One Skillet Balsamic Chicken and Pears

I love cooking with fruit. Maybe it's the sweet tooth I can't EVER seem to shake. But combining a little sweet with the savory is a personal favorite. My friends (ahem....Wendy and Leah!) joke that they always know exactly what I will order off a menu even before I open my mouth.  Let's just say they wouldn't be the least bit surprised (while chatting over the phone during the daily, dinner prep hour) to hear I'm making this recipe.

Another bonus here? It's a ONE SKILLET meal. Which means 3/4 of my kitchen isn't stacked around the sink when I'm done. It's adapted from a Good Housekeeping cookbook I reach for all the time. And stay tuned because I'm sure you'll see me refer to some of the other numerous winners I've pulled from it's pages.

I've used various combinations of apples, pears, dried cherries, dried cranberries, and raisins to make this. They are all good so feel free to use your favorite taste combo.

 

One Skillet Balsamic Chicken and Pears

Author: Erin (adapted from Good Housekeeping)

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 t. vegetable oil


• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts


• 2 Bosc pears, cored and cut into thin wedges


• 1 c. chicken broth


• 3 T balsamic vinegar


• 2 t. cornstarch


• 1 1/2 t. sugar


• 1/4 c. dried cherries

Instructions

1. Heat 1 t. vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook through, turning once, until golden brown in color. Remove to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.


2. Heat remaining 1 t. of oil in same skillet, add pears, and cook till softened and golden brown.


3. In a liquid measuring cup, measure out 1 c. of chicken broth. Add vinegar, cornstarch, and sugar and mix well with a fork.


4. Add broth mixture and dried fruit to pears in skillet. Heat to boiling while stirring constantly, then boil 1 minute till thickened.


5. Return chicken to skillet, coat in sauce, and heat through. Serve.

Notes

I will often use a thin sliced chicken breast for this recipe if I happen to find them. It just makes the cooking that much faster. If your chicken breasts are on the thick side, I would recommend pounding them a little thinner to reduce cooking time.

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