Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe

When it comes to cooking Chicken Leg Quarters it doesn’t get much better (or easier) than making them in your Air Fryer. The skin turns out nice and crispy and the meat is fall apart tender and juicy.

Best of all, it will only take you 5 minutes to get the leg quarters in the air fryer. Rub some oil on the skin and season it with a simple and easy to make, 5 ingredient dry rub.

Then put the chicken in the basket and let it cook until the meat can literally fall off the bone. You can use the chicken as your main dish, or pull the meat off the bone and use it in salads, sandwiches, wraps and more!

Although I love to make frozen chicken leg quarters in my Instant Pot, I prefer to use completely thawed or fresh leg quarters when making them in the air fryer.

You just can’t beat the crispy skin and moist meat that the air fryer produces. And with that simple dry rub that goes on the skin, the flavor is outstanding!

I have tested this recipe in both my Ninja Foodi Air Crisper and Power 360 air fryer oven. They both produce great results.

The only difference is that the Ninja Foodi cooks at a faster rate than my larger counter top, air fryer oven. However, I find this true with all of my Air Fryer Recipes.

How To Season Chicken Leg Quarters

As mentioned above, a simple 5 ingredient homemade seasoning will make the chicken quarters taste delicious. Even if you don’t prefer to eat the skin, still rub the surface of the chicken with the rub as the flavors will still penetrate the meat.

Although you could use your favorite store-bought, all-purpose chicken seasoning, there is a simple way to make your own seasoning with these ingredients:

Smoked Paprika – Just like when making my seasoning for Air Fryer Salmon, one of my main ingredients is smoked paprika. So what is the difference between standard paprika and smoked paprika?

Regular paprika contains dried and ground chili peppers. Smoked paprika is made from smoke-dried chili peppers that were dried over an oak fire before being ground into a powder.

Although you could use any variety of paprika in a dry rub, I highly suggest using smoked paprika. This is especially true if you prefer the taste of outdoor grilled foods. (Affiliate Link: Smoked Paprika)

Onion Powder – Onion powder adds a flavor that is milder than fresh onions. The taste is both sweet and mellow, but with a hint of a concentrated warm taste.

Garlic Powder – Although I prefer fresh garlic in most of my recipes, when it comes to dry rub seasonings it is best to use garlic powder. The taste of garlic powder is similar to fresh garlic, but it is milder, yet more concentrated. The powder will not burn like fresh garlic when put under high heat.

Salt & Pepper:

Kosher Salt – No good dry rub would be complete without salt (and pepper). So how do you know which variety of salt to use?

As a general rule of thumb Kosher salt is used to season ingredients during the cooking process. Sea salt is often used as a finishing ingredient, like adding it to a dish just before serving or sprinkling on desserts such as Salted Caramel Cookies.

Fresh Ground Black Pepper – Whenever possible use fresh ground black pepper. It will give you the most flavor and it will also help to crisp up the skin.

How To Know When Chicken Leg Quarters Are Done

The biggest obstacle when cooking any type of meat in the air fryer, including chicken leg quarters, is to know when the meat is done.

Per USDA guidelines, chicken is safe to eat once the thickest section reaches 165°F. The only true way to know when this occurs is with an instant read digital food thermometer.

However, if you want the meat to literally fall off the bone with a slight tug of your fork then you will need to let it cook longer. I prefer to cook dark chicken meat, such as the thighs and legs, until they reach 180°F.

The fat in the meat will keep it nice and juicy and when it reaches this temperature the meat easily separates away from the bone.

How To Make Chicken Leg Quarters In An Air Fryer

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken leg quarters, bone-in, skin-on.
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

The first step in making Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters is to mix and add the seasoning to the surface of the chicken.

Do this by adding the smoked paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder to a large, resealable plastic bag or a large bowl. Then set the seasoning blend aside and prepare the chicken.

Remove the chicken from the packaging and pat it dry using paper towels. Be sure to dry both sides well.

Then using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, trim off any excess skin or fat from each piece. Once the chicken is ready, place it in the bag or bowl.

Add 1 teaspoon of oil and shake, massage or mix until the chicken is well coated in the seasoning. Set aside until you are ready to air fry the leg quarters.

Preheat Your Air Fryer

Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes. Even if you don’t typically preheat your air fryer oven, do so for this recipe. You want the inside of the air fryer nice and hot when the chicken goes inside.

Place chicken in or on the basket, skin side down. Then set the cook time on the air fryer for 20 minutes.

Once the initial cook time is up, flip and cook for an additional 10-20 minutes.

Although the chicken leg quarters can safely be consumed when it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F, I prefer to cook them until they reach 180°F so that the meat is more tender.

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 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!

Enjoy! Mary

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Other Delicious Air Fryer Chicken Recipes

• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breasts
• Chicken Mini Sandwiches
• Chicken Tenders
• Homemade Chicken Nuggets
• Chicken Kabobs
• Chicken Parmesan
• Wings – From Fresh or Frozen
• Chicken Cordon Bleu
• Chimichangas