How to cook chicken legs in an oven

Baked in a hot oven, chicken leg quarters emerge with wonderfully crispy skin and juicy meat.

It's an easy hands-off recipe that practically bakes itself, and leftovers are good too, especially when eaten cold, picnic-style.

Chicken is tasty and affordable and my kids like it, which is always a good reason to make something (if you have kids you know it's true).

These wonderful oven-baked chicken leg quarters have crispy, delicious skin and juicy, succulent meat. Who says chicken can't be a delicacy? It all depends on how you cook it. Another good reason to make this recipe? The leftovers are great. I love eating them cold!

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Expert tip
• Frequently asked questions
• Variations
• Serving suggestions
• Storing leftovers
• Related recipes
• Recipe card

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty chicken recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

Olive oil spray: It's so delicious and my favorite oil to cook with. But if you'd rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead.

Chicken leg quarters: I use bone-in skin-on pieces (thigh and drumstick) in this recipe. I get them either at my local supermarket or at the butcher counter at Whole Foods.

Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you might want to reduce the amount you use or the dish could come out too salty.

Spices: I like to use garlic powder, paprika, and dried thyme. Please make sure they are fresh! Spices are delicious, but a stale spice can easily ruin a dish.

Instructions

This is such an easy recipe! The oven does all the work. The detailed instructions are included in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:

• Your first step is to arrange the chicken pieces in a rimmed baking dish large enough to fit them in a single layer. A 9 X 13-inch baking dish works, as does a large, rimmed baking sheet.
• Now, generously spray the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle it with spices.
• Bake the chicken until fully cooked. This should take 40-45 minutes in a 425°F oven, and you will probably need to loosely cover the chicken pieces with foil after the first 30 minutes to prevent the tops from burning.

Expert tip

The secret to making the chicken crispy? Don't bake it in a 350°F oven for an hour. Instead, bake it in a hot 425°F oven for 40-45 minutes. This will ensure beautifully crispy skin and juicy meat.

Do check the chicken after the first 30 minutes. If the skin (or the spices) seem to be browning too much, loosely cover the top with foil and continue baking until cooked through.

Frequently asked questions

Are chicken leg quarters the same as drumsticks?

Not exactly. They are both the thigh and the drumstick attached to each other. They are also called "whole chicken legs."

Should I remove the skin?

Absolutely not! I use every inch of its fatty deliciousness. Many chicken recipes will instruct you to trim any excess skin from the thigh part. Me? On the contrary. When I make this recipe, I leave every bit of delicious skin on.

In fact, if I have space on the pan, I spread any excess skin out on the pan, and then it comes out super crispy and so, so good. Kind of like freshly baked homemade pork rinds, but even better.

Should I bake the chicken covered or uncovered?

Start baking it uncovered. But after the first 30 minutes, check on it. At this point, it's probably a good idea to loosely cover the top with foil to prevent it from darkening too much.

Variations

I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you'd like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:

• Instead of spraying the chicken with oil, you can brush it with melted butter or ghee. It's really good!
• Try different spice combinations. Good options include smoked paprika, oregano, and ground cumin.
• You can brown the chicken, especially the tops, in an ovenproof skillet in some butter or oil, then transfer it to the oven. This method achieves extra-crispy skin. But I rarely bother, because simply oven-baking yields fabulous results and is so much easier.

Serving suggestions

Chicken leg quarters are very versatile and truly go with any side dish. I often serve them with any of the following sides:

• Roasted Brussels sprouts
• Loaded mashed cauliflower
• Roasted asparagus

Storing leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. I don't like to reheat them, though. Reheating dries the chicken out.

Leftover chicken is actually very tasty when eaten cold! I like to make myself a lunch plate with cold leftover chicken, quick pickles, fresh-cut veggies, and some homemade ranch.

But if you'd like to reheat the leftovers, I suggest you do so in the microwave on 50% power and cover them while you reheat them. 

• Honey Garlic Chicken

• Keto Chicken Nuggets

• Baked Drumsticks

• Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breast

👩🏻‍🍳 I typically publish a new or an updated recipe once a week. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe! You can unsubscribe at any time.

Recipe card

Cooked in a hot oven, these chicken leg quarters emerge with wonderfully crispy skin and juicy meat!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Resting time5 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 375kcal

• ▢ Olive oil spray
• ▢ 4 chicken leg quarters (drumstick and thigh)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried thyme

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a rimmed baking dish with olive oil. A 9 X 13-inch baking dish should work.

• Place the chicken legs in the prepared baking dish. Generously spray their tops with olive oil and sprinkle them with the seasonings.

• Bake the chicken, uncovered, until the skin is crisp and browned and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, 40-45 minutes. Check the chicken after the first 30 minutes. If the skin or the spices seem to be browning too much, loosely cover it with foil and continue baking. 

• Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Many chicken recipes will instruct you to trim any excess skin from the thigh part. Me? On the contrary. When I make this recipe, I leave every bit of delicious skin on.

In fact, if I have space on the pan, I spread any excess skin out on the pan, and then it comes out super crispy and so, so good. Kind of like freshly baked homemade pork rinds, but even better.

Most of our recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes.

Serving: 1chicken leg quarter | Calories: 375kcal | Protein: 30g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 412mg

I typically publish a new or updated recipe once a week. Want them in your inbox? Subscribe!

❤️ Let's connect! Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter.