Baked Chicken Leg Quarters (Printable)

Crispy skinned, juicy chicken leg quarters seasoned and roasted to golden perfection in 45 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 chicken leg quarters (about 2.5–3 lbs total), patted dry

→ Seasonings & Marinade

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
04 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
07 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
08 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional, for mild heat)

→ For Serving (optional)

11 - Fresh parsley, chopped
12 - Lemon wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top for optimal crispiness.
02 - In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, onion powder, oregano, and chili powder.
03 - Pat the chicken leg quarters dry thoroughly with paper towels. Place them on the prepared rack.
04 - Rub the seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of each chicken leg quarter, ensuring good coverage, especially under the skin for extra flavor.
05 - Roast in the preheated oven for 40–50 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and deep golden brown, and the internal temperature reaches 175°F (80°C) at the thickest part (not touching bone).
06 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The crispy skin stays impossibly crunchy while the meat stays juicy and tender
  • One bowl of spices creates restaurant worthy flavor with zero fancy techniques
  • You can throw everything together in ten minutes and let the oven do the rest
02 -
  • Dry skin equals crispy skin, so do not skip the paper towel step
  • The wire rack is not optional if you want all around crispy skin
  • Letting the chicken rest makes the difference between juicy and dry meat
03 -
  • Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly than cold from the fridge
  • Use a meat thermometer because visual cues can be misleading with dark meat

Return