Chicken with Anjou Pear Relish

Name: Chicken with Anjou Pear Relish
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Fusion
Ingredients: anjou pears; radishes; sweet red bell peppers; tarragon leaves; basil; salt; black pepper; almonds; vegetable stock; balsamic vinegar; tarragon vinegar; lemon juice; chicken breast halves, boneless, skinless; salt and black pepper; lemon zest; olive oil; canola oil; potatoes; garlic; salt and black pepper; olive oil; rosemary leaves; green beans

Submitted by lisa24

Grilled chicken breast crowned with a bright anjou pear relish bursting with radish crunch, fresh tarragon, and toasted almonds. A tangy balsamic-lemon sauce ties it all together in under 45 minutes.

YIELD

2 servings

PREP

20 min

COOK

25 min

READY

45 min

Here’s a dish that feels like fine dining but comes together on a weeknight.

Golden-seared chicken breasts get topped with a vibrant relish of diced anjou pear, peppery radishes, red bell pepper, and fragrant tarragon and basil. A quick pan sauce of vegetable stock, balsamic vinegar, and fresh lemon juice brings everything into harmony.

Slivered almonds scattered on top add that final nutty crunch.

Serve alongside roasted garlic potatoes and steamed green beans for a complete meal that looks like you spent hours in the kitchen.

Chef Tips

Let your grill pan get screaming hot before adding the chicken so you get those gorgeous grill marks without sticking.
Pulse the relish in the food processor just a few times. You want a chunky texture, not a puree.
Don’t skip the julienned lemon zest pressed into the chicken before grilling. It infuses citrus flavor right into the meat.
Reduce the sauce by a full third so it coats the back of a spoon and clings to every bite.

Ingredients

Relish

ANJOU PEAR
cored and chopped, (leave the skin on) *

EACH RADISH

TABLESPOONS SWEET RED BELL PEPPER

SPRIG TARRAGON LEAF
to taste *

SMALL BASIL *

SALT
a pinch, to taste *

BLACK PEPPER
be generous, to taste *

TABLESPOONS ALMONDS
slivered, as topping

Sauce

CUP VEGETABLE STOCK
full-flavored

TEASPOON BALSAMIC VINEGAR

TEASPOON TARRAGON VINEGAR

TABLESPOONS LEMON JUICE
fresh

Chicken

OUNCES BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST

SALT AND BLACK PEPPER
to taste *

TEASPOON LEMON ZEST
fine julienned

OLIVE OIL
spray, to taste *

TEASPOON CANOLA OIL
butter flavored

⅓

POUND POTATOES
idaho, scrubbed and cubed

CLOVES GARLIC
minced

SALT AND BLACK PEPPER
to taste *

TEASPOON OLIVE OIL
or less

TEASPOON ROSEMARY LEAVES
fresh, chopped

OUNCES GREEN BEANS
fresh, steamed

Directions

NOTE - the chicken is seared in a grill on the stove top.

The cooking is continued in a hot oven for about 5 minutes while you make the sauce.

Use a food processor to finely dice the pear, radishes and piece of red bell pepper.

Add the tarragon and basil leaves, salt and pepper, and pulse a few seconds until incorporated. [Do no process the almonds.]

Next combine the sauce ingredients, adding things to the measure of broth.

Preheat a square grill pan on the stove top to high.

Meanwhile, finely julienne cut a few quarter sized pieces of lemon peel and press the lemon into the chicken pieces.

Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Grill in the hot pan, turning as infrequently as possible until the grid lines are a golden brown.

Transfer to an oven proof dish and place in the oven to continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes.

Sauté flipping constantly the minced pear mixture.

Add the almonds and toss. Add the sauce liquids and allow to bubble and reduce by one third; the sauce retain some of his juiciness; add salt and pepper to taste.

Flavor with oil or butter if you want. Plate the chicken; top with the relish and and saucy juice.