Chicken & Crémant … name a better combination! We visited Butter Bird in Manchester, the newest rotisserie chicken restaurant, cooking up to 48 chickens in 90 minutes! Once seen as a supermarket ‘cheat’ to save time, rotisserie chicken is now having a renaissance and being celebrated by chefs.
We started with chicken fat popcorn while we browsed the menu. Snack-style options in hospitality prove popular with consumers who seek lighter options as pre-starters (Mintel). The popcorn delivered a savoury, buttery and fatty mouthfeel that made us reach back for more! Moving into 2026, animal fats are firmly back in the spotlight, with chicken fat in particular being heroed across both brands and eateries (The Food People).
We went all in with the whole chicken: tea-brined, butter-basted, and served with chicken gravy alongside a preserved lemon, cracked pepper and thyme butter. The brine and butter combination locked in the moisture and delivered an incredibly juicy chicken, with every bite feeling tender and full of flavour. The tea trend is gaining traction, showing up more in savoury spaces, from brines to marinades (The Food People).
What really made the meal was the contrast in pairings. Switching between the gravy and the butter felt like two different meal experiences on the same plate, nodding to the growing personalisation trend. The butter brought a fresh, citrusy lift, while the gravy leaned fully into comfort eating. The chicken skin really pulled everything together – coated in smoked paprika, it brought a gentle warmth and just the right hit of spice to round off the dish.
The sides didn’t disappoint either, each bringing a unique vibrancy to the table. The smoky ratatouille was a great texture contrast with crunchy veg, while the chicken salt potatoes delivered on the umami-rich seasoning. The standout was the salt-baked sweet potato with sour cream. The natural sweetness and earthiness of the potato, perfectly balanced by the cool sour cream, created a delicious, indulgent side.
Our Butter Bird experience felt right on trend, tapping into the elevated everyday movement and bringing a new level of care and creativity to the chicken category.
If you are looking for culinary trends, insights or inspiration based on the above blog, please get in touch: npdmarkerting@dalziel.co.uk
