Air fryer roasted chicken leg quarters that are seasoned and cooked to absolute perfection. No breading required. Ready in under 30 minutes.
Tasty and Inexpensive
Chicken leg quarters are my favorite part of the chicken. This combination of thighs and drumsticks are the tastiest and juiciest parts of the chicken. They’re also usually the most affordable cuts. Chicken breasts get a lot of attention for being white meat, and chicken wings get all the spicy party platter attention. Chicken quarters also are one less cut the butcher needs to make. It’s not uncommon to find a package of 4 chicken quarters for just a few dollars.
Crispy and Roasted to Perfection
Air fryers do so much more than just substitute the oil frying method. They are like little convection ovens that move hot air rapidly around the food being cooked. This is perfect for chicken! We get nice and crispy skin, and the meat is so unbelievably tender and juicy. You won’t believe it.
Easy Seasonings
We’ll season our roast chicken quarters with just a few simple seasonings which you probably already have in the pantry.
- Salt and pepper
- Paprika
- Onion powder and garlic powder
- Ground mustard
This simple seasoning mix will give the chicken that savory taste you know and love.
Easy Prep
I love being able to whip up a quick dinner and that’s why I love this recipe so much. We pat dry the chicken quarters and place them in a large zip-top bag with just a bit of olive oil. Then we add our seasoning mix and shake it up to get the chicken all nice and coated. You can even do this ahead of time and let the chicken marinade in the seasoning.
Air Fry at 380° for 20-25 Minutes
Cooking the chicken quarters is super simple. Spray a little non-stick cooking spray in your air fryer basket or tray (middle position for tray style air fryers), place the chicken in and set to air fryer at 380°(F) for 20-25 minutes, or an internal temperature of 165°F – 185°F, flipping hallway through cooking time.
Cook to internal temp of 165°F – 185°F
One of the great things about dark chicken meat is that you can overcook it. And actually, it’s a good thing to overcook it a bit! You see, when the internal temps start reaching about 180°F, there’s additional collagen breakdown, making the chicken even more juicy and tender.
Be sure to start with the skin side down, then flip so the skin is up for the final half of the cooking process. That will make the skin nice and golden crispy.
Let rest and serve
When the chicken is done, remove it from the air fryer and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. When you let chicken rest after cooking, it allows the juices to settle back throughout the meat. Cutting into it too soon causes those juices to run out, making the chicken drier. So, resting it ensures each bite is juicier.
Storage and Reheating
To store cooked air fryer chicken quarters, let them cool and then place in air-tight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat, place in the air fryer at 350°F for about 10 minutes or until heated to 165°F internal temperature.
Frequently asked questions
It can, as long as everything fits comfortably in your air fryer. We do not want to stack the chicken and we also want some space between each piece.
Patting the chicken dry with paper towels is essential for getting crispy skin. Make sure to do so prior to adding the oil and spices. Also, larger oven-style air fryers can take a little longer to cook. Make sure to always check the internal temp of the meat for best results.
Not at all. But, if you want a little zing, you can add about ¼tsp cayenne for a touch of heat.
You might also like…
We have several other great air fryer chicken recipes you’ll love!
Best Damn Air Fryer Chicken Wings: Perfect for parties, watching the game, or anytime you want some unbelievably tasty chicken wings!
Best Damn Air Fryer Chicken Legs: With signature dry rub, these chicken legs are so juicy, tender, and loaded with BBQ flavor.
Best Damn Air Fryer Whole Chicken: Wait… really? We can do a whole chicken in an air fryer? You bet we can! And it’s way better than store-bought rotisserie chickens. You gotta try this one!
PrintRecipe
Best Damn Air Fryer Chicken Quarters
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
Description
Air fryer roasted chicken leg quarters that are seasoned and cooked to absolute perfection. No breading required. Ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken leg quarters, bone-in, skin-on.
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Add dry ingredients to a large ziptop bag or a large bowl
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels (important!) and trim any excess skin or fat. Add chicken to the bag or bowl with 1 teaspoon of oil and shake or mix well until the chicken is well coated with all the seasoning.
- Preheat air fryer to 380°(F) for 5 minutes.
- Place chicken in air fryer, skin side down, and set to air fry setting at 380°(F) for 20-25 minutes or internal temp of 165°F-185°F. Flip halfway through cooking time.
- When done, carefully remove chicken to a plate and let rest for 2-3 minutes before enjoying.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Air fryer
- Cuisine: American
JAC says
Excellent. 25 minutes is perfect for smaller quarters. Will need a little more time for larger ones. Try and put similar-sized quarters in at the same time so they both come out perfect.
Kathy Scott says
Hi
I’d like to wish you happy holidays.
I continue to enjoy your recipes.
I like the chicken quarters. The idea to dry the meat, put some oil in a bag, shake it and then add the rub works well for me.
My list of Air Fryer recipes are mostly from you.
Thanks again,
Kathy Scott, St. Thomas, Ontario
RecipeTeacher says
Thanks so much, Kathy! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes. Have a wonderful holiday to you and your family as well!
Dave says
1tsp of liquid with all those spices?? I’d like the seasoning spread over more than three inches of the first leg in the bag. I had to rinse these off and do my own thing to salvage.
Laryssa says
How long would you say for a 1lb chicken quarter?
RecipeTeacher says
It will probably be a few minutes more. Be sure to check the internal temp with an instant read food thermometer. You want it to be 165°(F).
Lucia says
Perfect recipe! We used the instant pot’s air fryer and the skin came out crispy and meat super tender. We found that it’s best to lay out upright rather than flat down… it cooks more evenly.
Mary Ann Evans says
I have now made this recipe twice, cooking for the time indicated and both times I’ve had to cook for an additional 20 minutes. I’m thinking you might want to change the cooking times.
Rich K says
might be your air fryer, cooked this in 24 minutes in my ninja , My son is somewhat of a foodie and said he thinks this might be the best chicken he has ever had
Steve M. says
First time cooking with an air fryer. Using a Gourmia GAF652. Yes, needed about 20 minutes longer. I suppose it all depends on which fryer you are using.
Carolyn Fuccy says
We had this for dinner tonight. It was so moist, crispy and delicious! I don’t like mustard so I just omitted it and added more garlic. I’m so glad I found your recipe, thank you!
PasadenaR says
This really is the best damn chicken recipe ever. I didn’t have any ground musterd, so I just added a squirt of yellow musterd and these still came out great.
Meeralee says
OMG best ever chicken recipe outstanding, I do not eat the skin. however, you could hear the crispness when separating the skin from the meat.
The chicken was so moist and the flavor leaving you desiring more, did not change a thing in the preparation and spices.
This is now my go to chicken recipe!
Denise says
I made these exactly as the recipe stated…just added a bit more garlic powder and a sweet heat seasoning that I love.
They came out perfect, moist and delicious. I will making this recipe again for sure.. Thanks so much
RecipeTeacher says
Awesome! Thank you Denise!
Dotti says
Can I use this recipe with chicken thighs?