These juicy roasted chicken leg quarters look amazing on a plate and they’re so simple to make. Rub the chicken legs with seasonings, then bake until crispy on the outside, and enjoy their bold, savory flavor!
Afterward, pair these baked chicken leg quarters with any of your favorite sides. I love them over a bed of mashed potatoes or jasmine rice with roasted vegetables on the side.
How tempting do these baked chicken leg quarters look on a platter? I have plenty of recipes for drumsticks, wings, and chicken breasts on the site, and even how to cook a whole chicken, but it recently occurred to me that I haven’t shared my chicken leg quarters. So, here we are. These chicken legs are juicy, perfectly seasoned, and roasted until they’re crispy and golden. It’s an easy way to level up your average chicken dinner.
Why You’ll Love These Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
- Perfectly cooked (every time!). This is my fail-proof method for cooking crispy chicken leg quarters in the oven. The secret is a high temperature, a great seasoning rub, and oil to lock in the flavor.
- Easy to make. Even though they’re bone-in, roasting chicken legs doesn’t require a massive time commitment. These chicken quarters are quick to prep and they bake up in 40 minutes.
- 5 ingredients. All you need is chicken, oil, and a few simple seasonings to make this recipe as-is. It’s also easy to customize with different spices and marinades.
What You’ll Need
Let’s start with some notes on the very few ingredients you’ll need for this chicken recipe. You’ll find the printable list and full recipe in the printable recipe card below the post. Be sure to scroll down after the recipe card for a visual step-by-step showing how to bake the chicken.
- Chicken Leg Quarters – You’ll find these in most grocery stores, meat lockers, or you can ask your local butcher to have them specially cut.
- Olive Oil – I almost always cook with olive oil, but you can use another cooking oil if you’d like.
- Spices – I make a quick version of my homemade chicken seasoning with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, plus salt and pepper. Feel free to adapt the seasoning with other spices and dried herbs, like Italian seasoning.
- Fresh Parsley – Chopped, for garnish.
What Is a Chicken Leg Quarter?
In case you’re looking for it at the store, a chicken leg quarter gets its name because it’s about the quarter of a whole bird. It consists of the thigh, drumstick, and part of the back of the chicken. All that dark meat is perfect for roasting. The chicken always comes out extra moist and juicy!
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Test the chicken for doneness. Use an instant read thermometer to check the chicken for doneness at the thickest part of the leg. It’s cooked when the internal temperature reads 165ºF.
- Crisp up the top. If you’d prefer your chicken a bit more browned and crispy on top, place the chicken legs under the broiler for 2-3 minutes at the end of the cooking time. Keep an eye on the chicken while it broils because it can go from browned to burnt quickly!
- Make it smoky. For a smokier flavor, use smoked paprika in the seasoning blend.
- Different seasoning. Change up the spice blend depending on how you’d like to flavor your chicken. Try spicy Jamaican jerk seasoning or give these chicken legs a Tex-Mex twist with taco seasoning. You can also borrow the Middle Eastern-style seasoning rub from my chicken shawarma recipe.
- Add a marinade. Try different marinades like this honey soy marinade or chicken adobo. Or, make copycat Nando’s chicken legs with the homemade Portuguese peri-peri sauce from my peri-peri chicken recipe.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerate. Store leftover baked chicken leg quarters in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat. Reheat the chicken under foil in a 350ºF oven until it’s hot throughout. Remove the foil towards the end to give the top a chance to crisp up again.
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Prep. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
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Prepare the chicken. Pat dry the chicken leg quarters with paper towels. Brush the chicken with olive oil. In a bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper. Season the chicken on all sides with the prepared spice mixture.
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Bake. Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue to bake it for another 25-30 minutes or until its internal temperature registers at 165˚F.
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Rest and serve. Let the chicken legs rest for 5 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish the chicken with fresh chopped parsley.
- If your chicken is not crispy enough or to your liking, place the chicken under a broiler for 2-3 minutes.
- For a smoky flavor, you can use smoked paprika. The chicken can also be seasoned with Italian herbs.
Calories: 413kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 315mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 359IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Bake Chicken Leg Quarters
This is my never-fail method for perfectly oven-baked chicken leg quarters. I highly recommend lining the pan, so you can simply discard the foil afterward (no scrubbing!). Here’s what to do:
- Prep. While the oven preheats to 400ºF, get a baking sheet lined with foil for easy clean-up. Meanwhile, lay out your chicken leg quarters and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Season the chicken. Mix the seasoning ingredients in a bowl. Then, brush the chicken with oil and rub the spices on all sides.
- Bake. Arrange the quarters on your baking sheet and bake at 400ºF for 15 minutes. At this point, flip the chicken legs before returning them to the oven for another 25-30 minutes, or until they’re finished cooking.
- Rest. After baking, let the chicken rest for 5 minutes outside of the oven. Garnish with fresh parsley, and serve!
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