Family Sunday Roast
Budget-friendly Sunday roast for 5 servings using common UK own-brand ingredients. Prep 20-30 mins, total cost under £10.
Allergens: contains cereals containing gluten. Brands differ, so always check the labels on what you buy.
Per serving (approx.): 55g carbs · 5g sugars · 9g fibre. Estimates for carb counting, not medical advice. If you have diabetes, follow your GP or dietitian's advice.
Not every ingredient has a checked price at Aldi, Lidl, Asda, Iceland, so they aren't compared here.
Ingredients and prices
Swipe the table to see every supermarket.
| Ingredient | Tesco | Sainsbury's | Morrisons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken thighsuse 1.2kg | 2 × £2.991kg · £0.30 per 100g | £5.501.5kg · £0.37 per 100g | 2 × £3.401kg · £0.34 per 100g |
| Potatoesuse 1.5kg | £1.562kg · £0.08 per 100g | £1.322kg · £0.07 per 100g | 5 × £0.85300g · £0.28 per 100g |
| Carrotsuse 500g | £0.55500g · £0.11 per 100g | 2 × £0.44480g · £0.09 per 100g | 2 × £0.44480g · £0.09 per 100g |
| Onionsuse 300g | £0.951kg · £0.10 per 100g | £0.951kg · £0.10 per 100g | £1.30420g · £0.30 per 100g |
| Frozen peasnot compared | – | – | – |
| Gravy granulespack 200g · use 50g | £0.66£0.33 per 100g | £0.65£0.38 per 100g | £1.90£0.95 per 100g |
| Olive oil spraynot compared | – | £2.60 | – |
| Basket total (full packs) | £9.70 | £9.30 | £15.13 |
| Cost of what this recipe uses | £5.82 | £6.43 | £10.11 |
| Per serving | £1.16 | £1.29 | £2.02 |
Not compared (a price wasn't found at every shop, so it isn't in the totals): Frozen peas, Olive oil spray.
From your cupboard
Not in the prices above. Check you have these before you start.
Prices checked on 3 October 2026 from each supermarket's own listing or a price-comparison site. Each shop's unit price (or pack size) is shown under its price, and "cost of what this recipe uses" compares like with like (tap a price to see its source). Cheapest in each row is ticked. Prices, offers and pack sizes change; loyalty-card prices are not included unless stated.
Method
The method is written for 5. For a different number, use the amounts in the table above.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and preheat a large ovenproof dish (approx. 23cm x 33cm) in the oven for 5 minutes.
- While the oven is preheating, wash and peel the potatoes. Using a sharp knife, chop them into even chunks, about 3cm in size. Place them in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 8 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the parboiled potatoes with 1 tbsp of olive oil spray, ensuring they are evenly coated. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Transfer the potatoes to the preheated ovenproof dish, spreading them out evenly.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season them generously with salt and black pepper on both sides. Place them on top of the potatoes in the ovenproof dish, ensuring they are not overlapping.
- Wash and chop the carrots into even chunks, about 3cm in size. Peel and chop the onions into quarters. Add the carrots and onions to the ovenproof dish, spreading them out evenly around the chicken thighs.
- Drizzle the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil spray over the vegetables and chicken. Toss everything together to ensure it's evenly coated. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Place the ovenproof dish in the preheated oven and roast for 45-50 minutes, or until the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F) and the potatoes are golden brown and crispy on the outside.
- After 45 minutes of roasting, carefully remove the ovenproof dish from the oven. Loosely cover the dish with foil to trap any steam and allow the chicken and vegetables to rest for 10 minutes.
- While the chicken and vegetables are resting, make the gravy. In a saucepan, pour off any excess fat from the juices in the ovenproof dish, leaving about 2 tbsp of fat in the dish. Add 200ml of water to the juices and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the gravy granules and cook for 5 minutes, until the gravy has thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Once the chicken and vegetables have rested, carefully transfer them to serving plates. Spoon the gravy over the chicken and vegetables. Serve with a side of steamed frozen peas, cooked according to the packet instructions.
Tips
- To make this meal cheaper, consider using cheaper cuts of chicken like chicken drumsticks or even chicken breasts. You can also use frozen peas instead of fresh ones to save money.
- To batch-cook and portion this meal for the week, prepare the roast as directed, then divide the chicken, potatoes, carrots, and onions into individual portions. Store the portions in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 48 hours or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat the portions in the oven at 180°C (160°C fan) for 20-25 minutes, or until steaming hot throughout, before serving.
- To reheat the leftovers safely, place the portions in a preheated oven at 180°C (160°C fan) for 20-25 minutes, or until steaming hot throughout. Reheat the portions only once. If you have any leftover gravy, reheat it in a saucepan over low heat until steaming hot, then pour it over the reheated portions before serving.
Nothing wasted: your leftover ingredients
Supermarkets sell set pack sizes, so you'll have some ingredients left. Here's how to keep them, and other recipes here that use them up.
- Chicken thighs · about 300g left
Freeze the raw meat you don't use, well wrapped and labelled, before its use-by date. Defrost in the fridge and cook within 24 hours. Use it in: One-pan chicken, potatoes and veg, Chicken and Sweet Potato Tray Bake, Chicken Stroganoff. - Potatoes · about 1kg left
Keep somewhere cool and dark (not the fridge). Use extras for mash, wedges or a traybake later in the week. Use it in: One-pan chicken, potatoes and veg, Chicken and Sweet Potato Tray Bake, Beef & Potato. - Carrots · about 500g left
Keep in the fridge salad drawer for up to 2-3 weeks, or slice and freeze. Great grated into bolognese, chilli or soup. Use it in: Lentil and vegetable soup, Creamy Tomato & Hidden Veg Pasta Bake, One-pan chicken, potatoes and veg. - Onions · about 700g left
Chop the rest and freeze it flat in a bag: it cooks straight from frozen in soups, curries and sauces. Whole onions keep for weeks somewhere cool, dark and dry. Use it in: Chilli con carne, Egg fried rice, Creamy Tomato & Hidden Veg Pasta Bake. - Frozen peas · about 800g left
Keep the rest frozen: just reseal the bag. Use it in: Egg fried rice, Pad Thai with Chicken, Golden Syrup Flapjack Bars. - Gravy granules · about 150g left
Check the label: most raw ingredients can be frozen before their use-by date, and cupboard staples keep for months. - Olive oil spray · about 222ml left
Keeps for months in the cupboard once sealed.
Storing leftovers
Cool leftovers and put them in the fridge or freezer within 1–2 hours. Eat fridge leftovers within 2 days, or freeze them. Defrost in the fridge and reheat only once, until steaming hot all the way through (Food Standards Agency guidance).