Is roast chicken the ultimate comfort food? Three recipes that prove it

The Maltese winters go from bright, sunshiny days, to cold and grey from one day to the next. When the cold hits we find ourselves reaching for the comfort food. But comfort food doesn’t have to be junk. The ultimate comfort is a roast and a roast chicken is a favourite.

Easy enough to make as a mid-week meal – just bung it in the oven as soon as you get in from work and let it do it’s thing while you get showered and ready for a cosy night in. Whip up some steamed vegetables or a crisp salad while the chicken rests and you’re good to go.

Alternatively you could go nuts with the sides and make your roast chicken the star of the weekend with very little effort.

Perhaps the best thing about roast chicken is that there are plenty of leftovers that you can eat over the rest of the week, whether you’re putting all of the chicken and veg into a pie, using the carcass for a nourishing soup or adding chicken bits to a risotto, leftovers are never boring with the weekend’s roast chicken.

These three recipes will give your regular roast chicken a bit of boost with some unlikely flavours like saffron, sumac and sweet apricots.

Saffron roast chicken

Saffron doesn’t only give this roast chicken recipe an unusually delicate flavour but also adds rich golden hue to the skin of the bird.

Get the recipe for saffron roast chicken here.

Sumac, lemon and garlic roast chicken

Sumac is a popular ingredient in Middle Eastern dishes. The berries from the sumac bush are dried and ground into a deep red powder that can be used for anything from dry rubs to simply sprinkled on eggs. The tart flavour pairs well with the sweet lemons, giving this roast chicken recipe immense flavour.

Get the recipe for sumac, lemon and garlic chicken here.

Apricot and currant roast chicken

Getting the kids to try new things is always a struggle. This sweet and sticky recipe will be a hit with the kids from the very first bite. The grown ups are not known to complain either. Serve with brown rice or roast potatoes and some greens.

Get the recipe for apricot and currant roast chicken here.