If you have an air fryer and a pack of chicken leg quarters, you’re about to make one of the best dinners ever. Seriously, the skin comes out so crispy and the meat stays juicy and tender.
These air fryer crispy chicken leg quarters are super simple to make. Just a quick dry rub, some olive oil, and about 30 minutes in the air fryer.
Chicken leg quarters are one of the most affordable cuts you can buy, and they have so much flavor compared to chicken breast. They’re perfect for the air fryer.
The seasoning mix here is straightforward – smoked paprika, garlic powder, and a few herbs. Nothing fancy, but it makes the chicken taste incredible.
I’ll walk you through everything step by step so you get perfectly crispy skin every single time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The Skin Gets Insanely Crispy – The two-temperature method gives you shatteringly crispy chicken skin that rivals deep frying without all the oil.
Juicy Dark Meat That Never Dries Out – Leg quarters are way more forgiving than chicken breasts so you get tender juicy meat every single time.
Chicken Leg Quarters Are Super Affordable – Leg quarters are one of the cheapest cuts you can buy so this feeds a family for just a few dollars.
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Leg Quarters (about 3 lb total)
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1.5 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
How To Make
Step 1
Pat the chicken leg quarters very dry with paper towels on all sides, paying extra attention to the skin. Dry skin is the secret to a crispy result.
Step 2
In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken quarters and rub it in, then coat each piece generously with the seasoning mixture.
Step 3
Preheat the air fryer to 380°F for 3 minutes.
Step 4
Place the chicken leg quarters in the air fryer basket, skin side down. Depending on your air fryer size, you may need to cook 2 at a time for best results.
Step 5
Air fry at 380°F for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken so it is skin side up, then increase the temperature to 400°F and continue cooking for 12 to 15 minutes more until the skin is deeply golden and crispy and the internal temperature reads 165°F at the thickest part.
Step 6
Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. The resting time helps the juices redistribute so every bite is moist and tender.
Tips
Really Dry the Skin Well
Patting the chicken dry isn’t just a quick dab with a paper towel. You want to press firmly on every part of the skin, especially the areas where the skin folds over itself near the joint.
If you have the time, let the seasoned chicken sit uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour before air frying. This dries out the surface of the skin even more and makes a noticeable difference in how crispy it gets.
Moisture is the enemy of crispy skin in an air fryer. The drier the surface going in, the better the result coming out.
Don’t Crowd the Basket
Chicken leg quarters are big pieces of meat, and if you try to squeeze all four into the basket at once, the air can’t circulate around them properly. You’ll end up with soggy spots where the pieces were touching.
Cook them in batches of two if your air fryer basket is smaller than 6 quarts. Leave at least an inch of space between each piece so the hot air can hit the skin from all sides.
The second batch will cook a bit faster since the air fryer is already fully heated, so start checking a couple of minutes early.
Start Skin Side Down for a Reason
Starting with the skin side down lets the fat between the skin and meat begin to render out slowly at the lower 380°F temperature. This is what sets you up for that crispy finish later.
When you flip to skin side up for the second half, that rendered fat combined with the higher 400°F heat is what gives you that deep golden, crackly skin. Skipping the skin-down step and going skin-up the whole time won’t give you the same result.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Crispy Parmesan Chicken Drumsticks
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken Thighs
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fit all 4 chicken leg quarters in the air fryer at once?
It depends on the size of your air fryer. If you have a larger model (5.8 quarts or bigger), you can usually fit all 4, but you need to make sure they aren’t overlapping or the skin won’t crisp up properly.
For smaller air fryers, cook them in two batches of 2 for the best results. Crowding the basket blocks airflow, and airflow is what gives you that crispy skin.
Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Leg Quarters
- air fryer
- meat thermometer
- 4 Chicken Leg Quarters (about 3 lb total)
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1.5 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- Pat the chicken leg quarters very dry with paper towels on all sides, paying extra attention to the skin. Dry skin is the secret to a crispy result.
- In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken quarters and rub it in, then coat each piece generously with the seasoning mixture.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F for 3 minutes.
- Place the chicken leg quarters in the air fryer basket, skin side down. Depending on your air fryer size, you may need to cook 2 at a time for best results.
- Air fry at 380°F for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken so it is skin side up, then increase the temperature to 400°F and continue cooking for 12 to 15 minutes more until the skin is deeply golden and crispy and the internal temperature reads 165°F at the thickest part.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. The resting time helps the juices redistribute so every bite is moist and tender.