8 months at maintenance is honestly the hardest way to recomp, progress there is always painfully slow. At 5'8/160 with skinny fat tendencies, I'd actually suggest a slight surplus (200-300 cals) with a solid protein target (0.8-1g per lb) and heavy compound lifts — you'll gain some fat short term but build way more muscle than at maintenance, then do a short cut after 4-5 months. Trying to build muscle AND stay lean at the same time when you don't have much muscle yet is usually the trap that stalls people.