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
Sheila says
The chicken was succulent. You wouldn’t think a teaspoon of the oil was enough to make a substantial paste, but it was. You have to work it into all sides of the chicken. I used smaller leg quarters. thanks for the advice Yvonne on cooking larger leg quarters.
Cheryl S says
I love this recipe! I’ve used it many times. Thank you!
Pamela says
Too high of a temperature to ensure chicken cooks through before skin burns. Next time I will try cooking lower and longer then turn it up to crisp skin. Seasoning mix is typically and good.
Lavender Wate says
This was the first time I cooked leg quarters in the air fryer, but they were really good and I love don’t having to use my oven when it starts to get warm. I just received my 2nd air fryer and this one is very bigger than my 1st one. It’s 26 quarts. I cooked the chicken on the top rack and followed your temp and timing. It turned out very crispy and moist. Thank you.
Yvonne says
I haven’t used the seasoning blend in this recipe but it looks spot on! I did go by the cooking method and time for smaller quarters though and it’s on point. When I cooked larger quarters, I turned the temp down to 370 and air fried them ten minutes longer. Perfect!
Bruce says
Fantastic complete with complement from the most difficult to please . Definitely a winner ????
Cheryl says
I love the seasoning but I was using my air fryer mode on oven and at 380 it took a lot longer to cook. The legs were done but thighs weren’t.
Rick says
Definitely gonna try this!!
Bruce says
Chicken quarters were the very best . Also doubled the recipe and added 1 TSP chili powder instead of paprika. Could not have figured this one out on my one . Thanks guys ☺️
Amber says
Love that the recipe is written for 2 servings.
David Tollefson says
I’m anxious to try this recipe. One thing I do have to say however is that I would advise to NOT use aerosol non-stick spray on air fryers. The propellants damage the coatings of the baskets/trays. https://www.thekitchn.com/air-fryer-cooking-spray-never-use-23273524
Bruce says
So that’s what done it ! Thanks David