Ben's Chicken Dish.....Taste & Create

I love to participate in this event. It is the brainchild of Nicole from For the Love of Food. We are paired with another food blogger, browse through all their delicious recipes...choose one dish..then blog about it. It is always hard to choose just one dish. I love this event because we can showcase someone else's blog and all learn something new from each other.

This month I have been paired with the industrious Ben from What's Cooking . Ben grew up around food, he says, " His family owned a restaurant in Mexico City for almost 40 years. His specialty is Mexican food but he loves to cook just about anything" ...duly noted. Here in Canada most Mexican restaurants have what we consider typical fare and not the authentic flavours. Once in a while we come across a real gem, but, for the most part the restaurants only skim the surface of truly authentic Mexican cuisine. I have longed to travel to Mexico and take part in a cooking class (or two). There are several to choose from that I know of that peak my interest. Mexican Home Cooking with Chef Dona Estela in Tlaxcala , a two hour drive from Mexico City or at La Villa Bonita with Chef Ana Garcia in Tepoztlan, one of Mexico's "Pueblos Magicos" (magical villages) also about 45 minutes from Mexico City. Another choice would be at Arcos Del Atascadero Bed & Breakfast in San Miguel de Allende at Mexican Cooking Vacation . Maybe I will get there one day yet :D

In searching through Ben's blog it was very hard to decide which recipe to choose for the Taste & Create event. If you get the chance certainly have a long visit. One dish that stood out for me for it's uniqueness was the following chicken dish.

Ben says, "For a couple of years now I have been making this dish at least once a month. I first saw the recipe in a morning talk show in Mexico City and I knew I had to try it. There are many dishes in Mexico that combine spicy and sweet flavors and this one does so deliciously. The secret is in the sauce." You can view his original post and recipe here .

I served this chicken dish with my version of Mexican Rice and steamed broccoli. This recipe will knock your socks off!!! At the end I blitzed the sauce in the blender for just a moment. The secret is definitely in the sauce. It has just the right amount of heat to let your taste buds tingle. I hope I did you proud Ben :D

As Ben says, "As always, I encourage you to be creative when cooking your food, which is the best part of the day. Buen provecho!!!"

**Chicken in Pear Sauce**

4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts

3 pears diced

½ cup sour cream

1 – 2 chipotle adobado peppers

½ onion chopped

2 garlic cloves chopped

olive oil

salt

pepper  and salt

The original recipe called for grilled chicken breasts, but you can use your oven to cook the chicken. This part depends on how you like your chicken. Just remember that the pear sauce is very flavorful and rich. I myself like to grill or broil them with just enough salt and ground pepper for flavor.

For the sauce:

Sauté onion and garlic in a saucepan.Add pears and chipotle peppers and stir constantly.When the pears start to ooze, add the cream, stir, lower heat and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Add salt if needed. Cover chicken breasts with the sauce and serve.