Welcome to one of the easiest ways to make one of the most underrated cuts of meat out there: the humble but delicious chicken leg quarter. Often overlooked for the thigh or breast, the quarter has a hearty amount of meat and when baked has deliciously crispy skin, with a super tender and moist interior.
How to bake chicken quarters
Okay - so what's the key to getting that crispy skin and super juicy, flavorful meat?
- Higher heat than you expected (425F to be precise)
- A chicken rub that's packed full of flavor
- Don't over bake (sayonara 1+ hour cook times)
How long does it take for leg quarters to bake in the oven?
Most recipes have you bake quarters at 375F or even lower for over an hour, but for crispy chicken leg quarters, cook them at a higher temperature and shorter time! 425F for about 45 minutes will give you crispy skin and tender meat.
Some side dishes that go great with chicken quarters:
Baked Chicken Quarters
Chicken quarters baked in the oven are easy, economical, oh-so-tender and juicy, and nearly hands-off! Recipe from basilandbubbly.com
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Thyme Leaves
- 4 chicken leg quarters
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Pat the chicken quarters dry and trim off any excess fat pieces, leaving the skin intact. Combine all of the spices in a small bowl and rub them all over (top, bottom, sides) of the chicken. Place the chicken on a sheet pan and spray with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Bake at 425°F for 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F.
Tried this recipe?Mention @basilandbubbly or tag #basilandbubbly!
Michelle says
BEST baked chicken I’ve ever had! Skin was so crispy and meat was not dry at all! I’ve also used Sweet Baby Rays bbq sauce as a dipping sauce on the side. Thanks for such a simplistic recipe with a robust flavor. Michelle.
Jamie says
I followed the directions on this and they came out perfect. I have done them several times now.
james says
i am no chef but trying to learn how to cook and take the time to cool due to being a bachelor don't like cooking for my self
so i wanted to point out i cooked 2 half quarters of chicken at 425 for 50 minutes ..perfect and it was so good i ate all 2 of them my self but did nothave the following ingredients ,brown sugar,garlic powder,so i replaced it with Montreal chicken seasoning 2 teaspoons,it came out amazing,thank you so much for taking time to place a recipe like this online
Bree says
Temp and time was perfect for quarters!
JSS says
Was extremely flavorful and juicy. Paprika was a bit much... going to try half next round