Balsamic-Fig Glazed Pear Topped Chicken Breast

Ingredients

• 4 oz goat cheese
  ¾ tsp thyme, dried leaf
  ¼ tsp garlic, fresh, minced
  3 USA pears, cored and cut in half
  1 1/3 cup chicken broth, low sodium
  1 ½ cup dried figs
  ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
  ¼ cup sugar
  6 chicken breast halves, boneless, skinless
  2 tsp salt
  1 tsp black pepper, ground

Directions

Mix goat cheese, thyme leaves and garlic until blended.  Place 1 rounded tablespoon goat cheese mixture into center of each pear half.  Puree chicken broth, figs, vinegar and sugar in batches in blender until smooth.  Pour into strainer set over bowl.  Press liquid (sauce) into bowl and discard solids.  Pour half of fig sauce into 13x9x2-inch pan. 

Place chicken breasts over fig sauce in pan.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place filled pear half cut side down over each chicken breast and drizzle with remaining fig sauce.  Cover pan with foil and bake in conventional oven at 375°F for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and continue to bake, basting occasionally, 30 to 40 minutes until chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 160°F.  Cut chicken breast and pear in half to serve.  Spoon sauce over pear.  Garnish with cut fig and thyme sprig.