Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters
Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters(or Marylands) are a great option for an easy and delicious weekday dinner! Perfectly roasted chicken leg quarters with a crispy skin, juicy and tender meat is ready in less than 30 minutes. They’re so flavorful you’ll love making it this way!
Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters
Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters are one of my favorite cheap and healthy dinners to make! They go on sale pretty often at my local grocery store, so I always grab a few packs and keep them in the fridge or freezer. They’re fast to prep, cook up nicely in the air fryer, and make the perfect weeknight dinner.
Chicken leg quarters or chicken marylands are the part of the chicken where the drumstick and thigh are still attached. Since this cut has dark meat and is cooked on the bone, it stays moist and juicy, even if you overcook it a little (which makes it pretty forgiving!).
What makes this recipe a go-to? It’s quick, budget-friendly, and you get the best of both worlds-crispy skin on the outside, juicy meat on the inside. No breading needed, so it’s naturally low-carb and keto-friendly too.
If you can’t decide between chicken legs or thighs, go for chicken quarters! They’re a super affordable cut. And if you’ve got just legs or thighs on hand, try my Air Fryer Chicken Legs Or Air Fryer Chicken Thighs .
Want more air fryer meal ideas? Don’t miss my full Air Fryer Recipe collection.
Ingredients
- Chicken leg quarters
- Cooking spray or oil
- Spices: Garlic powder, Onion powder, Oregano, Salt, Ground black pepper
- Cayenne pepper – Adds a bit of heat. If you prefer it mild, swap with smoked paprika.
- Turmeric powder (optional) – I love adding a bit for that golden color, but you can leave it out.
- Lemon juice – This isn’t just for flavor, it helps turn the dry spices into a paste that sticks to the chicken. Dry rubs alone tend to blow around and burn in the air fryer. Not a fan of lemon with chicken? You can use mayonnaise or olive oil as a substitute.
How To Cook Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters
Scroll below for the printable recipe card and ingredient measurements.
Pat chicken dry using a paper towel. Spray the chicken lightly with olive oil.
In a small bowl, mix together garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt, black pepper, turmeric powder and lemon juice. You can use mayonnaise or olive oil instead of lemon juice.
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Rub the chicken leg quarters all over with the seasoning paste, making sure every bit is coated. You can let it sit for 5 minutes if you’re short on time, but if you’ve got a bit more wiggle room, marinate it for 30 minutes to one hour for extra flavor.
Preheat Air fryer to 380℉. Place chicken in the Air Fryer, skin side down.
Air fry for 15 minutes, then turn the chicken over and air fry for another 5 minutes until golden and crispy. Check doneness with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be slightly higher than 165℉. I normally cook for about 168℉ – 170℉.
Transfer the chicken to a plate. Let it rest for a while before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Preheat your Air Fryer – This helps get that crispy skin right from the start. If you skip preheating, just add a couple of extra minutes to the cooking time.
- Use a meat thermometer – An instant-read thermometer is a total game-changer. It’s affordable and easy to find, and it takes the guesswork out of cooking meat. I like to cook chicken leg quarters to about 170°F (a bit higher than the standard 165°F) for juicier, more flavorful results.
How To Serve
- Serve these tasty Air fryer Chicken leg quarters alongside Perfect Fluffy Basmathi Rice.
- If you’re low carb or Keto with some Keto Cauliflower Rice.
- These will be great with some Air Fryer Crispy Roast Potatoes or Air Fryer Baby Potatoes or Fluffy Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
- Serve with a salad for a light and refreshing meal.
Frozen Chicken Leg Quarters in the Air Fryer
Yes, you can cook chicken leg quarters straight from frozen!
- Rub the frozen chicken with the spice mix (it’ll stick better once the surface thaws a bit).
- Place the chicken in a preheated Air Fryer at 400℉.
- Cook for 15 minutes, then flip and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165℉ to 170℉.
Depending on the size of your chicken quarters, you may need to add a few more minutes, just keep an eye on the temperature for perfectly cooked, juicy meat.
Do I Need To Remove the Skin From the Chicken?
I don’t recommend removing the skin as it helps lock in moisture and keeps the chicken juicy and flavorful. Plus, the skin crisps up nicely in the air fryer!
But if you prefer skinless chicken, go ahead and remove the skin before air frying. Just add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the seasoning mix so it sticks well to the meat.
Tip: Don’t peel off the skin after cooking, you’ll lose all that delicious flavor and seasoning that’s stuck to it!
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes You’ll Enjoy:
- Air Fryer Chicken Legs
- Best Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs
- Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings
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Recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 chicken leg quarters skin on
- olive oil cooking spray
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
- In a large bowl, spray the chicken lightly with cooking spray.
- Add salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric powder and lemon juice and mix.
- Rub the chicken on all sides with spice mix.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380F. Place the chicken skin side down on the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 15 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes until golden brown. Check for doneness using an instant-read thermometer. The internal temperature should be between 165°F -170°F on the thickest part.
- Transfer to a plate. Let it rest for a while before slicing.
Notes
- Store – leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
- Reheat – in the Air fryer at 350F for 5 minutes or until warm.
- To cook frozen chicken leg quarters –
- rub the chicken on all sides with the spice mix.
- preheat the air fryer to 400F. Air fry the chicken for 15 minutes. Flip them over and cook for another 15 minutes or until the internal temperature is between 165F – 170F.
- Seasoning ideas – check the post above for seasoning ideas.
Loved the easy recipe-the taste was phenomenal
Thanks Rosa!