How to Bake Quarter Chicken Legs in a Conventional Oven

Since they contain both the leg and thigh, quarter chicken legs should ideally cook long enough for the meat to cook through without drying out. Baking chicken in a conventional oven simply means using a classic recipe for baked chicken. Newer convection and infrared ovens cook much faster than conventional ovens, shortening the cooking time. If using a recipe for one of these "speed cooking" ovens, increase the cooking time required to at least 30 to 45 minutes for a conventional oven.

Things You'll Need

• 4 chicken leg quarters
• 2 cups marinade of your choice (optional) See tips.
• Resealable, flat-bottomed bowl, 2 quart capacity
• 1 9 by 13 inch baking pan
• Aluminum foil
• Meat thermometer

Instructions

1. Transfer frozen chicken leg quarters from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before cooking to thaw. Do not place on the counter to thaw.

2. Skip this step if not using a marinade. Place the thawed chicken into the 2 quart bowl. Pour the marinade over the chicken to completely cover the leg quarters. Cover the bowl and allow to marinade for 1 to 2 hours before cooking. This process increases the flavor of the chicken and adds moisture to the meat, preventing it from drying out.

3. Set the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and preheat for 30 minutes. Always preheat the oven to ensure that the chicken bakes at the proper temperature for the entire cooking time.

4. Remove the thawed chicken leg quarters from the marinade, discarding any left in the bottom of the bowl. Place the quarter chicken legs in a single layer in the bottom of the baking dish.

5. Cover the baking pan with a sheet of aluminum foil to keep the chicken from drying too quickly before it cooks through. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

6. Remove from the oven, lift the cover and turn the chicken quarters over. Return to the oven for another 25 to 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 180 degrees Fahrenheit and the leg meat reads at 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. Remove the chicken and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips & Warnings

• See the recipe in resource 2 for a Hawaiian marinade. Other options include: a bottle of commercial chicken marinade, bottled Italian or Asian salad dressing or barbecue sauce.

References

• Eve's Chicken Quarters

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Meat Temperature Chart
• Baked Aloha Chicken