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    Home · Recipes · Chicken · Baked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe

    August 8, 2018

    Baked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe

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    Chicken leg quarters are the perfect change of pace to your dinnertime lineup. They're juicy, flavorful, and tender, but let us not forget the best part -- that beautiful, golden, crispy skin.

    This recipe for baked chicken leg quarters is a must-try, and your chicken is guaranteed to be perfectly cooked and exploding with flavor the moment it comes out of the oven.

    The best part? The prep work is extremely minimal and this is one easy dinner to slam out. In addition to a simple method for baking up a batch of perfect leg quarters, we'll also cover why rosemary and lemon will take your chicken to the next level, as well as the simple time and temperature combo for baking up golden-brown crispy leg quarters without fail.

    A baked chicken leg quarter on a tray surrounded by bundle of knives, lemons, and rosemary sprigs.

    Leg quarters may look intimidating to those who haven't worked with them before, but just like a whole-roasted chicken, all you need is a little know-how and a whole lot of flavor, and you've got one more scrumptious staple to add to your dinnertime lineup.

    If you've ever had a perfectly baked chicken leg quarter, you know getting this recipe under your belt will be well worth it.

    WHAT ARE CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS?

    Chicken leg quarters are the thigh and drumstick of the chicken, which means this is a dark meat cut. Typically when you butcher a whole chicken, you separate the thigh and the chicken. However, in the case of the leg quarter, you leave them attached to one another. This creates an impressively sized hunk of chicken and one that makes one heck of a dinnertime entree.

    WATCH THIS! HOW TO COOK CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS {VIDEO}

     

    WHY ARE CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS SO CHEAP?

    If you're wondering why leg quarters are such a marvelously economical cut of bird, it's likely due to the fact that there is less butchering involved on the processor's end. Ever noticed you can get a whole chicken for almost the same price as boneless, skinless chicken breasts? It's more than double the meat, yet the price doesn't reflect it at all.

    The leg and thigh are still attached with the skin on when you purchase chicken leg quarters. This means more meat and more flavor for you, along with a smaller price tag. This is a win-win, people.

    Chicken leg quarters stacked on a tray with sprigs of rosemary surrounding them.

    HOW TO MAKE CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS

    These crispy, baked chicken leg quarters are seriously easy to make, and if you're looking to the lemon zest and freshly minced rosemary and stick with the basics, that's no problem at all. You'll still end up with a juicy, flavorful, tender baked chicken leg quarter the entire family will swoon for.

    1. Pat leg quarters dry with a paper towel.
    2. Preheat the oven to 400° and prepare a rimmed pan with rack.
    3. Combine butter, oil, fresh herbs (if using) and seasoning in a small bowl.
    4. Spread the mixture across chicken leg quarters, and sprinkle with additional seasoning.
    5. Bake 40-45 minutes, until chicken reaches 175°- 180°.
    6. Allow to rest 10 minutes and serve!

    WHY PAT CHICKEN DRY?

    Before you add the seasoning to the chicken leg quarters you should first pat them dry with a paper towel. This helps to remove any excess moisture from the chicken and allows for the butter mixture to better adhere to the skin.

    TIME AND TEMPERATURE FOR BAKED CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS

    When it comes to chicken leg quarters with crispy skin, it's all about oil, temperature, and time. Without a coating of oil (olive oil in this case) your chicken wouldn't develop that beautiful, golden brown exterior. Butter also helps the chicken along when it comes to browning, and gives it a great deal of flavor.

    Baking the chicken at 400° for 40-45 minutes is the perfect combination to create a crispy, baked leg quarter you just can't help but sink your teeth into.

    Baked Chicken Leg Quarters are done once they reach an internal temperature of 180°. However, the chicken will continue to cook even after it comes out of the oven, so you can safely pull it at 175° and the temperature should reach its final destination after resting 10 minutes or so.

    HOW TO CUSTOMIZE YOUR OWN RECIPE!

    You can easily take this recipe and make it your own. As we discussed earlier, the addition of fresh rosemary and lemon zest are optional, as is the seasoning. You can use just about any combination of herbs you like, as well as your own favorite poultry blend.

    To customize your own chicken leg quarter recipe, simply omit the herbs and spices from this recipe, and use your favorites in their place. However, for best results, be sure to keep all other aspects of the recipe and process the same.

    A chicken leg quarter on a tray with a sheet pan housing more chicken in the background.

