Sheet pan fajitas went from sad to great with one simple swap

Last Thursday I was rushing to get dinner going after a long landscaping day, and I threw chicken strips and peppers on a sheet pan like always. For months they came out okay but sort of limp and watery, never that charred flavor you get from a skillet. Then my neighbor mentioned she pats everything dry with paper towels before adding oil and seasonings, so I gave it a shot. Night and day difference, the chicken got those brown edges and the peppers actually blistered in about 22 minutes at 450 degrees. I also started spacing everything out on two pans instead of cramming it all onto one, which let the heat do its job. Now I do this every Tuesday and my kids actually ask for seconds. Has anyone else figured out a trick like this for other sheet pan meals?

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rowanbennett22d ago

...and here I was blaming my oven for it all this time. The paper towel trick is genius, I've been skipping that step like it's optional. Last week I made sheet pan salmon and broccoli and the broccoli came out like steamed sadness, so next time I'm drying the heck out of it first. Also good call on the two pan thing, I always cram everything in like I'm packing for a trip I didn't plan. My wife just shook her head at my soggy potatoes last Tuesday, so I'm trying this tonight.