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A roast chicken is the perfect Sunday treat that always feels simple but luxurious and something for the whole family to enjoy together.

Far cheaper than a roast joint of beef or leg of lamb, a roast chicken is budget-friendly too, especially when you consider how inexpensively you can buy the accompanying veg like roast potatoes, carrots, parsnips and onions, and how you can make a delicious gravy largely from the cooking juices and veg water.

But people swear by so many different ways of cooking it. So I went to the professionals, asking more than 10 chefs and technical experts for their secrets to achieving the perfect roast chicken. While they all had their own detailed methods which varied from one degree to another, there were two steps they almost unanimously agreed on - one before putting the chicken in the oven and one after taking it out.

For many of these chefs, brining (or salting) the chicken in advance then leaving it to rest afterwards were the keys to the perfect roast chicken.

Tommy Heaney, chef and owner of the widely-acclaimed Heaneys restaurant in Cardiff, said: "Brine the chicken overnight then place lemon and thyme in the cavity and gently loosen the skin to add a little butter underneath.

"Roast low and slow to retain moisture, cooking at 100-110°C for three to four hours until the internal temperature reaches 60°C. Remove from the oven and allow to rest. When ready to serve, return the chicken to a hot oven at 200°C for 10 minutes to crisp the skin."

Jamie Newman, executive chef of Croeso Pubs, which includes several pubs in Wales, said: "I begin by preheating the oven to 180°C. While it heats, I roughly chop carrots, white onions, and the top of a leek. Those go straight into the base of the roasting tray. They act as a natural trivet, lifting the chicken up so the heat circulates and the juices drip down to create the foundation of a proper gravy.

"The flavouring is simple but essential: garlic, rosemary, thyme, lemon, olive oil, salt, and pepper. I crush the garlic cloves and rub them over the skin, squeeze fresh lemon juice across the bird, then tuck the squeezed halves inside the cavity. Rosemary and thyme go both on the skin and inside the bird.

"I drizzle a little more olive oil over the top, season generously, and then cover the whole tray with foil. That first hour under foil is key; it keeps the chicken moist and allows the aromatics to steam gently into the meat.

"After an hour, the foil comes off. I baste the chicken with the tray juices and return it to the oven for another 30 minutes to crisp the skin. Once it's cooked, I rest it for 20 minutes so the juices settle. The vegetables and juices left in the tray are liquid gold. They go straight into the gravy - rich, aromatic, and full of depth."

Richard Turner, founding chef of the renowned upmarket restaurant chain Hawksmoor and co-founder of celebrated butchers Turner & George, said: "The secret? Brining. Brining is basically giving your chicken a spa day: a long soak in salty, lemony, herby water that tenderises the meat, locks in moisture, and means you'll never eat dry chicken again."

Michael Forbes, kitchen expert at premium appliance brand AEG said: "Before roasting your chicken, make sure to spread some butter evenly under the skin. This allows flavour to be carried all the way through the chicken, rather than just on top [and] helps to ensure it remains moist. The key to the perfect roast chicken is to start hot at 220°C for twenty minutes, before reducing the heat down to 180°C to finish. Once your chicken has been cooked in the oven, remove from the roasting tin, and set aside."

Mimi Morley, senior recipe development manager at HelloFresh, said: "If you have time, brine it first for 12 hours. Make a flavoured herby butter to put under the skin, you can also put it on top of the skin but it'll be more likely to burn. Rest! Meat needs to rest to let the muscles relax and reabsorb the juices, it'll be a lot more tender and juicy after it's rested for 15 mins, trust me!"

Steven Carter-Bailey, food expert at ProCook, said: "Preheat oven to 180°C fan or 200°C regular. Allow the raw chicken to come to room temperature for at least 30 mins. Rest on a bed of sliced red onions in a heavy gauge roasting tin. Pat the bird dry with kitchen paper, then massage two tablespoons of light olive oil onto the skin. Season with freshly ground black pepper and flaky sea salt.

"If you'd like to add flavour to the meat and juices, put two quarters of a lemon into the cavity of the bird along with a few sprigs of fresh thyme.

"Roast the chicken for 20 mins per 500 grams, or 40-45 mins per kilo, plus an extra 20 mins. To check whether it's cooked, make an incision onto the thickest part of meat which is between the leg and breast. The juices should be clear.

"Remove from the oven, wrap the cooked bird in tinfoil and let it rest on a chopping or serving board for 15-30 mins before carving/serving."

Jason Webb, managing director of Electronic Temperature Instruments (ETI), an expert on cooking and resting temperatures, said: "Many home cooks aren't aware that chicken continues to cook after it's removed from the oven. How long it's rested for - and most importantly the temperature it's allowed to rise to - makes a massive difference to taste and texture. Where roast dinners often a stressful balancing act for many home cooks, understanding this simple trick can buy valuable time to prepare the potatoes, veg and all the other trimmings just right."

Marissa Stevens, recipe developer and founder of Pinch and Swirl, said: "Season the night before. I rub herb salt all over the chicken and lightly rub it into the breast and onto the legs and thighs, then season with freshly ground black pepper. It sits uncovered in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours, which makes the skin extra crispy. I remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving."

Maggie Turansky, founder and head recipe developer at No Frills Kitchen, said: "I always salt the bird in advance.This also helps retain moisture and can ensure crispy skin. Use about 2 tsp of salt and sprinkle it generously over the chicken. Refrigerate it uncovered in the fridge (this helps the skin dry out and become crispy) for a couple of hours - or up to 24.

"Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving - again, no need to cover, it will retain plenty of heat and actually continue to rise in temperature a bit as it rests."

Chef Chuck Hayworth, a private chef, said: "I use a simple dry brine of coarse salt and pepper under the skin and over the top of the bird 24 hours before roasting. I always use the oven for roasting chicken. I start high at 230°C for 15 minutes uncovered to get the skin crisp and then drop it down to 190°C until done.

"I never cover it with foil. Foil steams the skin which is the opposite of what we want."I also stuff the cavity with aromatics like lemon halves, garlic cloves, and fresh thyme or rosemary. No need for fancy ingredients."

Kyle Taylor, founder and chef at He Cooks, said: "For me, a perfect roast chicken comes down to two things: crispy skin and juicy meat. My move is to salt the bird heavily and let it sit uncovered in the fridge overnight. If you're short on time, even a few hours makes a difference.

"This is critical for ensuring crispy skin. Whatever you do, don't cover it with foil. Foil is the enemy of crisp skin because it just traps moisture. I'm a big fan of the two-stage roast. I start hot at 230°C for about 20 minutes to jumpstart the skin, then drop it down to 190°C for the rest of the way."

Many chefs mentioned brining (or simply salting) the chicken in advance, sometimes up to 24 hours in advance. This brine recipe comes from Mimi Morley, senior recipe development manager at HelloFresh.

You need:

• 1 x chicken
• 2 litres water
• 150g salt (use 5-7% salt-to-water solution)
• 75g brown sugar
• 1 orange or lemon
• Handful of peppercorns
• Any bunches herbs that you have lying around that could do with using up (nice to have but not 100% necessary)

Method:

Put your chicken in a large pan, a clean bucket or a big freezer bag or brining bag. Add your brine. Cover. Put in the fridge for around 12 hours. Once your brining time is finished, remove the chicken from your brine and pat dry.