This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
These Baked Chicken Leg Quarters are bringing all the Southern comfort to your dinner table! Seasoned to perfection, seared until golden brown, and baked in a rich, savory onion gravy, these chicken leg quarters come out juicy, tender, and full of flavor. And that buttery gravy underneath? Baby, get your mashed potatoes ready because dinner is about to be GOOD!
For more easy chicken recipes, make my oven fried chicken, skillet chicken thighs, and sheet pan chicken thighs and potatoes!
I was today years old when I realized chicken leg quarters are just thighs and drumsticks hanging out together! And the best part? They’re budget-friendly, making them perfect for feeding the whole family without breaking the bank. Now, I love a good, classic buttermilk fried chicken, but a one-pot dinner with juicy chicken and homemade onion gravy? Honey, that’s a win in my book! A quick sear builds tons of flavor, then the oven does the rest. Easy comfort food that tastes like you’ve been cooking all afternoon!
Baked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe Overview
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🍗 Cook Time: 1 hour
- 🧑🍳 Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 6
- 🍗 Made With: Bone-in chicken leg quarters, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, onions, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, and butter
- 🍗 Why This Recipe is the Best: These juicy, fall-off-the-bone tender chicken leg quarters are baked in a buttery homemade onion gravy that’s full of savory flavor. Everything comes together in one skillet for an easy, comforting dinner with minimal cleanup!
Table of contents
Main Ingredients
(full instructions and list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)
- Chicken leg quarters: This budget-friendly cut includes the thigh and drumstick attached as one piece. Because it’s dark meat, it stays incredibly juicy and tender when baked. Win-win!
- Seasonings: we’re making our own spice rub! Onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and cajun seasoning pack the flavor, making every bite savory and absolutely delicious!
- Chicken Broth keeps the chicken moist as it bakes and creates flavorful pan juices that can be spooned right over the top. I use a mix of chicken bouillon and water but chicken broth from the carton works perfectly too.
- Dijon mustard: My little flavor booster! It adds a subtle tang that balances the richness of the buttery onion gravy.
- Yellow onion: Softens as the chicken bakes, adding a little sweetness and plenty of savory flavor to the gravy. Can you say YUM?!
How To Make Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
(please see the recipe card for the full instructions)
Step 1: Season the chicken. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture (this makes the chicken skin crisp up nicely!). If there’s any excess skin, trim it off (it can become rubbery and chewy while cooking). Then drizzle with olive oil. Combine seasonings, black pepper, and kosher salt in a small bowl, mix together, then add to the chicken, ensuring everything is covered.
Step 2: Sear the chicken. Add olive oil to a cast iron skillet or braising pan with a lid over medium heat. (Tip: if you don’t have an oven safe skillet with a lid, you can cover it with aluminum foil instead) Sear the chicken on both sides for about 5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove from the pan and place onto a plate.
Step 3: Make the onion gravy. Melt the butter in the same skillet, scraping up all those flavorful browned bits from the chicken (this adds tons of flavor), then add flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, until a thick paste forms. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and Dijon mustard until smooth, then add the sliced onions. This is where all that delicious gravy starts coming together!
Step 4: Bake the chicken. Return the chicken to the skillet along with any collected juices. Cover and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake another 15–20 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 185–190°F. Chicken is safe to eat at 165°F, but dark meat gets even more tender at higher temperatures as the connective tissue softens. For a crispy, golden finish, broil for 3–4 minutes, keeping a close eye on it!
Britney’s Pro Tips
- Use a meat thermometer to measure doneness! Using an instant-read thermometer prevents under or overcooking the chicken. This keeps it juicy and tender!
- Pat the chicken dry. Removing excess moisture helps the skin brown beautifully and keeps the seasoning from sliding off. Don’t skip this step if you want that gorgeous golden finish!
- When seasoning the chicken, make sure to coat the whole piece of chicken and get under the skin too!
- When searing the meat, don’t overcrowd the pan. Place the chicken into the skillet in a single layer, work in batches if needed.
Serving Suggestions
These Baked Chicken Leg Quarters are begging for some good ol’ Southern side dishes! Serve them with creamy garlic and herb mashed potatoes, fluffy rice, or my 3 cheese mac and cheese to soak up all that delicious onion gravy.
