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.
We love to see 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.
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.
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🥘 Ingredients
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.
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.
Seasonings- For maximum flavor, you'll want to use Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
For specific quantities, see the recipe card below.
🍽 Equipment Needed
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🔪 Instructions
Check out how to make air fryer chicken leg quarters with these simple step-by-step 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!
🧾 Substitutions
Italian Seasonings: 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.
BBQ air fryer chicken quarters are an easy and tasty variation that everyone can enjoy.
🍴 Recipe Tips
The amount of time needed to actually cook your chicken quarters will depend upon several different things including:
- The size of your chicken quarters
- The temperature of the chicken (is it frozen, chilled, or room temperature)
- If you preheated your air fryer.
You want to make sure that your chicken cuts are all about the same size so that they cook at the same speed.
Your chicken shouldn't be frozen or have ice crystals on it, but if it does, prepare to extend the cooking time a few extra minutes as a result.
You can preheat your air fryer if desired. Just bring the air fryer to temp (390F) and let it cook for 2 minutes, with nothing inside, before adding your chicken and cooking as directed below.
Chicken safety
You will know that your chicken has finished cooking properly when you can insert an instant read food thermometer into the meat hand have it register as 165 degrees F. The meat and juices may still have a slight pink coloration to them but it should not look raw.
🍳Reheating
If you have leftovers, you can reheat them in the air fryer by cooking them at 350 degrees F for about 4-5 minutes or until warmed through.
Alternatively, you can cook a thigh on a plate for just 2 minutes in a microwave.
🥗 Side Dishes
This recipe goes well with just about anything but for a nice summery feel you can try one of these 20 Delicious Summer Squash Recipes or some Heaven Berry Fluff Salad, of course you cant go wrong with green veggies like this Instant Pot Asparagus!
👩🏻🍳 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.
💭 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.
More great chicken recipes to check out soon
- Instant Pot Chicken Quarters
- Roasted Whole Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots
- Beer Brine Chicken Wings
- Honey Lemon Pepper Wings
- Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters
Equipment
- Small Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken Leg Quarters ($1.19)
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil ($0.39)
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning ($0.10)
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder ($0.10)
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder ($0.10)
- ½ teaspoon Paprika ($0.05)
- ½ teaspoon Salt ($0.05)
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper ($0.02)
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!
Notes
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.
- BBQ air fryer chicken quarters are an easy and tasty variation that everyone can enjoy.
Recipe Tips
The amount of time needed to actually cook your chicken quarters will depend upon several different things including:- The size of your chicken quarters
- The temperature of the chicken (is it frozen, chilled, or room temperature)
- If you preheated your air fryer.
Reheating
- If you have leftovers, you can reheat them in the air fryer by cooking them at 350 degrees F for about 4-5 minutes or until warmed through.
- Alternatively, you can cook a thigh on a plate for just 2 minutes in a microwave.
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.
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