Incredibly Easy To Make Baked Chicken Quarters Are Perfect For Dinner! (2024)

Baked chicken quarters are an easy and tasty way to serve up a filling chicken dinner with very little prep time or effort on your part! Season and bake the chicken until done, then serve up with some great sides for a wonderful family meal! And now, you won't have to decide between thighs or drumsticks!

Easy Baked Chicken Leg Quarters

Chicken can get boring if it’s your go-to meal. Shake things up a little with this easy, mouth-wateringly delicious chicken!

When chicken is perfectly cooked, it practically falls apart. With my recipe, you’ll get juicy, tender meat every time, and you’ll love the combination of savory onion powder, sage, paprika, and pepper.

❤️ Why This Recipe Works!

• There’s little prep work! Just season your chicken and pop it in the oven for a quick weeknight meal that tastes like you spent all day on it!
• It’s family-friendly! The chicken is covered in basic but delicious seasonings that everyone will love.
• It’s versatile! Chicken tastes good with practically any veggie, rice, pasta, or potato side dish, so it's a great meal to pair with whatever's already in the pantry!

🥘 Baked Chicken Quarters Ingredients, Notes, & Substitutions

The simple seasoning mix is what makes this dish amazing! You don’t need sauces for this chicken to taste fabulous, but it’s worth pulling out the barbecue sauce if you opt for the smoked paprika.

• Chicken Quarters - 3 chicken leg quarters. One of the best pieces of chicken there is. The combined thigh and leg piece has all the tender, tasty dark meat!
• Salt & Pepper - 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. The base of all seasoning. They add flavor and make everything else taste amazing!
• Paprika - ½ teaspoon of paprika. If you like more of a smoky taste, try smoked paprika instead. You can also use a paprika substitute.
• Onion Powder - ¼ teaspoon of onion powder. Onion makes savory dishes even better! You can try an onion powder substitute, as well.
• Ground Sage - ¼ teaspoon of ground sage. This subtle herb adds a unique flavor that's perfect with poultry!

*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*

🔪 How To Make Baked Chicken Quarters

It won’t make your kitchen a mess, but be prepared to get your hands dirty! You will need a baking sheet, your measuring utensils, a small mixing bowl, and a meat thermometer to get started.

I typically plan on serving one chicken leg quarter per person (that way, everyone gets a thigh and drumstick)!

1. Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 400℉ (205℃/Gas Mark 6). Cover the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or use a roasting pan with a rack.
2. Prepare the chicken. Remove any unwanted fat or skin from 3 chicken quarters (or whatever cut you’ve chosen to use), and trim the tailpiece if desired. Rise and pat the chicken quarters dry with paper towels.
3. Mix the seasoning. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon (6 grams) of salt, ½ teaspoon (1 gram) of pepper, ½ teaspoon (1 gram) of paprika (or smoked paprika), ¼ teaspoon (0.5 grams) of onion powder, ¼ teaspoon (0.75 grams) of garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon (0.03 grams) of ground sage.
4. Season the chicken. Taking a hefty portion of your seasoning at a time, massage it into every part of your chicken pieces. It should evenly cover all of the surfaces. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet or roasting pan for baking.
5. Bake. Put the chicken on the center rack of your oven and bake at 400℉ (205℃/Gas Mark 6) for 45-55 minutes. The internal temperature of each piece should reach at least 165℉ (74℃), but I suggest 175℉ (79℃). Test this by using a digital meat thermometer in the thickest part of each chicken piece.
6. Serve. Take your baked chicken quarters out of the oven and serve immediately.

🥗 What To Serve With Baked Chicken Leg Quarters

Garnish your baked chicken quarters with a couple of pieces of fresh sage or chopped parsley. Serve with your favorite vegetable side dishes like garlic green beans or some quick pan-fried asparagus. For a tasty side of bread, try my garlic bread or cheesy rolls! Enjoy!

💭 Tips & Notes

• Try pulling the chicken and putting it on sandwiches or salads. It’s also great on top of almost any rice or pasta dish and makes a great rotel chicken spaghetti! Chicken noodle soup comes to mind for those cold winter days. You could even toss it into my tasty caldo de pollo, chicken pastina soup, or into my hearty green chile chicken stew.
• For the crispiest skin, dry the chicken thoroughly. Any remaining liquid creates steam, which will prevent a SUPER CRISPY end result.
• If you like extra crispy skin on your baked chicken, try broiling it for 4-6 minutes at the end of the cooking period. It will add some extra brown color and give you that crunch when you bite into this tasty bird.
• Change up the spices! Try a different spice blend to create an entirely new flavor profile. Incorporate the taste of France with Herbes de Provence, add some Cajun seasoning for robust flavor, or bring in a bit of India with my garam masala! You have lots of options to make this dish your own.

🥡 Storing & Reheating

If you have leftovers, store them in a plastic storage bag with the air removed or an airtight container. Your chicken will be good for 3-4 days when stored in the refrigerator.

Freezing Chicken Leg Quarters

Not ready to eat this dish again for a while? No problem! Wrap it up tightly in foil, put it in a freezer bag or airtight container, and drop it in the freezer for another 4 months! *Note that if you intend to freeze your leftover chicken, it should be frozen once fully cooled. Do not freeze after the chicken has been refrigerated for 1+ days.

Reheating Chicken Leg Quarters

The goal when reheating baked chicken is to heat it up without drying it out. There are a few ways you can do this. The first is in the oven. Leave your leftovers out at room temperature while preheating the oven to 350℉ (175℃).

Put several tablespoons of chicken stock or water in a shallow pan under the chicken and cover it tightly with tin foil. Cook until the baked chicken quarters reach your desired temperature. If you left the skin on and want to crisp it up a bit, put it under the broiler for 3-5 minutes.

If you pull your chicken off the bone, you can reheat it on the stove. Cover the bottom of a skillet with water or broth and heat it over medium heat until it simmers. Lower the heat and add the chicken. Stir until heated to your desired temperature.

As always, if reheating your leftovers from a frozen state, let them thaw in the fridge overnight before picking one of the reheating methods above.

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