When you’re roasting food, air circulation is everything. That’s why we prefer low-rimmed baking sheets over roasting pans. They accelerate cooking and boost browning in our weeknight traybakes.
But in some instances, a bit of crowding on the pan can be beneficial, such as in this spicy chicken alla diavolo from our book “Tuesday Nights Mediterranean,” which features weeknight-friendly meals from the region. After tossing bone-in, skin-on chicken parts with ample red pepper flakes and thyme, we arrange the meat in a circle around eight whole, peeled garlic cloves.
The chicken roasts in a 475 degrees oven until deeply browned, but the cloves in the center are protected from scorching in the high heat. Instead, they soften and sweeten — perfect for mashing into a paste to mix with the chicken’s juices for a savory sauce that is ready in just a minute. Mixing lemon zest and peperoncini into the sauce gives it an extra kick.
Adding broccoli to the pan makes it a complete one-pan dinner that comes together in well under an hour. Just be careful not to cut the broccoli pieces too small. Keeping them in largish 3-inch pieces prevents them from overcooking. And use only the broccoli crowns, not the lower parts of the stems; the crowns don’t require peeling and are quick and easy to prep.
