May 5, 2022
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These simple roasted chicken leg quarters are the type of recipe you pop in the oven, and a deliciously juicy chicken comes out with minimal effort.
Grab some garlic and fresh or dried herbs and mix them with olive oil… rub this goodness all over your chicken leg quarters and let the oven do the rest!
The result: crispy on the outside and perfectly juicy chicken meat. Let’s get started.
Oven-Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters
Chicken leg quarters are a large cut of meat (approx one-quarter of the chicken) consisting of leg, thigh, and part of the back portion of the chicken. Today, we’re going to be roasting this cut of meat to juicy perfection.
I’m sharing all my chicken roasting tips so you can make this delicious chicken dinner for your family.
Ingredients for Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters
Here are all the ingredients you need to make the best-baked chicken leg quarters tonight:
- Chicken leg quarters: leave the skin on for tender meat and more flavor.
- Salt & pepper: generously sprinkled onto both sides of the chicken.
- Olive oil: the base for our garlic-herb sauce.
- Garlic: adds incredible flavor and aroma.
- Italian seasoning: use dried Italian seasoning or fresh rosemary, thyme, and oregano.
- Lemon: brightens the other ingredient’s flavors.
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How to Bake Chicken Leg Quarters in the Oven
It’s easy to make juicy baked chicken if you follow the recipe steps below.
- Get the oven ready
Preheat the oven to 400F and grease a baking dish with oil. - Prep
Trim the chicken pieces of excess fat and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and black pepper and place them in the baking dish, skin-side up. - Make the sauce
Whisk the olive oil, garlic, Italian seasonings, lemon zest, and juice in a small bowl. Distribute the mixture over the chicken pieces. - Bake
Bake for 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175F (80C). Once the chicken is finished cooking, remove the baking dish from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Watch this video to see just how easy it is to bake chicken leg quarters.
How Long to Roast Chicken Leg Quarters
At 375F, roasting chicken leg quarters in the oven will take approximately 50 minutes and about 40 minutes at 400F.
Regardless of the temperature chosen for roasting the chicken leg quarters, you should check for doneness with a meat thermometer at the thickest part of the meat to reach 175F.
For a full temperature and time chart, check out this Baked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe.
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 I’ve learned over time:
Juicy roasted chicken quarters
Leg chicken quarters always include the skin and bone-in meat so that’s nearly always a guarantee that they’ll turn out juicy! As a matter of fact, you’ll find extra juices at the bottom of the baking dish.
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
Any leftovers can be stored inside an airtight container or zip bag, once cooled, in the refrigerator 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 leftover chicken leg quarters, you can 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 the air fryer, at 360F for approximately 7 minutes.
Sides for Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters
Something about juicy roasted chicken leg quarters puts you in the mood for comfort food, and I’ve got some healthy side dishes that offer those cozy feels while keeping it light.
Garlic Herb Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
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
- 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 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.
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