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This Baked Chicken Leg Quarters recipe is an easy, flavor-packed dish! With simple ingredients and minimal prep, it delivers juicy, tender chicken every single time.
For more chicken recipes, make my buttermilk 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 chicken drumsticks hanging out together! Oh, and they’re usually cheaper than a pack of chicken breasts too. So, yes, they live in my oven now.
A simple blend of pantry spices turns them into a flavor-packed, cozy dinner that smells unreal while it’s baking. The prep is easy: mix the seasoning, rub it all over the chicken, a quick sear, and let the oven do its thing. About 45 minutes later, you’ve got juicy, fall-off-the-bone dark meat with crispy skin that deserves a moment all on its own.
It’s easy, comforting, and one of the tastiest chicken recipes you’ll ever make! This is the kind of chicken everyone will actually get excited about.
A quick look at the recipe:
- ✅Recipe name: Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
- 🕛Ready In: 1 hour!
- 👥Serves: 6
- 🍽️Calories: 432 calories per serving
- 📋Protein: 25g protein per serving
- 🥣Cook Method: Quick sear then bake in the oven!
- 📖Flavor profile: savory, garlicky deliciousness!
- ⭐Difficulty: Very easy!
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Table of contents
Recipe Highlights
- Super flavorful recipe! We’re giving the chicken a quick sear before baking to seal in all of those juices, giving you incredibly tender meat that’s packed with flavor!
- Simple Ingredients! This chicken leg quarters recipe uses everyday pantry staples and basic seasonings you probably already have on hand.
- Great recipe the whole family will love! This is one of those reliable dinners the whole family can get behind, even the picky eaters. Serve with a green salad, mashed potatoes, or a side of rice.
- Finally, a flavorful chicken recipe that’s not boring! Between the seasoning, the sear, and the pan sauce, this chicken has real personality. It’s proof that baked chicken can be flavorful, juicy, and exciting.
Main Ingredients
(full instructions and list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)
- Chicken Leg Quarters are a cut of chicken that includes both the chicken thighs and the chicken legs attached as one piece. They’re dark-meat cuts, which means they’re naturally juicier, more flavorful, and harder to dry out than chicken breast. Another plus, they’re usually pretty inexpensive at the grocery store. 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!
- Butter is the building block of the pan sauce, creating a rich, flavorful base.
- 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 is a flavor booster! Is balances out all of the richness by adding a subtle tang.
- Yellow Onion softens and caramelizes as it bakes, adding subtle sweetness and extra flavor to the pan drippings. Can you say “yum”??
How To Make Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
(please see the recipe card for the full instructions)
Step 1: 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: 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: 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. Add in chicken broth and dijon mustard whisk together, then add sliced onions.
Step 4: Place the chicken back into the skillet (along with any juices collected on the plate) and cover with the lid. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to cook for another 15-20 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 180-190 degrees F – that’s when the connective tissue begins to break down). Broil for 3-4 minutes for a nice crispy top!
Britney’s Tips For Success
- Use a meat thermometer to measure doneness! Using an instant-read thermometer prevents under or overcooking the chicken. This keeps it juicy and tender!
- 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.
How To Serve
Baked chicken leg quarters pair beautifully with classic comfort sides dishes like creamy mashed potatoes, fluffy rice, or 3 cheese mac and cheese to go with those flavorful pan juices.
For a veggie option, roasted carrots, green beans, broccoli, or cajun corn on the cob keep this meal quick and easy. Finish things off with warm dinner rolls, biscuits, or garlic bread, because that sauce is too good to leave behind.
Recipe FAQs
Searing isn’t required, but it adds a lot of flavor. A quick sear helps lock in juices and gives the skin a head start on browning before the chicken goes into the oven.
Chicken leg quarters are best when the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180-190°F. Dark meat becomes more tender and flavorful when cooked slightly higher than the standard 165°F.
Bake them covered so that you trap in all of the juices to make the meat nice and tender, then uncover and allow the skin to crisp up and the pan sauce to thicken.
Yes, you can use a whole chicken for this recipe, but it’s best to break it down first. Cut the chicken into two leg quarters and two chicken breasts so everything cooks more evenly.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
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Easy Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs
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Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
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Easy Cajun Chicken and Rice
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Creamy Mushroom Chicken
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If you make this 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!