Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken Leg Quarters

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Baked in a hot oven, these chicken leg quarters emerge with browned skin and juicy meat. It's an easy, hands-off recipe that practically cooks itself.

Two chicken leg quarters are served on a white plate.

This easy recipe is a family favorite that I make almost weekly. Who says chicken can't be a delicacy? When well-seasoned and baked until the skin is golden brown and crisp and the meat is juicy, chicken is pure delight!

Ingredients

See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on the ingredients.

Chicken leg quarters: I get them at my local supermarket or at Whole Foods Market.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and dried thyme.

Instructions

The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.

Arrange the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle it with salt, pepper, and spices.

Four chicken leg quarters on a baking sheet, seasoned with salt and spices.

Bake the chicken until it reaches at least 165°F. This should take 40-45 minutes at 425°F. Serve immediately. Look at that gorgeous, crispy skin!

A closeup showing off how crispy the chicken turned out.

This chicken was so delicious! I have not had chicken like this in twenty years. It is so good! Thank you for this simple recipe.
Deborah Rike
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Recipe Tips

Cook to 175°F

Dark chicken meat has more connective tissue and collagen than white meat. While it's safe to eat at 165°F, baking it a little longer enables the collagen to melt into gelatin, resulting in richer, juicier meat.

So ideally, you'll want to pull it out of the oven when it reaches 175°F. Its internal temperature will continue to climb as it rests. Check the chicken after the first 30 minutes. If the skin is browning too much, loosely cover it with foil and continue baking for 10-15 more minutes.

Skip the Oil

In the past, I used to coat the chicken with oil, then add the spices. But since chicken skin contains plenty of fat, adding oil can actually make it less crispy. Oil creates a coating that traps moisture, which can leave the skin rubbery. Simply seasoning the skin, especially with salt, helps draw out moisture so it can evaporate quickly, allowing the skin to brown and crisp beautifully, as shown in the image below.

Crispy-skinned chicken leg quarters made with no oil.

Recipe FAQs

Should I trim the skin?

Please don't! Many chicken recipes instruct you to trim any excess skin from the thigh. Me? On the contrary. When I make this recipe, I leave every bit of delicious skin on.

In fact, if I have space in the pan, I spread the excess skin out (as shown in the photo below), and then it comes out super crispy and so good - like chicken skin chips, similar to freshly baked homemade pork rinds, but even better. I do the same when making these crispy chicken thighs.

Four chicken leg quarters in a pan. The skin was spread on the pan to help it become crispy.

Are chicken quarters the same as drumsticks?

No. They are thigh and drumstick, attached. They are bone-in and skin-on. The photo below shows the two parts.

Chicken quarter parts.

Should I flip the chicken while baking?

Flipping isn't necessary if they're spaced well on the baking sheet, since the oven's circulating heat will cook them evenly. Baking them undisturbed also ensures the skin on top becomes extra crispy.

How long can I keep the leftovers?

You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container (like the one shown in the image below) in the fridge for 3-4 days. I don't like to reheat them, as it dries the chicken. Leftover chicken is delicious when eaten cold! I make a lunch plate with cold leftover chicken, quick pickles, fresh-cut veggies, and homemade ranch or blue cheese dressing.

If you'd like to reheat the leftovers, reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven. This will help re-crisp the skin, which tends to become soggy when refrigerated.

Chicken leg quarters leftovers in a glass container.

Serving Suggestions

Since I bake the chicken at 425°F, I like to serve it with sides that can be baked in the same oven, such as roasted fennel, roasted broccolini, and roasted Brussels sprouts (shown in the photo below).

A chicken leg quarter is served with Brussels sprouts.

When I'm feeling extra lazy, I go for a salad. Good options include cucumber tomato salad, homemade coleslaw, Caesar salad, or the simple salad of lettuce and blue cheese dressing shown below.

A chicken leg quarter is served with a salad.

Recipe Card

5 from 55 votes

Crispy Chicken Leg Quarters

This easy recipe produces crispy chicken with tender, juicy meat. Season the chicken with simple pantry spices, then bake in a hot oven for perfectly browned skin.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Rest time5

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 375kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

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Video

Ingredients

▢ 4 chicken leg quarters - drumstick and thigh
▢ 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
▢ ½ teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with high-heat-resistant parchment paper, or lightly grease a 9 X 13-inch rimmed baking dish.
Place the chicken pieces in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle them with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and dried thyme.
4 chicken leg quarters, 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Bake the chicken, uncovered, for 30 minutes. If at this point the tops are very browned but the inside hasn't yet reached 165°F, as measured by an instant-read thermometer not touching the bone, loosely cover the pan with foil and return it to the oven for 10-15 more minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Its internal temperature should reach at least 165°F, but 175°F is even better for dark meat.
Allow the chicken to rest for five minutes before serving.

Notes

Seasonings, especially salt, are guidelines. Adjust to taste.
In the video, you can see me making half the recipe. You can also see me coating the chicken with oil, but lately I have found that the skin crisps better when no oil is used.
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for 3-4 days. I don't like reheating them, as it dries the chicken out. Leftover chicken is delicious when eaten cold! If you'd like to reheat the leftovers, reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven. This will help re-crisp the skin, which tends to become soggy when refrigerated.
You can freeze the cooled leftovers in freezer-safe containers for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition per Serving

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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate - please verify it. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.

Chicken Leg Quarters

Ingredients

Instructions