Removing the chicken’s backbone lets you open it like a book, flatten it, and cook it in half an hour at high heat. Ask whoever is at the meat counter to do this for you—you want it “spatchcocked” or “butterflied.” To do it yourself, all you need is a pair of sharp kitchen shears to remove the backbone (watch me do it!). Almost any vegetable will roast in the same amount of time as long as it’s cut into two-inch pieces; I've used winter squash, beets, potatoes, leeks, etc.