Oven-roasted chicken quarters with delicious crispy skin and juicy tender meat on the inside. Here's the easiest and best way to roast chicken quarters!
What's best about these crispy baked chicken leg quarters is three things. One is the delicious marinade which is a dry marinade (will explain below what's a dry marinade and why we are using it). Second, is the golden and perfectly crispy skin on top. And third, is the meat that keeps nice and juicy (following cooking times and temperatures as instructed below).
Table Of Contents
Baking Chicken Leg Quarters
Chicken leg quarters are great to roast in the oven because they bake quickly and unlike chicken breasts they keep juicy.
You can bake them either on a baking pan, a tray pan, or an oven-safe rack (you can also use the oven's rack or a roasting pan with a rack).
If you decide to bake them on a baking pan the bottom of the chicken legs will be more soft and moist. Whereas if you bake them on a rack the bottom will get drier and more crisp.
The pros when baking chicken leg quarters on a baking pan are that the inside of the chicken will cook slower and keep more moist. Giving time for the skin on top to roast properly. Another benefit when using a baking pan is that you get to keep the delicious juices that collect in the pan (use a pan that fits the chicken legs with about 3-4 inch space in between the chicken quarters).
The chicken juices you can use in making a sauce to serve with the crispy chicken leg quarters. For example, mix the juices with some mustard and lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. You can even make a quick gravy in the pan. Or simply save the juices for later use, to flavor a sauce or a stew in another recipe.
One pro for roasting chicken leg quarters on a rack is that the skin will crisp more evenly (at the bottom as well).
How To: Crispy Chicken Skin
To make a crispy chicken skin first you need to remove all moisture from the skin and dry marinate the meat. How to do this? And what's a dry marinade? Dry marinades are made of herbs and powders (mustard powder, paprika, powdered nuts, etc) and skip wine and other alcohols or other commonly used liquids such as lemon juice, buttermilk, etc. To remove moisture from the chicken simply pat dry with paper towels.
Second, rub the skin with some fat to help it get a deep color and crisp better. You can use either olive oil like I do, or even clarified butter (see here how to make it at home) butter won't do because it will soften the skin (as it contains milk solids in it).
Thirdly, another ally to achieving crispy skin is of course salt! Use fine sea salt and sprinkle evenly on the skin.
How To Roast Chicken Quarters
- Rub the marinade under the skin to season the chicken meat (not just the skin). Marinate for 2-3 hours or even better overnight.
- Pat dry the skin with paper towels.
- Rub or brush the skin with olive oil all over on top.
- Season with fine sea salt on top and some dried oregano.
- Bake until deep golden and crispy and the internal temperature reaches 165°F / 74°C.
- Rest the chicken for 5 minutes outside the pan.
- Serve the crispy baked chicken quarters!
Baking Time And Temperatures
How long to bake leg quarters depends on two things mainly. The size of the chicken legs and how strong is your oven. It might take from 30 to 45 minutes at 400°F / 200°C for the chicken quarters to cook in the oven.
So the safest way to roast chicken leg quarters in oven is to keep an eye on after the first 30 minutes of baking and to use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature which should be 165°F / 74°C. If it goes slightly up it's okay, but don't let it go very far from that. If it's slightly down it's not okay because under 165°F / 74°C chicken is not considered safe to eat.
One way to check if the chicken is done if you don't have a thermometer is to insert a knife in the center, close to the main bone and if the juices run clear then it's done!
Serve With
Serve roasted chicken leg quarters with Greek Baked Potatoes or Greek Oven Fries with feta. Or some Pita Bread, Feta Cheese, and Marinated Tomato Salad. The best Greek dips to serve with roasted leg quarters are Tzatziki and Htipiti (spicy whipped feta dip).
Recipe
Oven Roasted Chicken Quarters
Ingredients
For The Roasted Leg Quarters:
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 4 teaspoons olive oil + extra to brush on top
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
To Serve With:
- lemons
- feta cheese
- pita bread see here how to make it at home
- tomato salad like this marinated tomato salad
- kalamata olives
Instructions
To Make Roasted Leg Quarters:
- Prepare the marinade. Mix the mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, olive oil, and ½ teaspoon sea salt in a small bowl to form a paste.
- Marinate. Rub the marinade all over the chicken under the skin (pull with your hands and rub the marinade inside). Marinate for 2-3 hours or even better overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C. Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven. Pat dry the chicken with paper towels.
- Brush a baking pan or tray with olive oil. Add the chicken on top. Alternatively, you can place the chicken on a rack (See Notes below).
- Brush or rub the skin of the chicken lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle the remaining ½ teaspoon of sea salt on the skin as well as the remaining 1 teaspoon of oregano.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes on the oven's middle rack. Or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F / 74°C and the skin is nice and crispy.
- Rest the chicken for 5 minutes out of the pan and then serve with your preferred side dishes.
Fotini, this recipe is amazing! I love chicken and your food blog . I had this with a delicious Greek Salad and it was wonderful. Every recipe of yours I’ve made has been delicious and I’ve made several & plan on making more . Already added it to my Favorites and will be making it again for sure . Thanks for sharing your recipes with us .
You're welcome Greg. So happy to hear you enjoyed them!