    7 MORE EASY CHICKEN DINNERS TO TRY:

    • BBQ Baked Chicken Quarters are easy to make and perfectly cooked. Simple, baked leg quarters brushed with BBQ sauce!
    • Baked Barbecue Chicken features perfectly cooked dark meat chicken (both legs and thighs) coated in a sticky, sweet BBQ sauce and baked to perfection.
    • Perfect Pan Seared Chicken is simple, easy, and cooks up quick! It's perfect for a healthy dinnertime entree and great for topping salads.
    • Parmesan Crusted Chicken Tenders features budget-friendly chicken strips coated in a crunchy Parmesan-Panko crust and baked. Serve them with marinara for dipping as an extra special touch!
    • Smothered Chicken with Bacon, Cheese, and Honey Mustard is the perfect way to dress up chicken breasts. It's great for weeknight family dinners, loaded with flavor and the perfect balance of savory sweet!
    • Baked Chicken with Ranchero Sauce is healthy, easy to make, and super flavorful! Chicken Breasts are topped with Monterrey Jack Cheese and baked in sauce. Serve with sliced avocados and corn tortillas.
    • Chicken Scallopini is a must-make, Italian restaurant classic featuring thinly sliced, golden chicken cutlets drenched in a buttery lemon sauce with capers. 
    4.64 from 94 votes
    Baked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe
    Print
    Baked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    40 mins
    Total Time
    50 mins
     

    A baked chicken leg quarter recipe for perfectly cooked, flavorful leg quarters coated in butter and olive oil, and seasoned with fresh rosemary and lemon zest.

    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 657 kcal
    Author: Kelly Anthony
    Ingredients
    • 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters (4-6 leg quarters)
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 ½ teaspoons freshly minced rosemary (optional)
    • 2 ¼ teaspoons Kosher salt, separated
    • 1 ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
    • Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
    Instructions
    1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Pat the leg quarters dry with a paper towel and transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet fitted with a rack on top (an oven-safe cooling rack works fine).

    2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the butter, oil, rosemary, 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and lemon zest. Whisk until well combined. 

    3. Spread the mixture generously all over the leg quarters, then sprinkle a ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt evenly across the top of the leg quarters. 

    4. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 175°-180°. Allow to rest 10 minutes, serve and enjoy.

    Recipe Video

    Nutrition Facts
    Baked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 657 Calories from Fat 477
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 53g82%
    Saturated Fat 15g94%
    Cholesterol 266mg89%
    Sodium 1071mg47%
    Potassium 534mg15%
    Carbohydrates 1g0%
    Protein 41g82%
    Vitamin A 375IU8%
    Calcium 24mg2%
    Iron 1.8mg10%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Image for Pinterest

    Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe

    MORE CHICKEN LEG QUARTER RECIPES TO CHOOSE FROM

    Roasted Cast Iron Chicken from Dude That Cookz is looking about as crispy as they come. It features pan-seared and baked leg quarters accompanied by a bed of wilted spinach and mushroom. A savory combo made in heaven.

    Chicken leg quarters in a cast iron surround by sauteed greens.

    I'm also obsessing a little bit over Beyond The Chicken Coop's Beer Basted BBQ Chicken. It features chicken leg quarters basted butter, beer, rosemary (see? everyone loves rosemary and chicken), and garlic and grilled to perfection. A perfect leg quarter recipe for summertime eats!

    Beer basted chicken grilled to perfection served on a white plate.

    Eat Little Bird's take on leg quarters has a Thai spin with notes of lemongrass, coriander, ginger, and chilies.  Yes, please.

    An overhead shot of thai sticky chicken served in a oval baking dish.

     

    « Sun-Dried Tomato Spread with Bacon
    The Best BBQ Chicken Tostada Recipe »
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    Comments

    1. Chris Collins says

      March 28, 2019 at 10:39 pm

      The leg is definitely my favourite part of the chicken, so this is right up my street! Definitely going to give this recipe a go 🙂

      Reply
    2. Emily says

      March 28, 2019 at 11:36 pm

      I have literally never bought chicken quarters before. But now that I know how easy they are to make, I will definitely give them a try later this week.

      Reply
    3. Stine Mari says

      April 18, 2019 at 5:21 am

      Those chicken leg quarters look so crispy and delicious! I also love flavoring chicken with lemon and rosemary so I would love to try this recipe!

      Reply
    4. Karyl Henry says

      April 18, 2019 at 11:53 am

      I'm a 100% dark meat girl, so I am loving this recipe! I haven't bought leg quarters in ages, but you are so right that they're more economical than buying pieces separately. This recipe looks so nice and simple, I'm going to give it a try for sure

      Reply
    5. Jacqueline Debono says

      April 18, 2019 at 3:48 pm

      Legs are my favourite part of the chicken to cook with! I also love roasting them and use rosemary, garlic and butter. Never thought to add lemon zest. Love the idea. Must try your recipe!

      Reply
    6. Danielle Wolter says

      April 18, 2019 at 6:15 pm

      these look so simple and perfect. I can almost taste them and how juicy they must be. It's nice when the cheaper cuts of meat are so wonderful to eat 🙂

      Reply
    7. Jenni LeBaron says

      April 19, 2019 at 8:49 pm

      You can never go wrong with a great, classic chicken recipe like this. I've been meaning to harvest some of the rosemary from my garden. This will be the perfect recipe to use it in!

