Easy Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
Baked chicken leg quarters with crispy skin and tender, juicy meat made using simple pantry ingredients. Cozy, easy comfort food!
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
Calories: 432kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 153mg, Sodium: 780mg, Potassium: 427mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 741IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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