Crispy, juicy roasted chicken leg quarters with golden, flavorful skin! This easy one-pan recipe is ready in just 35 minutes-perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight dinner!
Chicken is one of the most affordable and versatile proteins, making it perfect for weeknight dinners and meal prep. These roasted chicken leg quarters are packed with flavor, making them great for feeding a crowd or prepping ahead for easy meals. If you love cozy oven-roasted chicken, you'll also enjoy my sheet-pan garlic-rosemary chicken for a one-pan fall option with sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and apples.
Make the most of leftovers! The extra chicken is just as delicious cold-pull it straight from the fridge for a quick snack or toss it onto a salad for an effortless lunch. You can even use leftovers to make creamy chicken taco soup or bbq chicken sliders.
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Ingredients
- Chicken leg quarters. Chicken leg quarters consist of the thigh, drumstick, and part of the back of the chicken. The dark meat on this cut 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.
- 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 crispy air fryer 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.
Sarah's Top Tips
- The secret to crispy juicy chicken, when cooking dark meat, is to cook it at a high temperature in shorter 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 180-185 degrees F.
- 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.
Serving
Pair these crispy chicken leg quarters with garlic butter roasted potatoes and arugula salad for a complete meal! If you prefer a saucy chicken recipe, try BBQ roasted chicken quarters.
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
- Creamy 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 a comment below-I'd love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
Recipe
Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters
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See the full post for extra tips and photos
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. (4 chicken leg quarters, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ lemon)
- 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
- Cook at a high temperature for the best texture.
- Use a meat thermometer and cook to 180-185°F.
- Let it rest until it reaches 195°F. Always let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Bake on a rack for even cooking and crispier skin.
- Place the chicken skin-side up for the best crunch.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- To reheat, place the chicken on a baking sheet and loosely cover with aluminum foil to keep them from drying out. Cook at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.
KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED
- 1 Cooling Rack
- 1 Meat thermometer optional
Kavitha Wagner says
Hi! my family loved this recipe so much I'm making it for a second time in 4 days 😉 Everything worked per your clear directions. The chicken was crispy on the outside and cooked to juicy perfection in the inside. Thank you for making this available.
Sarah Hill says
This makes me so happy to hear, so glad everyone enjoyed it!
Marcy F. says
The timing on this recipe is way off-the chicken was still bloody after 40 minutes , had to bake for an hour. The smoke and mess this made in the oven was not worth the promise of crisipy skin! Why not tent the tray and then broil at the end. So mad I fell for this! You should be more honest about the outcome!
Sarah Hill says
Hi Marcy, I’m sorry to hear it didn’t turn out as expected. Oven temps and chicken leg sizes can vary, which sometimes means they’ll need a bit more time to reach 165°F. I’ll add a note in the recipe to make that clearer. Thanks for sharing your experience — I hope you’ll give it another try sometime!
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!