Roast Chicken with Cream Cheese and Blackberry Thyme Compote

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Happy Tuesday! I love Tuesdays, just like I love Mondays, Wednesdays, and every other day of the week. Why? Because I don't wake up each morning to be average. When my eyes flutter open to twittering bird song and streaming sunlight, I decide to be the best possible version of Maya possible. Today is Tuesday, May 8, 2018, and I know that I will never, as long as I live, have this day again. May as well make every moment count! So throw back the curtains, blare out your favorite song, and put a smile on your face. An authentic smile, reader. Fake smiles are the worst.
There was nothing particularly special about today, except for the fact that I am alive and breathing and, really, how beautiful is that? I was made to think of this, as today is my great grandma's 94th birthday. Happy Birthday, Great Grandma! This huge event made me remember that a huge winding path with a sign reading Future is ahead; needless to say, I'm enjoying every moment of my joyful journey.
There is one more exciting element of today, May 8th, 2018: We are up to two original, entree-style dishes, folks! With my loyal oven mitts and mixing bowl, I cooked up roast chicken with cream cheese and blackberry thyme compote! Perhaps it wasn't the best thing to make on a school night, as it takes some time, but the results changed my mind. The flavors were absolutely delightful! There is a catch. Do you ever buy chicken breasts from the grocery store and they end up being super rubbery, no matter how carefully you've monitored them? Unfortunately, my portion turned out this way. It was completely out of my control, but I was disappointed nonetheless. Thankfully, there was one more piece, so I gobbled it down instead. Guess what? It wasn't rubbery in the slightest! Poultry can be precarious. But also extremely, extremely tasty.

When I was little, my mom made a chicken dish with apricot jam. I will not lie; I absolutely hated it. Why should sweet apricot jam, better suited to tarts and toast (in the mind of toddler Maya), be paired with savoury chicken? Bleh. That stuff was probably my least favorite meal, ever. Ironically, this roast chicken with cream cheese and blackberry thyme compote is inspired by the Dreaded Apricot Bird of my childhood. Although I, for one, think it is quite a bit yummier.

Roast Chicken with Cream Cheese and Blackberry Thyme Compote 
Serves 4

Ingredients
For Chicken and Cream Cheese Spread:

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • plenty of olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 package of cream cheese (8 oz.), softened
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
For Blackberry Thyme Compote:
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 cups fresh blackberries
  • 1/4 cup water
  • Slightly more than 2 Tbsps Lakanto Monk Fruit/ Swerve Erythritol
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your two chicken breasts on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, and drizzle them with olive or avocado oil. Make your cream cheese spread. In a small mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, thyme, parsley, and garlic. Either whip with a mixer or fold the flavorings into the cream cheese with a spatula. Spread the mixture on top of the chicken breasts. Any leftover spread can be used as a dip for sliced vegetables, Whisp Cheese Crackers, etc. Bake your chicken for about 20 - 30 minutes, or until the thickest portion reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. While the poultry is in the oven (releasing mouth watering aromas into your house), make the blackberry thyme compote. In a small saucepan, bring the water and sweetener to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and stir until all of the sweetener has dissolved into the water. Stir in your fresh blackberries (which you certainly haven't eaten half of while you've been waiting), along with the lemon juice. Stir your mixture often, until the fruit is juicy and soft. This takes about 3-4 minutes. My family prefers the compote a little mushier, so I simmer it for closer to 5-7 minutes. If you are not a fan of blackberry seeds, feel free to pour the compote through a sieve and into a separate bowl . Remove your compote from the heat and stir in your dried thyme. When the cream cheese chicken is done cooking, spoon the compote over the top. Enjoy!

Side suggestions: balsamic roasted brussel sprouts with bacon, roasted beets and green beans, or roasted broccolini with garlic butter.

Bon Appetit!
-Maya 

Photo by Jason Briscoe on Unsplash, Photo by Don Lu on Unsplash, Photo by Hello I'm Nik on Unsplash

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