Roasted Half Chicken and Warm Pears

As families, so many of us are tied to the same old dinners. The week is so packed with activities and work that it can be hard to get creative when it comes to making meals. This is especially true when it comes to basics like chicken. We just buy the same tired chicken breast, season it with the same herbs or sauces and bake.

My favorite way to spice it up in the kitchen is to pair ingredients that you may not see giong together well at first. Adding fruit as a major part of a savory meal is a great way to do this. Apples, Pears, Oranges and Prunes (yes, prunes) are some of my favorites.

For this particular recipe, the mild sweetness of the pear was the perfect thing to offset the savory spiciness of the Chili Mustard marinade.

• 2 European Semi Boneless Chicken Halves
• 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp Chili Sauce (try Ginger People Chili Sauce)
• 1 Tbsp Rosemary
• 2 tsp Ground Pepper
• 2 tsp Ground Sea Salt
• 1 Anjou Pear, Thinly Sliced

Preheat oven to 350 and pat chicken dry. Season Chicken with Salt and Pepper. In a bowl, mix together Mustard, Olive Oil, Chili Sauce and Rosemary. Toss with Chicken Halves and allow to marinate for 30 minutes to overnight.

Chicken Half in Mustard Chili Sauce

Heat a pan over medium high heat. Sear Chicken for 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to greased shallow baking dish and oven roast for 30 minutes, basting occasionally.

While chicken is in the oven, lightly saute pear slices, until just warm. Arrange in a fan on plate and serve with chicken.

Roasted Half Chicken with Anjou Pears