Pear And Gouda Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Carame... Recipe

Directions:

1. 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. 2. Render fat from bacon: In large saucepan, fry bacon over medium-low heat until crisp. Remove bacon to paper towels, reserving liquid in pan.
3. 3. While bacon is cooking, pound chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic until approx. 3/8 uniform thickness.
4. 4. Add pears and rosemary to reserved fat in pan. Cook over medium-high heat until slightly softened and golden-brown, approx. 5 minutes.
5. 5. Remove pear-rosemary mixture from pan, using slotted spoon and reserving liquid in pan. Mix pears with bacon.
6. 6. Lay out chicken breasts with smallest end at bottom. Top with 1 slice gouda cheese, then 1/6 of pear-rosemary-bacon mixture, leaving approx. 2 at bottom.
7. 7. Roll chicken jelly-roll fashion, tucking in sides. Secure with toothpicks on side.
8. 8. Lightly brown top and bottom of chicken in reserved liquid in pan over medium-high heat,approx. 2 minutes per side.
9. 9. Place chicken breasts, top side up, in 13 X 9 pan, reserving liquid in pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes or until internal temperature registers 160 degrees.
10. 10. Meanwhile, cook onions in reserved liquid in pan, scraping any browned portions from bottom of pan, over medium-high heat until golden brown (onions may start to stick to bottom of pan - this is okay). Lower heat and keep warm until chicken is done.
11. 11. Remove chicken from oven and drain liquid. Tent chicken with foil.
12. 12. Deglaze onions over medium-high heat using chicken liquid. Reduce to appox. 3/4 cup. Add brown sugar and stir until smooth and glossy.
13. 13. Remove onion sauce from heat and stir in balsamic vinegar.
14. 14. Place chicken breasts on serving dish and cover with onion sauce. Garnish with additional rosemary sprigs.