Serve up some crispy baked chicken quarters with this tasty recipe. A perfect dinner main dish to complement any side.
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We love eating chicken quarters because they're cheap, filling, and full of delicious dark meat chicken. While we enjoy all cuts of chicken, we always find some chicken leg quarters on the menu.
Chicken quarters are cuts of chicken that include both the thighs as well as the legs. Thighs are my favorite and the kids love the drumsticks, so quarters are perfect for giving everybody what they like best.
Don't forget to check out my Instant Pot Chicken Quarters for another great option to serve up your favorite dark meat.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The skin is crispy. While they may not be as crispy as if we had made Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters, cooking Crispy Baked Chicken Quarters in the oven is perfect for my family of 4 because we can cook all of the quarters at once.
- Simple ingredients. We don't need anything too fancy or expensive, in fact, we're seasoning our chicken with basic pantry staple ingredients like salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. You probably have them on hand already.
- It's really frugal! Chicken quarters are one of the cheapest cuts of meat you can buy from a chicken. I often find them for less than $1 per pound at stores like Aldi and Walmart. That's a lot of meat for your money! I love adding them to our Monthly Meal Plans. Plus, you can Save Money by Stretching Meat, so leftovers are always great too.
🛒 Ingredients
Chicken leg quarters- You will need 4 chicken quarters of roughly the same size.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
Italian seasoning: Use store-bought or homemade, or swap with simple oregano if that's what you have.
Paprika: Regular or smoked paprika both work. Smoked adds a deeper flavor.
Barbecue option: After cooking, brush the chicken with your favorite barbecue sauce (or Homemade Barbecue Sauce) and broil for 2-3 minutes. Watch closely so it doesn't burn.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Buy Value Packs. Chicken leg quarters are inexpensive, and value packs offer the best price per pound.
Use What You Have. Store-brand seasonings and whatever cooking oil you already have on hand work perfectly.
Make It Stretch. Leftovers reheat well, making this a great multi-meal option that fits a frugal budget.
🥄 Instructions for Crispy Baked Chicken Quarters
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2: Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
Step 3: In a small bowl, add your seasonings.
Step 4: Mix well to combine.
Step 5: Place your chicken quarters on the baking sheet. Pat them dry with a clean paper towel. This helps to crisp up the skin as they bake.
Step 6: Brush the skin of the legs with olive oil until well coated.
Step 7: Sprinkle your seasoning over the chicken and then rub well to evenly coat all sides of the meat.
Step 8: Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Step 9: Let the chicken cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Be careful as they will be hot.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Cooking Time Varies. The cook time depends on the size of the chicken quarters and whether your air fryer was preheated.
- Keep Sizes Uniform. Use chicken pieces that are similar in size so they cook evenly.
- Avoid Starting Frozen. Don't air fry fully frozen chicken. If the meat has ice crystals, expect the cook time to increase slightly.
- Check for Doneness. Chicken is fully cooked when an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F.
❄️ Storage and Reheating
Storage: Store cooked chicken quarters in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Air Fryer Reheating: Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 4-5 minutes, or until heated through.
Microwave Reheating: Place a piece on a microwave-safe plate and heat for about 2 minutes, adjusting time as needed based on your microwave.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
This recipe pairs wonderfully with just about any side dish recipe! Recipes like these Delicious Summer Squash Recipes and Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli all pair wonderfully with this recipe. Our favorite side dishes though are Air Fryer Canned Biscuits and The Best Canned Green Bean Recipe.
- 20 Delicious Summer Squash Recipes
- Air Fryer Canned BiscuitsRecipe $1.87 / Serving $0.24
- The Best Canned Green Bean RecipeRecipe $1.14 / Serving $0.29
- Instant Pot Steamed BroccoliRecipe $1.55 / Serving $0.39
❓ 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.
At 400F it takes about 40-60 minutes depending on the size of the chicken quarters and if they were partially frozen or fully thawed when they went into the oven.
🍽️ More Recipes You'll Love
- Baked BBQ Chicken ThighsRecipe $9.37 / Serving $1.56
- Chicken Divan CasseroleRecipe $8.50 / Serving $1.06
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs and PotatoesRecipe $7.86 / Serving $1.57
- Sheet Pan Chicken with Brussel Sprouts and PotatoesRecipe $10.59 / Serving $1.77
🐝 If you tried these crispy baked chicken quarters, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Crispy Baked Chicken Quarters
Ingredients
- 4 chicken leg quarters - ($2.84)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil - ($0.42)
- 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)
Instructions
- Prep oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
- Mix seasoning. Combine the Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
- Prep chicken. Place the chicken leg quarters on the baking sheet and pat dry with paper towels to help crisp the skin.
- Oil and season. Brush the chicken with olive oil, then sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over all sides, rubbing to coat.
- Bake. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Rest and serve. Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cooking Time. Time may vary based on the size and starting temperature of the chicken. Larger or colder pieces may need a few extra minutes.
- Even Cooking. Use similarly sized leg quarters for more consistent results.
- Partially Frozen Chicken. If any ice crystals remain, add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
- Reheating. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 4 to 5 minutes or microwave for about 2 minutes.
- Storage. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutritional Information
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