Chicken and Pear Recipe
Juicy roasted chicken with sweet, caramelized pears, crispy bacon, and a hint of honey and thyme. This easy one-pan meal is perfect for fall and comes together in under an hour!
Ingredients
- 4 lbs whole chicken breasts, cut in half
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- Olive oil
- 8 strips bacon, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup white wine
- 4 Tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp chili crisp
- ½ cup honey
- 2 Barlett pears, cut in chunks (leave skin on)
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, cutting the breasts in half. Salt and pepper each piece.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan over medium heat, adding the chopped onions and bacon and sautéing for 3-4 minutes. Add the wine and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the onions and bacon from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and fry the chicken breast on each side for 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
- In a separate bowl, toss the pears, honey, 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped thyme, chili crisp, and salt and pepper. Drizzle the mixture with olive oil. Mix and set aside.
- Place the onion mixture on the bottom of a roasting pan, with chicken breasts on top. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme, and place the pan in the hot oven. Roast the chicken for 20 minutes.
- The last 10 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven and pour the pear mixture with the juices over the top. Bake another 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and serve right away on a bed of polenta, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, or arugula. Garnish with fresh thyme.
Notes
Sandy’s tips:
- Choosing chicken: Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts are great for the juiciest results. For a faster-cooking option, use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but reduce the initial roasting time by about 10 minutes.
- Pear varieties: While Barlett pears are our favorite, you can also use Bosc or Anjou pears, which hold their shape well during roasting.
- Spice it up: The chili crisp is a wonderful addition, but you can also add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the pear mixture for a similar kick.
- Make it ahead: The onion and bacon mixture and the seasoned chicken can be prepped a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or oven.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 626kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 69g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 213mg, Sodium: 556mg, Potassium: 1381mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 32g, Vitamin A: 351IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 3mg