This Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters recipe is the easiest way to make flavorful chicken the whole family will love. The dry rub spice mix made of simple ingredients results in crispy skin and juicy meat in just 35 minutes!

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I always keep a stock of this simple seasoning mix in a mason jar, in my pantry because it's my favorite seasoning blend. The spice mix is great to add to any cut of chicken for an easy weeknight dinner even those picky eaters will love.
Chicken is one of the easiest meats to cook with and it's one of the most affordable as well. These chicken pieces have so much flavor and are great for meal prep meals and large family gatherings. The best part? The leftover chicken is even good to just pull from the fridge and eat cold, throw it on top of a salad for a quick lunch or snack.
🌟Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Simple seasonings. The spice mix includes pantry staples like smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Budget-friendly dinner. Chicken is an affordable protein choice and the spices are common household seasonings.
- Crispy chicken skin. This roasted chicken recipe results in delicious crispy chicken skin.
What are Chicken Leg Quarters?
Chicken leg quarters consist of the thigh, drumstick, and part of the back of the chicken. Whole chicken legs are only the thigh-drumstick pieces so this cut of meat is usually a bit bigger, as in, almost a quarter of the whole chicken. The dark meat on this cut of chicken takes heat well and I always recommend cooking above the safe internal temperature (165 degrees F) to 185-195 degrees F. This yields tender, fall-off-the-bone, juicy chicken every time.
🥘Ingredients

- Chicken leg quarters. Cut of the chicken that includes the thigh, drumstick and part of the back (quarter of a whole chicken).
- Spice mix. A combination of salt, black pepper, paprika, smoked paprika, thyme, onion and garlic powder.
- Olive oil and lemon juice. Both are used to tenderize and are added to help lock in moisture.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
📖Substitutions & Variations
- This dry rub mixture can be used on any cut of chicken including chicken thighs, chicken breast, and whole legs.
- If you're looking for alternative rubs and marinades some of my tastiest chicken recipes include Easy Jamaican Style Curry Chicken, Sticky Sauce Chicken Thighs, and Dry Rub Wings.
🔪Instructions

Step 1: Lay your chicken quarters on a cutting board or plate and pat dry with a paper towel. Combine the seasoning mix, lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Rub each piece of chicken with the mixture, covering them completely.

Step 2: Place the chicken leg quarters on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 180-185 degrees F or until crispy.
💭Recipe FAQs
Nope! We want all that fat for a crispy bite. You can trim excess skin if you want but I like to leave it on for this recipe.
The less butchering needed, the cheaper the price! Chicken leg quarters need minimal butchering and are dark meat which is typically cheaper than the white meat options.
Yes! Though the chicken will be the crispiest when eaten right away, this recipe is great for meal prepping.
👩🏻🍳Sarah's Top Tips
- The secret to crispy juicy chicken, when cooking dark meat is to cook at a high temperature in smaller cooking times.
- Use a meat thermometer. An instant-read thermometer is an essential tool in any kitchen when you are consistently cooking meats. For this recipe we want the internal temperature of the chicken to reach above the safe required 165 degrees F. Cook the chicken to 180-185 degrees F, remove from the oven, let it rest and come to an internal temperature of 195 degrees F.
- Always let your chicken rest. Let chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the juices time to seep back into the meat. This helps keep the chicken juicy and tender.
- Bake on a rack. This isn't necessary, but it allows airflow around the entire chicken piece, allowing for an even cook all around.
- Skin side up. Place the chicken on the rack skin side up for a crispier skin.

🥗Ways to Serve Chicken Leg Quarters
This chicken leg quarter recipe is versatile and can be paired with almost any side dish, salad or pasta including cannellini bean salad.
Some of my favorite pairings are:
- 15-minute Orzo Salad
- Feta and Cucumber Salad
- Air-Fryer Garlic Carrots
- Sheet-pan Roasted Veggies
- Simple Herb Pearl Couscous
🥣Storage & Reheating
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
To reheat, place the cooked chicken quarters on a baking sheet and loosely cover them with aluminum foil to keep them from drying out. Cook at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.
More Chicken Recipes to Try
- Oven Roasted Whole Chicken and Potatoes (using your Dutch Oven!)1 Hours 45 Minutes
- Chicken Marsala with Fettuccine40 Minutes
- Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs30 Minutes
- Chicken with Mustard Sauce35 Minutes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and comment below. Share it on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!
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Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters
KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED
- 1 Cooling Rack
- 1 Meat thermometer optional
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Ingredients
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Lay your chicken quarters out on a cutting board or plate and pat dry with a paper towel. Combine the seasoning mix, lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Rub each piece of chicken with the mixture, covering them completely.
- Place the chicken leg quarters on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes until crispy and the internal temperature is at least 165 degrees F.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving and enjoy!
Sarah's Tips
- The secret to crispy juicy chicken, when cooking dark meat is to cook at a high temperature in smaller cooking times.
- Use a meat thermometer. An instant-read thermometer is an essential tool in any kitchen when you are consistently cooking meats. For this recipe we want the internal temperature of the chicken to reach above the safe required 165 degrees F. Cook the chicken to 180-185 degrees F, remove from the oven, let it rest and come to an internal temperature of 195 degrees F.
- Always let your chicken rest. Let chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the juices time to seep back into the meat. This helps keep the chicken juicy and tender.
- Bake on a rack. This isn't necessary, but it allows airflow around the entire chicken piece, allowing for an even cook all around.
- Skin side up. Place the chicken on the rack skin side up for a crispier skin.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- To reheat, place the cooked chicken quarters on a baking sheet and loosely cover them with aluminum foil to keep them from drying out. Cook at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.
Beth Ford says
It was delicious. I added a small amount of grated lemon peel and I didn’t have fresh thyme so I used herbs de Provence. I’m saving this recipe and will surely make it again. Note: I let the cooking temperature rise to 180.
Sarah Hill says
Hi Beth, happy to hear that you enjoyed the chicken!