BLUE CHEESE, PEAR, AND WALNUT STUFFED CHICKEN WITH BALSAMIC HONEY GLAZE

BLUE CHEESE, PEAR, AND WALNUT STUFFED CHICKEN WITH BALSAMIC HONEY GLAZE image

Categories Chicken

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 12

4 Split chicken breasts, skin on
1/2 cup pear juice
2 T. balsamic vinegar
3 T. honey
6 ounces plus 4 T crumbled blue cheese, divided
1 large rip pear, finely chopped
1/4 cup walnut pieces, plus 2 T chopped, divided
1/2 t. salt
1/2
teaspoon pepper
fresh thyme sprigs
fresh flat leaf italian parsley

Steps:

1. In small heavy saucepan, mix together pear juice, vinegar and honey. 2. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil; cook about 10 minutes to reduce and set aside. 3. In small bowl, mix together 6 ounces of the blue cheese, pear, 1/4 cup walnut pieces, salt and pepper. 4. With fingers, carefully separate chicken skin from meat to create a pocket. Spoon 1/4 blue cheese mixture into each chicken breast pocket. 5. Place chicken in shallow baking dish and bake in 375°F oven for 20 minutes. 6. Remove chicken from oven and drizzle with balsamic glaze. 7. Return to oven and cook about 25 minutes more. Baste with pan juices and arrange on serving platter. 8. Garnish with remaining 4 tablespoons blue cheese, 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts and thyme and parsley sprigs.