For something a little lighter, try roasted carrots, green beans, or baked corn on the cob. And don’t forget the brioche dinner rolls or biscuits! Honey, we are NOT leaving a drop of that gravy behind!
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover baked chicken leg quarters and gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. To reheat, place the chicken in an oven-safe dish with a little gravy, cover with foil, and warm at 350°F until heated through to 165°F. Remove the foil toward the end if you want the skin to crisp up again.
Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe FAQs
Searing isn’t required but it does give the skin a golden-brown color and creates flavorful browned bits in the skillet that become the base of the onion gravy. If you skip the sear, the cooking time and final skin texture may be different.
For this recipe, both! Baking the chicken covered initially helps create a moist cooking environment and allows the meat to become tender. Removing the lid during the final 15–20 minutes allows the gravy to thicken.
Chicken leg quarters contain more connective tissue than chicken breasts, so they benefit from a little extra cooking time. Although chicken is safe at 165°F, I prefer letting my leg quarters reach 185-190°F for more tender, pull-apart meat.
Start by patting the chicken completely dry before seasoning. Sear the skin until golden brown, then finish baking uncovered. If you want the skin extra crispy, broil for 3-4 minutes at the end, watching closely to prevent burning.
Absolutely! Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are a great substitute. Since they’re smaller than whole leg quarters, they’ll likely cook faster. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness and adjust the baking time accordingly.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
Main Course
Easy Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs
Main Course
Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
Main Course
Creamy Mushroom Chicken
Main Course
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
Want more delicious recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter to receive the latest seasonal creations as soon as they’re released!
If you make this Baked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Easy Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
Ingredients
- 6 Chicken Leg Quarters
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 2 tsp Cajun Seasoning , (if your cajun seasoning has salt in it, be careful with adding more salt)
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tbsp Salted Butter
- 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 cups Chicken Broth, (or 1 1/2 cups water and 2 tsp Chicken Bouillon)
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 Yellow Onion
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture (this makes the chicken skin crisp up nicely!). If there's any excess skin, trim it off (it can become rubbery and chewy while cooking). Then drizzle with olive oil. 6 Chicken Leg Quarters
- Combine Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and kosher salt in a small bowl, mix together. 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning 2 tsp Cajun Seasoning 1 tsp Garlic Powder 1 tsp Onion Powder 1 tsp Smoked Paprika 1 tsp Kosher Salt 1 tsp Black Pepper
- Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil all over the chicken then add the seasonings to the chicken, ensuring everything is covered. Be sure to season under the skin and all around it!
- Add remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to a cast iron skillet or braising pan with a lid over medium heat. (Tip: if you don't have an oven safe skillet with a lid, you can cover it with aluminum foil instead)
- Sear the chicken on both sides for about 5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove from the pan and place onto a plate. Add butter to the skillet, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with the back of spoon (this adds tons of flavor), then add flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, until a thick paste forms. 2 tbsp Salted Butter 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- Add in chicken broth and dijon mustard whisk together, then add sliced onions. Place the chicken back into the skillet (along with any juices collected on the plate) and cover with the lid. 1 1/2 cups Chicken Broth 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard 1 Yellow Onion
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and reaches an internal temperature of 185-190 degrees F in the thickest part of the meat. (Heads up: chicken is safe to eat at 165 degrees F, but dark meat becomes fall off the bone tender around 185-190 degrees F because that's when the connective tissue begins to break down).
- Broil for 3-4 minutes for a nice crispy top! Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes, then serve.
Notes
- Be sure to blot the chicken dry with a paper towel to get extra crispy skin (my favorite part). This also helps the seasonings stick to the meat too and we want to be sure to reserve every drop!
- When seasonings the chicken, make sure to coat the whole thing and get under the skin too!
- When searing the meat, don’t overcrowd the pan. Place the chicken into the skillet in a single layer, work in batches if needed.
- Use a meat thermometer to measure doneness! Using an instant-read thermometer prevents under or overcooking the chicken. This keeps it juicy and tender!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I buy the 10 pound bags and first remove all the back pieces and make soup. Waste not want not.
Then I package the legs and freeze. Sometimes I separate the thighs and drums. Sometimes I skin the thighs and debone them before freezing. Then I leave the skin and bones for the wild night animals that come to my front deck. Skunks, raccoons and possums.
Love it 😍 . Ooh the leg quarters are to live for !!! This is a must try !!!
Thank you so much Ms Lakita!