air fryer chicken leg quarters
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Chicken
The chicken (Gallus domesticus) is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult male bird, and a younger male may be called a cockerel. A male that has been castrated is a capon. An adult female bird is called a hen and a sexually immature female is called a pullet.
Originally raised for cockfighting or for special ceremonies, chickens were not kept for food until the Hellenistic period (4th–2nd centuries BC). Humans now keep chickens primarily as a source of food (consuming both their meat and eggs) and as pets.
Ingredients
Get the full recipe and more info on these simple ingredients in the printable recipe card below.
CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS:
Make sure to rinse and dry them so they’re ready for their seasonings
OLIVE OIL:
Brush olive oil on the chicken to help your spices stick.
CHICKEN SEASONING:
I used Kick’n Chicken Seasoning which you can purchase this at Walmart, Kroger, Amazon, etc. This spice blend contains Onion powder, Salt, Garlic powder, Spices, Red Pepper, Orange Peel, Sugar, Red Bell Pepper, and Paprika.
SALT AND BLACK PEPPER:
Can’t forget these necessities with the along with the seasonings listed above.
NON-STICK COOKING SPRAY:
A quick spritz helps crisp up the skin when air frying.
How to Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters
This air fryer chicken leg quarters recipe is easy. Here are the step-by-step directions:
STEP 1:
Start by rinsing the chicken leg quarters and patting them dry with a paper towel.
STEP 2:
Then add all of the spices into a Ziploc bag. Close the bag and shake the spices to mix well.
STEP 3:
Coat both sides of each leg quarter with olive oil using a pastry brush.
STEP 4:
Place one of the chicken leg quarters into the bag of seasoning mix at a time. Close the bag and shake until the chicken is well coated in all of the spices. Continue to do this for each piece of chicken.
STEP 5:
Preheat the Air Fryer to 390 degrees F. Preheating time varies by Air Fryer model, so check your Owner’s Manual. Typically this takes 1-2 minutes. Add aluminum foil or parchment paper to basket for easier cleanup.
STEP 6:
Next, add raw chicken leg quarters in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket. Spritz with cooking spray
STEP 7:
Air Fry the chicken pieces for 8-10 minutes. Cook time will depend on the thickness of your chicken and your model of fryer.
STEP 8:
Using tongs, flip the chicken over and continue to air fry for another 8-10 minutes or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Check the thickest part of the thigh with a meat thermometer to make sure it’s fully cooked. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Are chicken leg quarters white or dark meat?
Chicken quarters are dark meat. They are made of the drumstick and the thigh, which are both dark. White meat typically comes from the breast and wings.
Because the chicken is dark meat, it’s going to be a lot more juicy and tender than white meat is. That is why these leg quarters turn out so amazing every time
Can you put aluminum foil in an air fryer?
Yes, you can but you need to be careful in doing so or it could affect how your food turns out. It’s important not to allow any foil to touch the heating element of the air fryer, which is usually located at the top. This can cause a fire.
When adding foil, add it to the bottom of the basket. It needs to fit the space well and not have any overhang. Adding food on top of the tin foil will prevent it from flying around inside of the air fryer as it’s cooking. You are going to love how easy it is to clean up.
What temperature is chicken leg quarters done at?
They need to reach 170 degrees internal temperature. For best results, use a digital thermometer and remove the meat from the air fryer.
When checking the temperature of the chicken, it’s vital that you don’t stick the thermometer against a bone. This will cause you to have a higher temperature reading than what the meat actually is.
Once the chicken reaches 160 degrees, you can add the sauce and continue to cook. Then let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. As it rests, the chicken temperature will continue to rise
How to bake chicken quarters
You only need a few ingredients and don’t really need to use the sauce if you don’t want to. BUT let me tell you that it does take these over the top when you do lather that on.
CAN YOU COOK FROZEN CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS IN THE AIR FRYER?
For this recipe I suggest starting with thawed chicken leg quarters that are brought to room temperature before transferring to the air fryer.
However, if you’d like to use frozen chicken leg quarters instead, you can with a few alterations.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH AIR FRYER CHICKEN LEGS
This chicken recipe is one of those easy dinners everyone will love. It’s got delicious flavor from the spice rub that’s not polarizing for any palate and pairs perfectly with just a squeeze of fresh lemon.
For sides, it’s best to continue along those lines and think simply.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
Firstly, your wallet will likely love these chicken leg quarters the most!
Once you start looking for them and paying attention, you’ll notice how much more affordable this practical cut of meat is compared to more popular chicken cuts like thighs, drumsticks and especially breasts.
Notes
*For skinless chicken leg quarters, use the exact same method. Nothing needs to be changed except put them in rounded-side-down (that’s the side that would have had the skin on it if it had skin)
BEST TIPS
Leave the skin on for best flavor.
Season and let it marinate for 30 minutes. If you’re short on time, leave it for 5 minutes, at the least.
Preheat Air fryer – or add extra cooking time.
Single layer – place the leg quarters in a single layer. Don’t stack. Fit in as many as possible in your Air fryer but make sure you leave some space around for the hot air to circulate completely.
Use a meat thermometer – I like to check the doneness of the meat using a instant-read meat thermometer. It’s cheap and you can get it in any store these days. This gives me accurate results and saves me a lot of hassle. I like to cook the chicken leg quarters a bit more than the normal temperature of 165℉, until 170℉
NUTRITION
Calories: 332kcalTotal Carbs: 4gProtein: 24gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 695mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 332IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 2mgNet Carbs: 3g
STORAGE AND REHEATING
Store any left-over chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and use within 3 days.
You can reheat the chicken in the air fryer – air fry for 3-5 minutes until 165°F/ 74°C in the center of the thickest part.
AIR FRYER CHICKEN QUARTERS
INGREDIENTS
- 2 chicken leg quarters (approx. 1½lb/ 700g)
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat air fryer to 390°F (195°C).
- Pat chicken quarters dry. Rub with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Place chicken quarters in the air fryer skin side down. Ensure they are not touching.
- Air fry chicken quarters for 20-25 minutes. Flip the chicken over halfway through the cooking time if required for your air fryer [Note 1].
- Check that the chicken is cooked using an instant-read thermometer – the internal temperature should be 165°F/ 75°C Air fry for additional 3-4 minute intervals if required until this temperature is reached.
- Remove chicken from the air fryer, cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
NUTRITION INFORMATION:
YIELD:
2
SERVING SIZE:
1
Amount Per Serving: CALORIES: 505TOTAL FAT: 27gSATURATED FAT: 7gTRANS FAT: 0gUNSATURATED FAT: 17gCHOLESTEROL: 328mgSODIUM: 401mgCARBOHYDRATES: 0gFIBER: 0gSUGAR: 0gPROTEIN: 62g
Use A Digital Thermometer
The best way to determine if the chicken leg quarters can come out of the air fryer is by using a digital food thermometer. I honestly don’t know how I ever lived without one.
Simply place the probe in the thickest part of the thigh, being sure to stay away from the bone.
I prefer to use a long probe digital thermometer where I can leave it in the meat and close the air fryer. Once it it is cooked to my desired internal temperature, it will beep, letting me know that the chicken is done
Then carefully remove the chicken to a plate and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This resting time will allow the juices to reabsorb into the meat fibers, resulting in nice and juicy chicken leg quarters!
Thank you for staying with this post “air fryer chicken leg quarters” until the end.
