Crispy-Skinned Chicken Leg Quarters

Cooked in a hot oven, these chicken leg quarters emerge with perfectly browned skin and juicy meat.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Rest time 5

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 375kcal

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with high-heat-resistant parchment paper, or grease a 9 X 13-inch rimmed baking dish with olive oil.
Place the chicken pieces in the prepared baking dish. Generously spray their tops with olive oil and sprinkle them with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and 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.
Allow the chicken to rest for five minutes before serving.

If using any salt other than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, including Morton kosher salt, use half the amount listed.
In the video, you can see me making half the recipe.
Many chicken recipes instruct you to trim any excess skin from the thigh part. Me? On the contrary. When I make this recipe, I leave every bit of delicious skin on. If I have space in the pan, I spread any excess skin out on the pan, and it comes out wonderfully crispy - like chicken skin chips.
You can brown the chicken, especially the tops, in an ovenproof skillet in butter or oil, then transfer it to the oven. This method achieves extra-crispy skin. I rarely bother because simply oven-baking yields fabulous results and is so much easier.
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for 3-4 days. I don't like to reheat them, as reheating dries the chicken out. Leftover chicken is delicious when eaten cold!
If you'd like to reheat the leftovers, cover and reheat them in the microwave at 50% power. Alternatively, reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven. This will help re-crisp the skin, which tends to become soggy when refrigerated.