We’ve got space in our hearts for roasts of all kinds — beef with Yorkshire puds, lamb with mint sauce, pork with the crispiest crackling. But if there’s one Sunday dish that really sings, it has to be roast chicken. Once upon a time, though, chicken was a bit of a luxury. In post-war Britain, a whole bird on the table was a sign of real celebration — something you might see at Christmas or Easter rather than a regular Sunday. It wasn’t until the 1950s and 60s, when farming practices changed and chicken became more widely available, that it turned into the affordable family favourite we know today.
Of course, affordability is only part of the story — at T&G, welfare always comes first, so you can enjoy your Sunday roast knowing the bird has been properly looked after.
And here’s the thing: cooking a roast chicken isn’t just about the eating. It’s the carving, the sneaky picking, the unapologetic finger-licking. Everyone has their favourite bit — the wings, the thighs, the breast — but if you know, you know… the oysters are where the magic happens. Get to them first and you win Sunday
Now, let us let you in on a little trick. It’s not complicated, but it does require a bit of patience at the start. The secret? Brining. Brining is basically giving your chicken a spa day: a long soak in salty, lemony, herby water that tenderises the meat, locks in moisture, and means you’ll never eat dry chicken again.
Once that bit’s done, the rest is easy. Everything gets roasted together in one big tin, so the veg drinks up all those glorious juices and comes out tasting like Sunday in a bite.
When it comes to serving, don’t bother with dainty plating either. Pile it all onto a massive platter, plonk it in the middle of the table, and let everyone dig in. That way, no one needs to know you’ve already had a sneaky nibble of the best bits in the kitchen.
Ingredients
For the chicken and veg:
1 whole chicken
A selection of root vegetables (onions, carrots, potatoes, turnips — whatever looks good)
Butter
Sunflower oil
1 lemon
For the brine:
5 lemons, halved
5 bay leaves
½ bunch fresh rosemary
½ bunch fresh thyme
25ml clear honey
1 head garlic, split
25g black peppercorns
250g Maldon sea salt
4 litres water
Method
First, make the brine: combine all the brine ingredients in a big pan, bring it to a boil, then take it off the heat. Once it’s cooled slightly, pour it into a container large enough to hold the chicken and chill it in the fridge.
Prepare the chicken by cutting out the wishbone (this makes carving easier later). Submerge it in the cooled brine and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, remove the chicken, pat it dry with paper towels, truss it, and leave it uncovered in the fridge for 24 hours to air dry. This step gives you that golden, crispy skin.
Peel the root vegetables, toss them with sunflower oil, and season lightly. Preheat your oven to 200°C.
Brush the chicken with butter, season with salt, and make a little nest in the centre of the roasting tin with the veg. Pop the chicken on top. Roast for 20 minutes, then drop the temperature to 160°C and keep going for around 50 minutes, or until the thickest part of the thigh registers 75°C and the juices run clear.
Once cooked, move the chicken to a carving board and let it rest for 20–30 minutes. While it’s resting, give the vegetables a turn and slide them back into the oven so they crisp up properly.
Finish the veg with a squeeze of lemon, then pile everything onto a giant platter. Carve the chicken, scatter the pieces over the veg, sprinkle with Maldon salt, and serve with buttered greens and chicken Madeira gravy.
Leave a comment