Chicken with Sauteed Pears and Rosemary Sauce

Recipe from Bon Appetit's RSVP section and Ruby's, Bainbridge Island WA
Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Serves 4

My singing buddy, Bill, gave us some pears from his pear tree. I'm sure he thinks I'll just eat them raw, but I have big plans for them. Pear season has begun. Local pears are also in at Lost River Market & Deli as well as the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. I will be making this fabulous chicken dish with them. The sauce is really, really, really good and the pears go nicely with the chicken. The sauce is a bit thin, but you can thicken it a bit by adding a slurry of flour and water or cornstarch and water, if you wish. The sauce and the pears can be made in advance. Be sure to make mashed potatoes or with Easy Tasty Couscous Dish (recipe on this blog) with this dish to soak up all the sauce.

3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup red wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Pinch of dried crushed red pepper
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 Bosc pear, quartered, cored, thinly sliced
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup Marsala

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add apple juice, red wine, vinegar, rosemary, thym and crushed red pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Strain mixture into small saucepan; discard solids. Add cream a simmer until reduced to sauce consistency, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile heat 2 teaspoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat.
Add pear slices; sauté until tender and golden brown, about 8 minutes. (Sauce and pears can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover seperately and refrigerate. Rewarm pears over medium-low heat before serving.)

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and sauté until cooked through and golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Add Marsala and bring to boil.

Stir in reserved sauce, turning chicken once to coat. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes longer.
Divide chicken among 4 plates.
Spoons some sauce around chicken on each plate. Garnish with pear slices.