Chicken in Blue Cheese Sauce

This was an easy weeknight meal.  I always forget how a nice sauce can elevate simple, boring protein into something special.

Butternut squash purée was a nice accompaniment.  This recipe came from Clean Eating magazine.

Here's what you need:    
1 medium butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
salt & pepper 
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 2 oz)
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Peel and dice the butternut squash.

Toss with a tablespoon of oil and the spices and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. 

Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven, toss and bake 15 minutes more.  

Meanwhile, sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and a bit of oil.   

When you flip the squash, put the chicken in the oven and bake about 15 minutes until cooked through.  Flip it at the halfway point.

For the sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan then sprinkle the flour over it and cook, whisking, for about a minute.  

Slowly pour in the milk, whisking until smooth and simmer, whisking, for about 5 minutes.  

Remove from heat and stir in the blue cheese and some pepper.

Once the butternut squash is cooked, purée it in a blender with enough milk to achieve a silky texture.  

Plate the squash and chicken.

Drizzle the blue cheese sauce over the chicken and add some dried cranberries.  Tasty!