Ingredients

1/2 cup goat cheese (4 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
3 pears (about 2 pounds), cored and cut in half
1 1/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups dried figs (about 8 ounces)
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 3 pounds)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Optional garnish: 3 extra figs and a few thyme sprigs

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 F.

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. Discard solids. Pour half of fig sauce into a 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan. Place chicken breasts over sauce in pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place a filled pear-half cut-side down over each chicken breast and drizzle with remaining fig sauce.

Cover pan with foil and bake in 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.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 580 cal., 59 g pro., 10 g total fat (5 g saturated), 63 g carbo., 150 mg chol., 1,060 mg sodium, 8 g dietary fiber.