How Long to Bake Chicken Quarters at the Right Temperatures

Baked chicken quarters make for easy, budget-friendly cooking. We'll tell you how to do it, plus share some of our favorite baked recipes.

Sure, chicken breasts get a lot of attention as people look for easy and delicious ways to eat healthier. The white meat parts of the chicken (the breast and wings) are considered more nutritious than dark meat (chicken legs and thighs or quarters). Still, you can't deny the deliciousness of a well-cooked chicken leg, and knowing how long to bake chicken quarters is the first step to making a delicious chicken dish. Chicken legs are also inexpensive, versatile, meaty, and moist. Many chicken lovers consider them the most flavorful part of the bird.

There are many different ways to cook chicken legs and thighs, but one of our favorites for flavor and ease is oven baking. This technique results in moist, juicy chicken with a crisp, flavorful outer crust that everyone in the family will love.

Related: How to Bake Chicken Breasts So They’re Always Juicy, Never Dry

What Are Chicken Leg Quarters?

A whole chicken leg is a thigh and a drumstick in one piece. Pictured above, an entire chicken leg is also known as a thigh-drumstick piece. When a thigh-drumstick part has a portion of the back attached, these cuts are chicken leg quarters.

Thigh-drumstick pieces and chicken leg quarters may be used interchangeably; however, because chicken pieces vary in size, be sure to cook whichever cut you use long enough to reach a safe internal temperature of 175°F. (Technically, chicken is safe to eat at 165°F, but our Test Kitchen found these dark meats have better texture and flavor cooked to 175°F.) Often, thigh-drumstick pieces are separated into two portions: the drumstick and the thigh. Sometimes, the separate drumstick portion is also referred to as a chicken leg.

How to Bake Chicken Legs

Many of our baked chicken recipes call for "meaty chicken pieces," including drumsticks, thighs, and breasts. That means our recipes that call for meaty chicken pieces can be used for baked chicken legs (drumsticks). Here's our basic method for 2? to 3 pounds of baked chicken legs or any combination of meaty chicken pieces.

1. Place chicken, bone sides down, in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan or shallow roasting pan.

2. Brush with vegetable oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. You can also sprinkle the pieces with crushed dried herbs, such as thyme, oregano, or herbes de Provence.

3. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until a meat thermometer ( Amazon) registers 175°F (170°F for bone-in white meat and 165°F for boneless white meat).

Tips

Test Kitchen Tip: You can skin chicken legs to reduce fat and calories. This can be slippery, so use a paper towel to grip the chicken leg. Pull the skin away from the meat, starting at the meaty end and pulling toward the knuckle. Have kitchen shears (Amazon) or a knife handy to snip off the skin where attached if needed.

Cooking Temperatures and Times for Baked Chicken Legs

Most of our baked chicken quarters recipes call for a temperature of 375°F (or 190°C), but you can adjust temperatures as long as you also adjust your cooking times. Adjusting cooking temperatures allows you to cook other dishes with different baking temperature requirements at the same time.

Here's a quick guide to recommended cooking times by temperature. If possible, you should always use a meat thermometer to check whether the chicken is cooked thoroughly. Chicken thighs and legs should have an internal temperature of 175°F when fully cooked.

• Oven temperature at 350°F: Bake chicken uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes

• Oven temperature at 375°F: Bake chicken uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes

• Oven temperature at 400°F: Bake chicken uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes

• Oven temperature at 425°F: Bake chicken uncovered for 25 to 35 minutes

• Oven temperature at 450°F: Bake chicken uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes

Get Our Oven-Barbecued Chicken Recipe

How to Bake Chicken Quarters

With just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of hands-on prep time, you can transform four chicken leg quarters or thigh-drumstick pieces into an irresistible oven-roasted chicken dish. Use these steps as a guide to how to prepare and how long to bake chicken quarters, and come up with your own chicken leg quarter recipes using seasonings you love.

1. Place your pieces of chicken skin side up in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan or shallow roasting pan (Amazon). Lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. If desired, prepare a simple rub (or use your favorite seasonings) by combining 1 small lemon, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1? tsp. crushed fennel seed, and ? tsp. crushed red pepper. Carefully slide your fingertips between the meat and skin of each chicken leg quarter or thigh-drumstick piece to loosen the skin from the meat. Spread the spice rub between the two layers and drizzle the rest on top of the chicken.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the chicken leg quarters or thigh-drumstick pieces uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175°F on your meat thermometer.

Alternatively, you can bake the chicken leg quarters or thigh-drumstick pieces in a 375°F oven. Increase the baking time to 45 to 50 minutes. Either way, because chicken pieces vary in size, be sure to check the chicken for doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thigh, avoiding the bone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are chicken breasts healthier than chicken thighs?

There isn't a significant health difference between the two. Dark meats do contain a bit more fat than their light meat counterparts, but chicken is still one of the healthiest proteins you can consume.

What's the best way to store leftover chicken?

Cooked chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If it will be used after that, freeze it for up to four months.

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