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and lemon juice in small bowl and whisk to blend.
Place pear halves in baking dish cut side up. Brush Dijon mixture over pears, reserving remaining for chicken. Bake pears in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes.
Gently move to the side of the dish and add chicken breasts to baking pan in a single layer. Brush remaining Dijon mixture over pears and chicken breasts and sprinkle with a little salt and fresh pepper. Continue to bake for 20 more minutes until juices run clear when chicken is pierced. Remove chicken and pears to a heated platter and cover to keep warm.
Transfer pan juices to small saucepan and whisk in chicken stock. Bring to a boil and boil until reduced to 1/4 cup (60 mL). Meanwhile, steam broccolini just until tender crisp. Drain.
To serve, place chicken on a bed of radicchio alongside a couple of steamed broccolini spears. Drizzle with reduced pan juices and sprinkle with almonds and crumbled cheese.
Serves 4.
Each serving contains: 393 calories; 34 g protein; 16 g total fat (3 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 30 g carbohydrates; 6 g fibre; 309 mg sodium
source: "Pear-Fection", alive #336, October 2010
Chicken and Pear Bake with Walnuts and Crumbled Blue Cheese
Directions
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Salmon Burgers with Mango-Thai Salsa
These Asian-inspired salmon burgers won’t leave you missing the beef < or > the bun. And keep this fruity and fiery salsa in mind the next time you want to jazz up grilled chicken or taco night. Serrano pepper or chile de arbol would be good swaps for bird’s eye pepper in the salsa. You can even mix some Sriracha sauce into the burgers to further punch up the meal. Skin deep Skinless fish is the only way to go for burgers. A helpful fishmonger will kindly skin fillets for you before purchase. As an alternative to salmon, you can also blend up skinless fillets of arctic char or rainbow trout.
Waffled Chicken Quesadillas with Chipotle Pepper Sauce
These whimsical weeknight quesadillas offer a great excuse to break out the long-forgotten waffle iron. The smoky, tangy pepper sauce is the perfect sidekick for this dish, but it’s also wonderful when tossed with pasta, stuffed into sandwiches, and slathered on burgers. TIP : When assembling quesadillas, keep fillings centred 1/2 in (1.25 cm) from the edge of the tortilla so they don’t spill over. TIP : Chipotle chiles are dried, smoked jalapenos. Adobo is a slightly sweet red sauce. Put them together in a can and they become a versatile pantry staple to add deep smoky heat to sauces, dips, marinades, and soups. No waffle iron? Then make these quesadillas using this skillet method. Place 1 tortilla in skillet, preferably cast iron, and cook over medium heat until dark spots appear and bottom is crispy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn over and cook until crispy and darkened on the other side. Remove tortilla from skillet and replace with another tortilla. Cook until darkened and crispy on one side, flip, and top with stuffing ingredients. Place crispy tortilla on top, press down gently, cover pan, and cook for 1 minute, or until cheese has melted.
Ancho Tomato Baked Feta
This Mexican-Mediterranean hybrid dish gleans its tempered kick from parched ancho chilies, the dried form of poblano peppers known for their smoky quality and sweet to moderate heat. It’s a fantastic saucy, and comforting, appetizer or meal on its own. Serve with crusty bread to sop up every last bit of the red sauce, or spoon over cooked grain. Chili choices Experiment with different dried Mexican chili peppers in your dishes. Instead of ancho, other options, each with different heat levels and flavour nuances, include pasilla, guajillo, or morita. Look for them in Latin markets and some supermarkets. For leftover lovers Because the flavours in this dish only deepen with resting time, it’s a definite candidate for serving as leftovers; simply reheat in the oven or microwave. Cheezy choices If possible, compare labels and look for lower-sodium feta options. A ball of fresh mozzarella or bocconcini are great alternatives, or try a block of medium-firm tofu and substitute agave syrup in place of the honey for a vegan-friendly dish.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Dip with Pickled Jalapenos
A good option for both backyard barbecues and healthy snacking, this creamy dip benefits from a little spicy crunch, courtesy of quick-pickled peppers. If you want your dip to have a smoky edge, blend in a chipotle-flavoured salsa. Or forgo the salsa and, instead, blend in a couple tablespoons of tomato paste and a single canned chipotle chili pepper. Extras of the pickled peppers are an exciting topping for burgers, sandwiches, and tacos. TIP : When using prepared chili pepper products such as bottled salsas, examine the ingredient list for items you really don’t want or need, namely sugar and high amounts of sodium.