These crispy, juicy Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters are ready in 30 minutes and need only a few common pantry ingredients. They are the perfect weeknight dinner! Keto-friendly and low carb, these chicken quarters are seasoned perfectly and they cook quickly in the air fryer.
Chicken quarters are also super budget-friendly, so you can feed your whole family a hearty chicken dinner without breaking the bank. This recipe couldn’t be any easier or tastier!
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👩🏻🍳 Why You'll Love This Recipe
When you need a quick and healthy dinner that's still satisfying and packed with flavor, these Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters are your new go-to.
With only a handful of ingredients, this versatile chicken dish is easily customizable to your own tastes and is incredibly inexpensive to make.
Much like this Chicken Tray Bake with Potatoes, you'll love how easy this dish is. Making chicken quarters in the air fryer only takes 30 minutes and yields delicious results every time! Pair with Air Fryer Corn Ribs for a delicious meal!
And for another exciting chicken dinner, make these Easy Skillet Chicken Fajitas!
Looking to grill your chicken? Check out this recipe for grilled chicken legs!
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- garlic powder - one of the ingredients in the spice blend that adds lots of flavor.
- sea salt & black pepper
- paprika - gives your chicken some color and a nice warm twist to the spice blend.
- chicken leg quarters - a hearty cut of chicken that's great for a filling and healthy meal.
- olive oil - helps your chicken get crispy in the air fryer.
🔪 Instructions
- Combine garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper, and paprika.
- Season one side of the chicken leg quarters with half of the spice blend.
- Drizzle half the olive oil and rub over the chicken to distribute the mixture.
- Turn over the chicken quarters and use the other half of the spices.
- Use the rest of the olive oil to distribute spices evenly.
- Air fry for about 13 minutes at 400 degrees F, then flip and cook another 12 minutes.
👪 FAQs
Yes! As long as you cook it properly, raw chicken is completely safe to cook in your air fryer.
A chicken leg quarter is made up of the chicken's thigh, drumstick, and part of the back. It's called a quarter because it makes up about a quarter of a chicken.
One of the biggest reasons is how easy it is to separate a chicken quarter from the rest of the bird. A butcher can procure this cut with just 3 motions in about 30 seconds, which makes it a speedy process!
The easiest way to tell is to check with a meat thermometer and ensure that the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F.
💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
- You may not be able to cook all of your chicken quarters at the same time based on the size of your air fryer, so place the ones you've already cooked in the oven at 200 degrees F in order to keep them warm.
- Use a digital meat thermometer to check on the chicken's internal temperature. Avoid testing near any bone for most accurate results!
- Give your chicken some time to rest after seasoning to allow the flavors to blend and really seep into the meat.
The easiest way to make chicken quarters in the air fryer, you likely have most of the necessary ingredients in your kitchen already. Makes for a simple but fulfilling weeknight meal!
📖 Substitutions and Variations
- Experiment with other seasonings like Greek, Italian, or Mexican blends to fully customize the flavor of these air fryer chicken leg quarters!
- Ground mustard, cayenne pepper, and chili powder are all great additions to this spice blend.
- Garnish with chopped parsley or basil.
- Try using something like barbecue sauce instead of (or in addition to) the spice blend.
🥫 Storage and Reheating
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. You can also keep your leftover chicken quarters in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating in the microwave or in the air fryer at around 350 degrees F for 5-6 minutes is a great way to get your chicken back up to temperature. You may need to let it defrost in the fridge for a bit if reheating from frozen.
💡 What To Serve With This Dish
These air fryer chicken leg quarters are great to serve with all of your favorite side dishes; they pair perfectly with just about anything!
Here are a few of my favorites to serve with air fried chicken: Caprese Stuffed Baked Portobello Mushrooms, Chipotle Lime Edamame Salad, Kale Caesar Salad, and Air Fryer Frozen Vegetables.
🍗 More Chicken Recipes You'll Love
- Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken - A sweet and savory crockpot meal that yields tender chicken with a little kick!
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings - This air fryer chicken recipe is great for appetizers or for a quick and tasty meal.
- Instant Pot Chicken Mac and Cheese - Ultimate comfort food!
- Southern Chicken Spaghetti - Another creamy and cheesy chicken and pasta dish from Stay Snatched.
Or check out this Sticky Chicken on a Stick for a tangy Asian spin on chicken kabobs!
Air Fryer Chicken Quarters
Love this recipe? Awesome! Please give it a 5 star ⭐ rating below! And if you make this, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. You can find me at DizzyBusyandHungry or #dizzybusyandhungry!
📋 Recipe Card
Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients (or the first 5 if you are using the cayenne pepper).1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons paprika, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Season the chicken quarters on one side with about half the spice mixture.4 chicken leg quarters
- Drizzle about half of the olive oil and rub it in to evenly distribute the oil and spices.2 teaspoons olive oil
- Flip the quarters over and cover with the rest of the seasoning and the olive oil.
- Carefully place the chicken skin side up on the preheated air fryer tray. (You may need to cook the quarters in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.)
- Cook for about 13 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 12 minutes or until the chicken is done. (Chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.)
- Garnish with chopped parsley (if desired) and serve.
Notes
- You can experiment with different seasonings - try classic Greek, Mexican, or Italian seasoning combos to change things up!
- If you need to cook in batches due to the size of your air fryer, you can keep the cooked pieces warm in the oven set to 200 degrees F.
- When testing the internal temperature of the chicken, it's best to use a digital thermometer. Insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the meant and be sure to avoid testing near the bone.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheat leftover in the microwave or the air fryer. Or use it for chicken salad, soup, or tacos.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
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Happy cooking!
Ann says
Oh these sound delicious! Love that you can make these in the air fryer! Always my go to on busy weekday nights!
Veronika says
The chicken was crispy on the outside but still juicy on the inside. We ended up serving it with our favorite mashed potatoes and really enjoyed it!
Kristin King says
Fabulous! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Savita says
These chicken quarters are amazing, so juicy and delicious. Get ready in such an easy way.
Tavo says
super easy to make! Made these for dinner tonight and the chicken came out delicious!
Anita says
Such a quick and simple way to prepare chicken legs, and they taste delicious.
Gwynn says
I love that this recipe uses basic kitchen ingredients that I have on hand and I love cooking in my air fryer. This recipe is a win-win for me!
Tara says
Such a wonderful weeknight meal! I love how easily the chicken comes together in the air fryer.
MJ says
These were so good and easy to make on a busy weeknight! Another great air fryer chicken recipe!