Aldi have always done a decent 'free range' bird, but they have really upped their game since I last had a whole chicken from them.
Tonight's was exquisite - like chicken from the 'pre factory farming' era - full of flavour, slightly gamy even, and the meat clung to the bones as evidence that the bird had at least walked around the yard a few times.
I don't know how they do it for around £6 a bird (when the usual supermarket suspects charge twice that and my fancy butcher would want £15 for an equivalent bird) - but I'm damn glad they do!
https://www.aldi.co.uk/free-range-whole-chicken/p/068302008221000
Washed down with a nice bottle from my new friends at Rude Wines (of whom more later).
Cheers