Air fryer chicken leg quarters are a great way to get the best results from a cheaper cut of meat. From the crispy skin on the outside to the juicy meat inside, this recipe is perfect for dinner any night of the week.
Recipe: $2.15 | Per Serving: $1.09 | Servings: 2
We love to use our air fryer for different cuts of chicken because the results are ALWAYS fantastic! Air Fryer Chicken Breasts and Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs are amongst our favorite go-to recipes, but these air fried chicken leg quarters rank up there with the best of them.
This recipe is perfect for any night of the week, and every bite delivers flavor and texture. From the crispy skin to the juicy dark meat, you're going to wonder why you hadn't tried this sooner.
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🍯 Why This Recipe Works
- It's quick and easy! From the simple pantry staple seasonings to the recipe steps, this recipe comes together quickly and requires very little effort on your part.
- Super simple. Rub some seasonings and toss them in the fryer. Flip over once for even cooking, and you're done. This recipe is very beginner friendly for anyone who is still new to an air fryer.
- Perfect for rainy weather. We love to use our air fryer whenever we can't get outside and grill, and when you live in a rainy climate or someplace with a rainy season, you'll find that grilling days feel far and few between. Thankfully the air fryer gives you similar results from the comfort of your home.
🥘 Ingredients
Ingredient Notes:
Chicken Quarters- You will need similarly sized chicken quarters. Frozen will take a little longer to cook, but thawed quarters are recommended because they cook more quickly and evenly. If you still have quarters left over, try making these Crispy Baked Chicken Quarters or Instant Pot Chicken Quarters.
Olive Oil- To help grease the air fryer basket and to get the skin on the chicken more crispy, you'll want to use a little olive oil. Note that this also helps to get the seasonings to stick to the skin of the chicken.
For specific ingredients and measurements, please see the recipe card below.
🧾 Substitutions
Italian Seasoning: I like to use Italian seasoning in my recipes because it contains a blend of different seasonings like rosemary, thyme, oregano, etc. You can use a homemade blend or just use oregano in its place if you don't have Italian seasoning on hand.
Paprika: Use regular paprika or smoked paprika for this recipe and it's sure to turn out delicious either way. Smoked paprika adds a nice depth of flavor that works really well here.
📖 Variations
BBQ! If desired, after the chicken has been fully cooked, you can brush some of your favorite barbecue sauce over the top of these air fried chicken leg quarters and return to the air fryer for 2 minutes. I like to use my Easy Homemade Barbecue Sauce.
BBQ air fryer chicken quarters are an easy and tasty variation that everyone can enjoy.
🔪 Instructions for Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters
Step 1: Add your seasonings to a small bowl.
Step 2: Mix together to combine and set aside.
Step 3: Pat the chicken quarters dry with a paper towel (if needed). Brush the skin with olive oil.
Step 4: Sprinkle the seasoning over the legs.
Step 5: Rub the seasoning around until the chicken leg quarter is well coated on all sides. You may not need all of the seasonings and this is okay.
Step 6: Place the seasoned raw chicken quarters in your air fryer basket.
Step 7: Cook at 390 degrees F for 10 minutes.
Step 8: Flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Step 9: Check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer and make sure that it has reached at least 165 degrees F. If needed, flip the chicken over (skin side up) and give them another 2-5 minutes
Serve warm and enjoy!
🍴 Recipe Tips
- The cooking time for chicken quarters varies based on factors such as their size, temperature, and whether the air fryer was preheated.
- Ensure chicken cuts are uniform in size for even cooking.
- Avoid cooking frozen chicken; if present, expect to extend cooking time slightly due to ice crystals.
- Preheating the air fryer to 390°F for 2 minutes before adding chicken is optional.
- Chicken is properly cooked when an instant-read thermometer 165 degrees F.
🍳Reheating
Air Fryer Reheating: Reheat the leftovers in the air fryer at 350°F for approximately 4-5 minutes, or until warmed through.
Microwave Reheating: For a quicker option, place a thigh on a microwave-safe plate and heat for 2 minutes in the microwave. Adjust the time as needed based on your microwave's power settings.
🥗 Side Dishes
This recipe goes well with just about anything but for a nice summery feel you can try one of these Delicious Summer Squash Recipes. You can't go wrong with veggies like this Instant Pot Asparagus, Instant Pot Brussel Sprouts and Bacon, or Microwave Yellow Squash!
👩🏻🍳 Storage
You can keep your cooked chicken stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days if you do not plan to eat it immediately.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Your chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees F, but when in doubt, you can cook your dark meat to 170 degrees F.
I get this question from my kids A LOT but it's NOT blood! Commercially processed chickens have blood drained before being cut, so there's almost no chance of this. The pink discoloration is mostly water and a protein called myoglobin which carries oxygen through the muscles.
Purple discoloration in your chicken is a result of myoglobin and purple marrow in the bones. These colors don't really fade as the meat is cooked, and if your chicken reaches 165F, it's perfectly fine to eat!
The legs and thighs of a chicken are considered dark meat; since the chicken quarters are both thigh and legs, this means that this bird cut is all dark meat.
To air fry leg quarters, follow these steps: Place seasoned raw chicken quarters in air fryer basket. Cook at 390°F for 10 minutes. Flip chicken over and cook for additional 10 minutes. Check internal temperature with instant-read thermometer; ensure it reaches at least 165°F. If needed, flip chicken over (skin side up) and cook for another 2-5 minutes.
Yes, you can cook frozen chicken quarters in an air fryer. Preheat to 390°F, cook for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway. Check internal temperature reaches 165°F.
❤️ More Delicious Chicken Recipes
If you tried this Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your feedback in the 📝 comments section below. I would truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning ($0.08)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder ($0.08)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder ($0.08)
- ½ teaspoon paprika ($0.04)
- ½ teaspoon salt ($0.01)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper ($0.02)
- 2 chicken leg quarters ($1.42)
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil ($0.42)
Instructions
- Add your seasonings to a small bowl.
- Mix together to combine and set aside.
- Pat the chicken quarters dry with a paper towel (if needed). Brush the skin with olive oil.
- Sprinkle the seasoning over the legs.
- Rub the seasoning around until the chicken leg quarter is well coated on all sides. You may not need all of the seasonings and this is okay.
- Place the seasoned raw chicken quarters in your air fryer basket.
- Cook at 390 degrees F for 10 minutes.
- Flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer and make sure that it has reached at least 165 degrees F. If needed, flip the chicken over (skin side up) and give them another 2-5 minutes
- Serve warm and enjoy!
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