This baked chicken leg quarters recipe gives chicken skin that is so crispy and crunchy it shatters with every delicious bite. The juicy meat paired with the crispy chicken skin is a match made in heaven.
You can regularly find a 10 pound bag of chicken leg quarters at the grocery store for less than one dollar per pound. That means you are getting 16 delicious dark meat chicken pieces at an amazing price!
This chicken leg recipe paired with a side dish like Keto Coleslaw, Cauliflower "Potato" Salad, or air fryer Brussels sprouts makes for a family friendly and budget-friendly dinner.
How to get the crispiest chicken skin
Chicken legs, chicken thighs, and chicken wings are the dark meat of a whole chicken. These chicken pieces benefit from reaching a higher temperature during the cooking process, unlike a chicken breast which tends to dry out.
Extra time in the oven gives the perfect opportunity for the chicken skin to get extra crispy. But that's not the only strategy.
The easiest way to get the tastiest chicken recipes, in my opinion and according to Americas Test Kitchen, is to dry brine the chicken. This involves seasoning the chicken with salt on both sides and letting them hangout in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours, uncovered.
After that, you can season the chicken with your favorite simple seasonings and bake them in the hot oven until a meat thermometer reads 185F.
There are so many different ways to season chicken. You can use your favorite seasoning mix, a dry rub, Italian seasoning, lemon pepper, or kick them p a notch with some cayenne pepper.
Recipe Card
Crispy Baked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken leg quarters trimmed of excess fat
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- pepper to taste
Method
- For the crispiest chicken skin, place your chicken leg quarters on the half sheet pan fitted with a wire rack, skin side up and in a single layer. Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for less cleanup. Season both sides with salt. Place in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 12 hours. This will draw moisture from the skin and let it dry out.
- Preheat the oven to 400F and make sure the oven rack is in the middle of the oven. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and pat dry any remaining excess moisture from the chicken with paper towels. Combine the other seasonings in a small bowl and season both sides of the chicken leg quarters with the spice mix.
- Place the chicken in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of your chicken quarters. Use an instant-read thermometer inserted halfway through the join between the chicken leg and chicken thigh. Cook the chicken until the internal temperature is 185F. This is higher than the safe internal temperature, but dark meat chicken is actually more tender when brought to a higher temperature.
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