Chicken with Pear-Sage Skillet Chutney

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 cups cored, finely chopped Bartlett pear (about 2 pears)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan.
3. Reduce heat to medium; add remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Add onion and bell pepper to pan. Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sugar, vinegar, sage, mustard seeds, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Add pear. Increase heat to medium; cook 10 minutes or until pear is tender, stirring frequently.
4. Place chicken in pan on top of chutney. Cover pan loosely with foil; bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until chicken is done.
5. Wine note: Pinot gris, the same grape as pinot grigio, is known for producing fuller-bodied whites brimming with fruit flavors like apple and pear when grown in the cool climate of Oregon's Willamette Valley. Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Gris 2005 ($17), with its clove and almond notes, echoes the concentrated pear and herbal flavors that are found in the chutney. -Jeffery Lindenmuth