      Reply
    8. Kacie Morgan says

      April 20, 2019 at 10:13 am

      I haven't used the technique of patting my chicken dry before cooking yet but I'm definitely going to give it a go next time I roast chicken in the oven.

      Reply
    9. Sam Harbison says

      April 21, 2019 at 1:36 pm

      These look incredible! I’ve never baked a whole chicken (even though I’ve done multiple turkeys so you’d think chickens wouldn’t scare me so much), so this recipe seems like a good place to start! Thank you for the super detailed cooking instructions!

      Reply
    10. Maman de sara says

      April 22, 2019 at 4:36 am

      These chicken leg quarters look yummy and I love rosemary in my baked chicken.

      Reply
    11. April says

      April 22, 2019 at 10:24 am

      Fantastic chicken recipe that can easily become "the favorite"! That skin must be so crispy - I can imagine hearing the sound as I take the first bite - deliciousness!

      Reply
    12. Mimi says

      April 22, 2019 at 10:26 am

      I can see why someone recommended me this recipe - those juicy chicken legs look extremely delicious. And because I was told this recipe was perfect, I can't wait to try it mysef!

      Reply
    13. Geetanjali Tung says

      April 22, 2019 at 11:43 am

      Chicken legs are my favorite part of chicken and these look so juicy and yummy. I am sure it would be a hit at my place 🙂 Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!!!

      Reply
    14. Nicole Hood says

      April 23, 2019 at 6:33 am

      A classic that you can never go wrong with! Your looks perfect!

      Reply
    15. Sharon says

      May 07, 2019 at 12:24 pm

      This chicken looks so simple and delicious! Perfect for Sunday dinner or as a perfect main for dinner parties.

      Reply
    16. Veena Azmanov says

      May 07, 2019 at 2:57 pm

      Love the Lemon and rosemary flavor to this delicious chicken dish. Looks delicious, moist and yummy.

      Reply
    17. Heather says

      May 07, 2019 at 11:52 pm

      Oh I'm all for crispy skin! Thanks for the tip on patting the chicken dry first. This looks like a perfect recipe to try on the grill this summer!

      Reply
    18. Lori says

      May 11, 2019 at 10:39 pm

      You can never go wrong with a great chicken recipe! I love how crispy the skin looks! Pinning for later!

      Reply
    19. Anne Lawton says

      May 12, 2019 at 3:04 pm

      Simple roasted chicken is always a favorite, and the legs are the most flavorful part of the chicken. I would make extra of these to use during the week!

      Reply
    20. Marisa F. Stewart says

      May 12, 2019 at 6:51 pm

      Chicken Leg quarters are really easy to make in the oven. All it takes is some simple seasoning to make a tasty main dish. And roasting them on a tray leaves you free to do other things. We eat LOTS of chicken and sticking it in the oven is the best way when you have a busy schedule. I really like the seasoning you use - they really bring out the flavor of the chicken.

      Reply
    21. Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says

      May 12, 2019 at 9:16 pm

      I love chicken leg quarters! It is what I order most often when I go out, so I am loving that I can now make it at home! Definitely on my to-do list 🙂

      Reply
    22. Neha says

      May 13, 2019 at 3:10 am

      Such an amazing chicken recipe, looks incredibly delicious! Loving everything about it, Simplicity of recipe, texture and spices used, absolutely yum!

      Reply
    23. Amanda Mason says

      May 13, 2019 at 3:55 am

      Dark meat is my absolute favorite! Loving this post, this recipe and the other dinner recipes you suggested! Can't wait to make these for dinner!

      Reply
    24. Daniela says

      May 13, 2019 at 4:47 am

      Love a good chicken recipe and this one sounds scrumptious!!! Really appreciate the super clear images and instructions too! Definitely inspired to make this :).

      Reply
    25. Jagruti Dhanecha says

      May 13, 2019 at 6:37 am

      I too love those recipes that don't need much prep, this chicken leg quarter recipe sounds so easy and delicious.

      Reply
    26. Allie says

      October 15, 2019 at 10:43 pm

      This was a great recipe, except that it had FAR too much salt. I would start with 1 tsp and go from there.

      Reply
    27. Lauren Kleiman says

      November 18, 2019 at 6:43 pm

      These chicken leg quarters are one of my family's favorite meals. The chicken is seriously moist and bursting with flavor.

      Reply
    28. Cyndee says

      June 14, 2020 at 9:54 pm

      Flavor was great! Took well over an hour to cook. Had to finish up on my Faberware grill. Skin could have been crisper.

      Reply
    29. Celine says

      September 05, 2020 at 12:53 am

      WOW! Nothing but praise for this recipe, I made it for my family and they talked about it for days after! The rosemary is not too overpowering, and the butter/oil ensured a crispy skin while keeping the chicken juicy and moist. I will definitely be making this again!

      Reply
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    I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

    Comfort food is my specialty, and it is truly my pleasure to share these recipes with you. If you’d like to get to know me a little better, click here.

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