Pan Seared Chicken Breasts with
Cranberry Cherry Sauce and Bleu Cheese Crumbles

There's just so much to love about this dish! Pan-seared chicken breasts served on a bed of sautéed mushrooms, onion and crisp hickory smoked bacon, topped with a cherry wine sauce, studded with dried cranberries plumped in red wine, and garnished with creamy blue cheese crumbles.

2007 Ultimate Cranberry Recipe Contest Finalist: Karen Harris of Castle Rock, Colorado.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups red wine - divided use
1 cup Ocean Spray® Craisins® Cherry Flavor Sweetened Dried Cranberries (or use plain)
4 slices hickory smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 ounces sliced button mushrooms
1 small yellow onion, quartered and sliced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons steak seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup cherry preserves
2 tablespoons blue cheese crumbles
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

Cooking Directions:

1. Place 1 cup wine and sweetened dried cranberries in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium high heat until it starts to brown, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms and onion. Cook until onions are brown, stirring frequently, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup wine and salt. Cover; reduce heat to low, stirring frequently.
3. Combine steak seasoning and garlic powder. Sprinkle on both sides of chicken breasts, pressing spices onto meat.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink inside, about 5 to 7 minutes each side. Chicken should be a rich brown color when done. Remove pan from the heat and transfer chicken to a plate. Cover tightly with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.
5. Add reserved sweetened dried cranberry mixture to skillet, stirring to loosen any browned bits. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Boil until reduced by about 1/3 its original volume. Whisk in cherry preserves; reduce heat to low.
6. Place equal amounts of mushroom mixture on 6 warm plates. Top each with a chicken breast and a generous amount of the cranberry-cherry sauce. Sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles and parsley. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., through ECES, Inc., Electronic Color Editorial Services.