Chicken: The Underrated, Unappreciated Other White Meat for Christmas

When people talk about Christmas dinner, the conversation is usually dominated by turkey, beef, or goose. 

Yet quietly, reliably, and rather unfairly overlooked sits chicken, the underrated, unappreciated other white meat that deserves far more festive love than it gets.

Chicken might not arrive with the same fanfare as a towering turkey, but for many households it is the sensible, delicious, and stress-free choice that makes Christmas Day calmer, tastier, and far more enjoyable.

Why Chicken Deserves a Place on the Christmas Table

Chicken has developed a reputation as an everyday meal, which is precisely why it is underestimated. In reality, a well-cooked roast chicken can be just as celebratory as any traditional Christmas centrepiece.

It’s beautifully versatile.

Chicken pairs effortlessly with classic Christmas flavours: sage and onion stuffing, cranberry sauce, thyme, garlic, lemon, honey, mustard, and rich gravy. You can keep it traditional or give it a seasonal twist without intimidating guests who prefer familiar tastes.

It suits smaller gatherings perfectly.

Not every Christmas involves feeding a dozen people. For couples, small families, or those celebrating quietly, a whole chicken is often the perfect size, no overwhelming leftovers, no pressure to cook a bird the size of a suitcase.

It’s far less stressful to cook.

Let’s be honest: turkey anxiety is real. Dry breast meat, undercooked legs, endless resting times. Chicken is more forgiving, cooks faster, and is easier to judge, meaning less time worrying in the kitchen and more time enjoying Christmas itself.

Chicken and the Cost-of-Christmas Reality

With rising food costs, chicken is also one of the most budget-friendly Christmas options available. A quality free-range chicken costs significantly less than a turkey, yet still delivers a proper roast dinner experience.

That saving can be put to better use elsewhere: higher-quality vegetables, indulgent desserts, better wine, or simply easing the financial pressure that Christmas can bring.

Festive Ways to Elevate Chicken

If chicken feels “too ordinary” for Christmas, the secret lies in presentation and flavour:

Stuffed roast chicken with sage, onion, sausage meat, or chestnuts

Herb-butter under the skin for crisp skin and juicy meat

Honey and mustard glaze for a festive golden finish

Lemon, garlic, and thyme for a classic, aromatic roast

Wrapped in bacon for added richness and Christmas indulgence

Served with proper roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, pigs in blankets, and gravy, no one will feel short-changed.

Leftovers That Actually Get Used

One of chicken’s greatest festive strengths is how usable the leftovers are. Cold chicken sandwiches, bubble and squeak, soups, pies, curries, and salads all benefit from chicken’s adaptability. 

Unlike turkey, which often lingers unloved in the fridge, chicken leftovers tend to disappear quickly.

A Christmas That Fits Your Household

Christmas does not need to be performed to a script. It doesn’t need the biggest bird, the longest cooking time, or the most stress. It needs warmth, good food, and people enjoying themselves.

Chicken offers all of that – comfort, flavour, affordability, and flexibility – without the pressure. It may be the other white meat, but at Christmas, it quietly proves itself to be one of the smartest choices you can make.

This year, don’t overlook it. Give chicken the festive respect it deserves.

A Third of Brits Are Feeling the Heat Over Cooking the Christmas Turkey, says MEATER

New MEATER survey reveals that three quarters of the nation are simply winging it.

A new festive survey from MEATER has revealed that the Christmas turkey, the shining centrepiece of the big day’ dinner, is causing more stress than sparkle for British households this year. 

In fact, a third of Brits admit they’re feeling the pressure when it comes to roasting the star of the show.

Top Turkey Worries This Christmas:

• 25% worry about overcooking or undercooking

• 23% stress over timing the turkey with the rest of the feast

• 20% fret about keeping the bird juicy and full of festive flavour

Add concerns about oven space and accidentally forgetting to defrost the turkey, and it’s no wonder the nation is feeling the festive frazzle. Luckily, once the bird is finally cooked, confidence kicks in, with only 10% admitting they still worry about carving it.

The survey, which quizzed Brits on their Christmas cooking habits, also shed light on where the nation is picking up its prized festive bird. 

Unsurprisingly, supermarkets reign supreme for turkey shopping: Tesco leads, with over a third of Brits choosing to buy their bird there, followed by Sainsbury’s, which is the preferred choice for around a quarter, and Asda, selected by a fifth. 

Respondents revealed that price and quality were the main factors behind their supermarket of choice.

When it comes to cooking, over half of us check whether our turkey is done by slicing into it to inspect the colour, while 15% rely on gut instinct alone and 10% confess they simply “just guess”, truly living on the edge of festive fate.

Turkey tragedies aren’t exactly rare either. 1 in 5 Brits have suffered a turkey disaster in years gone by, with over a third reporting dried-out or burnt birds. 

But dryness isn’t the only mishap plaguing households. Survey respondents also admitted to having the family cat or dog steal the turkey, discovering they’d left the giblets inside, and realising their roasting tin didn’t actually fit in the oven. A Christmas spirit crushing moment for any Christmas cook.

It seems that while Christmas is full of magic, it’s also full of memorable mishaps.

Some might wonder whether all this turkey turmoil is worth it, especially since half the nation rarely (or never) cooks turkey outside of Christmas! Yet tradition wins. For almost 50% of Brits, Christmas simply wouldn’t be Christmas without the big bird adorning the table.

That said, turkey isn’t going it alone. Almost 9 in 10 Brits cook additional meats on Christmas Day or replace turkey altogether. Chicken is the top alternative for those who feel turkey is too expensive, while beef and gammon remain festive favourites steeped in tradition.

With households catering for larger gatherings than usual, the pressure to deliver a perfect roast is higher than Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve. But as smart technology becomes a staple in modern kitchens, festive cooking might just become a little merrier.

Two thirds of Brits said they would find a device that monitors the turkey and tells them exactly when it’s perfectly cooked to be helpful. Brits are ready to ditch guesswork and embrace gadget-powered perfection. After all, no one wants to be remembered for serving a turkey that’s drier than the Boxing Day jokes.

MEATER told That's Christmas 365: "Our survey uncovered everything from overcooked birds to undercooked birds, accidentally roasted giblets, and even the occasional dog making off with Christmas dinner, so it’s clear the nation’s festive kitchens are full of surprises. 

"It’s no shock, then, that two thirds of Brits said they’d welcome a device that monitors the Turkey throughout the cook and lets them know them when the Turkey’s perfectly ready. A smart meat thermometer brings a bit of calm to the chaos, leaving everyone free to enjoy the fun (and keep an eye on the family pet)."

Festive Turkey-Prep Reminders (Inspired by Real Disasters!)

To keep your Christmas running smoothly this year, here are a few merry must-remembers:

• Allow plenty of time for defrosting, it’s not a snowman, so the sooner the better.

• Check the turkey for giblets before it goes into the oven.

• Measure your roasting tray and oven in advance to avoid a Christmas morning geometry crisis.

• Makes sure the oven is up to temperature (it helps not to get drunk before dinner is served)

• Keep pets away from the cooling turkey (they’re faster than you think).

• And of course: use a meat thermometer so you’re not relying on guesswork or festive luck.