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These roasted chicken leg quarters turn out perfectly juicy and crispy on the outside. Let's cook!

Oven-Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters
Chicken leg quarters are a large cut of meat consisting of leg, thigh, and part of the back portion of the chicken. Today, we're going to roast this cut of meat and I’ll share with you all my tips for juicy chicken perfection.
Since dark meat is already flavorful, you only need simple ingredients to make the best roasted chicken leg quarters, as I do with garlic herb baked chicken drumsticks.
Ingredients
I use skin-on chicken leg quarters that I season with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, fresh rosemary and thyme (or Italian seasoning), lemon zest, and lemon juice to brighten the other ingredients' flavors.
How to Bake Chicken Leg Quarters in the Oven
Here’s what you’ll have to do to roast juicy chicken leg quarters:
- Prep the chicken by trimming off excess fat and patting it dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and black pepper and place them in a greased baking dish, skin-side up.
- Whisk olive oil, garlic, herbs, lemon zest, and juice and distribute the mixture over the chicken leg quarters.
- Bake at 400F for 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175F. Once the chicken is finished cooking, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Success Tips for the Best Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters
Success when roasting chicken leg quarters is nearly guaranteed since it’s one of the easiest pieces of chicken to cook! Here are a few tips:
How to know when chicken leg quarters are done
At the time listed in the recipe card, it’s always a good idea to check for doneness by poking the chicken leg quarter with a meat thermometer, which should read 175F. Do this by taking the baking pan or dish out of the oven.
How to store roasted chicken leg quarters
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container or a zip bag in the refrigerator once cooled for up to 4 days. You can also freeze cooked and cooled roasted leg quarters for up to a month.
How to reheat chicken leg quarters
When you’re ready to enjoy your chicken leftovers, reheat them in the microwave for about a minute, in the oven at 350F for about 20 minutes in an oven-safe tray, or wrapped in foil in the air fryer at 360F for about 7 minutes.
Sides for Roasted Chicken
Roasted chicken leg quarters put you in the mood for comfort food, and I’ve got healthy side dishes that offer those cozy feels while keeping it light, like roasted sweet potatoes, roasted curried cauliflower, Southern mashed potatoes, and Italian baked beans.
Garlic Herb Baked Chicken Leg Quarters

Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 4 large chicken leg quarters
- Salt and black pepper , for seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 ½ tablespoon chopped fresh thyme and rosemary*
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 lemon, juiced
Instructions
Prep:
- Place the oven rack into the middle position, preheat the oven to 400F (205C), and grease a baking tray with oil.
- Trim the chicken pieces of excess fat and pat dry with a paper towel. Generously season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and place them in the baking tray, skin-side up.
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, lemon zest, and juice. Distribute the mixture generously over the chicken pieces.
Bake:
- Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven or until the internal temperature has reached 175F (80 C).
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the oven and serve.
Notes
- Swap the fresh herbs for 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning.







Jan says
The ultimate easy chicken dinner!
greta says
This garlic herb mix was perfect for chicken. Tasted great.