Glass Pans

• Glass pans distribute heat very evenly in the oven. They take a bit longer to heat up than a metal pan, though, so if you choose a glass pan, test the chicken for doneness at the end of a recipe's suggested cooking time and extend the time in the oven as needed. When choosing a glass pan, look for one with no chips or cracks in it. If you can find one with built-in handles, it will make it easier to move the pan in and out of the oven. Coated ceramic baking dishes are also good heat conductors and are a good substitute for glass pans.

Metal Pans

• Metal pans heat up quickly, but depending on the quality, can distribute heat unevenly. The best way to avoid this is by using a thick, sturdy pan that is relatively heavy. Cast iron is a great choice, but stainless steel or copper core pans are also good heat conductors. You can use a cake pan, a large skillet or even a baking sheet to cook bone-in chicken. If you only have a thin metal pan available, you will need to closely monitor the chicken as it cooks. Lift it up periodically with tongs or a long metal spoon to make sure it is browning evenly. If one side isn't cooking as quickly, rotate the pan in the oven to help the chicken cook more evenly.

Roasting a Whole Chicken

• If you are roasting a whole chicken, you can mimic a roasting pan's elevated rack by forming several rings of crumpled aluminum foil, laying them in the bottom of your standard metal or glass pan and placing the chicken on top. The foil rings will lift the chicken up off the surface of the pan, keeping it free from sogginess and allowing the heat to flow all around it, creating that nice, brown, crispy crust. Brush the chicken's skin with melted butter before roasting and season with salt and pepper. You can also put some fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, parsley or bay leaves, on top of the chicken while roasting to impart a fresh, earthy flavor.

Baking Chicken in a Sauce

• If you’d rather cook your chicken in a sauce, don’t add the foil rings to the pan. Just place a bit of the prepared sauce on the bottom of the baking pan and place your bone-in chicken pieces on top. Then cover the chicken with more sauce and cook according to recipe directions. This method is excellent for cooking with metal pans because the sauce will act as an additional heat conductor, helping to distribute heat evenly throughout the dish. If you’re cooking chicken in a sauce, bone-in pieces are preferable because the sauce can coat each piece on all sides and really seal in its flavor.