Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters are perfectly seasoned with juicy meat and the crispy skin is sizzled to perfection in the Air Fryer. Chicken Leg Quarters are a filling protein option to serve up with any of your favorite vegetable side dishes for a super easy weeknight dinner.
Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters
Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters are the answer to your easy weeknight dinners! These juicy chicken leg quarters come out perfect in the air fryer every time and only need a short cook time.
Serve these up with Air Fryer Rosemary Potatoes, Homemade Onion Rings or this sweet Air Fryer Butternut Squash for a hearty meal.
Why You Need To Make Air Fryer Chicken Quarters
- Relatively inexpensive cuts of chicken.
- Dark meat holds the juices well when air frying and gives you deliciously tender, moist meat.
- You can double or triple this easy air fryer recipe to use for meal prep and different meals.
- Crispier skin than oven baking.
- A really easy recipe – pour spices in a bag, add chicken, shake and air fry!
If you haven’t figured it out, we love chicken dishes. Delicious meals and the easier the recipe, the better! Air Fryer Corn Flakes Chicken Tenders is always a hit, especially for the kids or picky eaters.
Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas is one of our favorite ways to bring out the Mexican flavors and make our taste buds throw a fiesta.
And for a great chicken dinner, you can’t go wrong with this quick and easy Air Fryer Almond Crusted Chicken or Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Soup. Plus, these Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs with the perfect seasoning!
What are Chicken Leg Quarters?
Chicken leg quarters are made up of the chicken thighs and drumstick. Both the drumstick and thighs are tender and juicy pieces of dark meat.
They’re generally less expensive than white meat options like chicken breast and chicken wings. We all know how popular chicken breast is for its lean meat, and ease of preparation. Wings are always the go-to side dish or appetizer and now you have the perfect Air Fryer Chicken Legs recipe.
How Long Do You Cook Chicken Quarters?
In this recipe, our cooking time is 16-20 minutes at 390 degrees (depends on the thickness of the chicken thigh).
Is this Recipe Keto Friendly?
Yes, this is a great recipe if you’re following the Keto diet. The pre-made seasoning has no carbs. The olive oil and cooking spray are also carb free!
If you’re looking for a healthy, Keto friendly recipe, these air fryer leg quarters are the perfect healthy meal.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
If you love easy air fryer recipes, add these to your dinner rotation:
Air Fryer Corn Flakes Chicken Tenders
Air Fryer Chicken Burgers (Ground Chicken)
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings (Crispy Yum!)
Homemade Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs
Air Fryer Panko Chicken Thighs
Kitchen Tools
- AIR FRYER: for chicken leg quarters, a Cosair Air Fryer is a great choice as it has a larger almost square basket.
- PASTRY BRUSH: to brush on olive oil.
- TONGS: To flip the chicken in the basket.
- GALLON SIZE ZIP LOC BAG: Add your seasonings and chicken into the bag to evenly coat.
- INSTANT READ MEAT THERMOMETER
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 Fry Chicken Leg Quarters
This air fryer chicken leg quarters recipe is easy. Here are the step-by-step directions to cook chicken leg quarters:
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.
Depending on the size of your basket you may need to work in batches. I used my smaller air fryer on this recipe, but I could have probably squeezed two chicken leg quarters in the air fryer basket.
Add as many pieces as you want, as long as there is room for the hot air to circulate around the chicken.
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 an instant read thermometer (here’s the one I use for everything!) to make sure it’s fully cooked. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
STEP 9: Remove from the air fryer and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving because it will be very hot.
Variations
- Change up your spices to your liking. I use a yummy chicken seasoning, but you can simply mix your own favorite spices such as garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, etc.. or use Italian seasoning.
- Add a chicken marinade, BBQ sauce or Teriyaki sauce. When adding a sauce or marinade, remove the chicken quarters the last 4-5 minutes of cook time. Then brush on sauce with a basting brush until coated and return to finish cooking. This is enough time to get a slightly charred sauce on top.
- Add an extra minute if you want super crispy skin.
How To Store Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters
Store your leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
How To Reheat Chicken Quarters
For nice juicy chicken again, preheat your Air Fryer to 360F for about 2 minutes. Then toss your chicken back in the basket. Make sure the chicken has space and you don’t overcrowd your quarters. Reheat them in the Air Fryer for 6-8 minutes or until they’re warmed up enough for you.
Can I Cook Frozen Chicken Leg Quarters in the Air Fryer?
Yes, you can use frozen chicken quarters.
It is better to start with thawed chicken, but if you forgot to get then out of the freezer here’s how to cook them from frozen:
Cook chicken leg quarters on 350 degrees F for 6-7 minutes. This will thaw your chicken out. Then add your olive oil and spices and follow the outlined steps to cook the chicken quarters.
Remember, your cook time may vary depending on the thickness of your chicken quarters.
Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters are so versatile, tender, juicy. and a quick satisfying meal. They’re a great way to cook your chicken legs and bring delicious flavor to dinner menu. Air Frying really is the best way to lock in the juices in the chicken and the flavor from the spices!
Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters
Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters are perfectly seasoned and then the crispy skin is sizzled to perfection in the Air Fryer. Chicken Leg Quarters are a filling protein option to serve up with any of your favorite vegetable side dishes for a super easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken leg quarters, rinsed and dried
- 1/3 cup Olive Oil
- 1 cup Kick’ n Chicken Seasoning (or favorite chicken seasoning)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons Pepper
- Non-stick Cooking Spray
Instructions
- Rinse chicken leg quarters and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Add all spices into a large Ziploc bag. Close the bag and shake the spices to mix well.
- Coat both sides of each chicken leg quarter with olive oil using a pastry brush.
- Place one 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.
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 390 degrees F (typically 1-2 minutes depending on your air fryer model)
- Add raw chicken leg quarters in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket. Spritz with cooking spray.
- Air fry for 8-10 minutes.
- Flip the chicken and air fry for 8-10 more minutes. Ues a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- Remove from the air fryer and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving because it will be very hot.
Notes
See post for recipe tips and air frying tips.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
Instant Read Meat Thermometer. Waterproof Ultra Fast Digital Thermometer with backlighting -
Weber Kick'n Chicken Seasoning 22 Oz. Made with Sea Salt - No MSG - Gluten Free -
Air Fryer Parchment Paper Liners（8.7"×8.7") 100Pcs -
Air Fryer Accessories - Air Fryer Rack Set of 2, Double Layer Rack with Skewer -
COSORI Pro II Air Fryer Oven Combo, 5.8QT Max Xl Large Cooker with 12 One-Touch Savable Custom Functions, Cookbook and Online Recipes, Nonstick and Dishwasher-Safe Detachable Square Basket,Black
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 530Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 328mgSodium: 590mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 62g
Nutritional values are estimates and not exact.
