I’ve been vetoed- family insist on chicken not turkey

[CoolShoeshine]

I like turkey for Christmas lunch, basically because it’s traditional and I don’t have it any other day of the year. However my cooking can be a bit hit or miss and sometimes it can be a bit dry.
My son is a fussy eater but this year has started to like chicken. Also my daughter prefers chicken. I was originally loathe to consider chicken as we have it most weeks but with both kids asking for it, it makes sense to have chicken, plus I’m not a great cook but you can’t go far wrong with a chicken. Any tips for how to make chicken more special? Should I get one from a farm shop rather than supermarket? Is it possible to get a big one with lots of leftovers for the following days (the supermarket ones tend to be pretty tichy). Thanks 😊

[Ninkanink]

Yes!

I mean I like both, but the legs are vastly superior in flavour and texture.

[Erictheavocado]

I'm not a fan of turkey, so we have it once every few years and the other years, we have something like duck, goose, pheasant, lamb etc. I always cook a turkey crown for those who want sandwiches and actually, I find this much better than a whole bird, much less dry, but still quite bland to my taste. Would this be an option for you - if it's the dryness your kids dislike, you might have better lu k with a crown.
If you decide to go with chicken, I'd go for the best quality you can afford and make sure the trimmings are as good as possible, whether home made or bought in. Stuffing is stupidly easy to make yourself as is cranberry sauce. To be honest, all the trimmings would work just as well with chicken as they do with turkey.
Whatever you decide, I hope you all enjoy it.

[myhobbyisouting]

2 or 3 meats is the way to go!

Our meat usually consists of

Turkey crown
Ham and maybe a beef
Sausage meat stuffing
Pigs in blankets

Makes for better butties later on

[TheGhostofGlumy]

Packington do large free range chickens, and I believe cockerel as well. You can get them from Ocado.

[Love51]

How to make chicken more special, you ask? Cover it in bacon.

[sashh]

PoprocksAndCoke

You don't need to add anything, I cook on high because my origional slow cooker book said you needed to put whole joints/birds on high but that was in the 1980s so you can probably do on slow these days.

I do tend to put foil 'straps' under it as often it falls to pieces if you try to take it out whole.

Supermarket birds often have a lot of liquid come out that I pour off.

Sometimes I cover the skin with herbs or stock a bunch of thyme in with some lemon juice but you don't need to.

I now do most joints int he slow cooker, lamb is particularly good because if you get something like a shoulder that is quite fatty the fat melts and bastes the meat.

[sashh]

Stick a bunch of thyme, not stock.

[HeronLanyon]

Part of Christmas family tradition for me was being slightly underwhelmed by the turkey and tucking into the accompaniments more.
I used to love a turkey sandwich though - cue lots of mayo and mustard.