Broiling Chicken Leg Quarters: A Quick And Easy Guide

Chicken leg quarters are a great option for an easy and tasty meal. Broiling chicken leg quarters is a simple process that yields juicy and flavourful meat with a crispy exterior. The key to achieving this is to cook the chicken on the bottom rack of the oven, with the broiler set to low heat. The cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken leg quarters, but on average, it should take around 30 minutes. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to broil chicken leg quarters, ensuring a delicious and satisfying meal.

Preheat oven and prepare the chicken

To begin, preheat your oven to broil, selecting the high setting if this option is available. If your oven does not have a broiler setting, you can set the temperature to 400–450 °F. Place the oven rack one level below the top rack, or about 7 to 8 inches from the heat source.

Next, prepare the chicken. Grease the bottom of a 9x9 casserole dish, roasting pan, or baking dish with oil or butter. Place the chicken leg quarters skin-side up in the dish. If you are using a broiler pan, pour about 1/4 inch of water into the bottom of the pan to prevent the fat from burning and smoking.

In a small bowl, combine avocado oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and lemon juice. Alternatively, you can use melted butter or ghee instead of avocado oil. You can also add additional spices to this mixture, such as paprika, thyme, or rosemary. Brush the chicken with the oil mixture, reserving some for basting later. If you prefer, you can dip the chicken in the mixture instead of brushing it on.

Grease the pan and place chicken skin-side up

Once you've preheated your oven to broil on high heat, it's time to grease your pan and place the chicken leg quarters skin-side up. You can use a 9x9 casserole dish, roasting pan, or baking dish. Grease the bottom of your chosen dish with oil or butter. This will ensure that your chicken doesn't stick to the pan and make cleanup easier.

After greasing the pan, it's important to place the chicken leg quarters skin-side up in a single layer. This is because the skin-side will crisp up nicely and develop a golden-brown colour. If you were to place the chicken skin-side down, the skin could become soggy and unappetizing.

It's worth noting that chicken leg quarters are the whole chicken leg, consisting of two pieces: the thigh and drumstick. Due to this, they can be tricky to cook evenly. To ensure even cooking, place the chicken leg quarters in a single layer, ensuring they have enough space to cook through evenly.

At this stage, you can also brush the chicken with an oil mixture. Combine avocado oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and lemon juice in a small bowl and brush this mixture onto the chicken. Be sure to save some of the mixtures for basting later in the cooking process.

Now that your chicken is skin-side up and beautifully coated, it's almost ready for the broiler. But first, let's talk about rack placement. For chicken leg quarters, it's best to place the oven rack one level below the top rack. This will ensure that the heat distribution is optimal for cooking the chicken through evenly.

Combine ingredients and brush chicken with oil mixture

To make delicious broiled chicken leg quarters, you'll need to combine a few ingredients to make a flavourful oil mixture to brush onto the chicken.

In a small bowl, combine avocado oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and lemon juice. You can also add other ingredients like thyme, paprika, soy sauce, ginger, and basil, depending on your preference. Whisk or stir the ingredients together until they are well combined and the mixture is smooth. You can also melt some butter and mix it in, or use melted butter or ghee instead of avocado oil.

Once you have your oil mixture, brush it generously onto the chicken leg quarters. Make sure to coat all sides of the chicken evenly. You can also dip the chicken pieces directly into the bowl of oil mixture to ensure they are well coated. After brushing or dipping, you can pour any remaining oil mixture over the chicken, or save some for basting later while the chicken cooks.

The oil mixture will not only add flavour to your chicken but also help to create a crispy, golden-brown skin when broiled.

Broil chicken for 8 minutes, then flip and baste

After preheating your oven to broil and placing your chicken leg quarters skin side up in a greased casserole dish, it's time to broil. Place the chicken in the oven and broil for 8 minutes. This is the first stage of cooking, and it will give the chicken a nice sear. After 8 minutes, you'll want to flip the chicken leg quarters over. Use tongs to carefully flip the chicken, ensuring you don't tear the skin. Once flipped, it's time to baste the chicken with your seasoned oil mixture. Be generous, as this will add flavour and moisture to your chicken.

Now, place the chicken back in the oven and broil for another 8 minutes. This second 8-minute period will cook the other side of the chicken, ensuring even cooking. After this, you'll flip the chicken back to its original position, so it's skin side up again.

Cook for 6 more minutes, cover with foil, and cook for 4-8 minutes

Once you've preheated your oven to broil, greased your dish, seasoned your chicken, and flipped it over after the first 8 minutes, you're ready for the next step: cooking for 6 more minutes, covering with foil, and cooking for an additional 4-8 minutes.

First, cook the chicken for 6 minutes after you've flipped it back to the right side up. Then, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. This step is important to prevent the chicken skin from burning. Instead, you'll get delicious, golden brown, crispy skin. After covering the dish with foil, cook the chicken for an additional 4-8 minutes.

The total cooking time depends on the size of your chicken leg quarters. Larger chicken leg quarters will take longer to cook. Make sure to check the temperature frequently to avoid overcooking your chicken. You're looking for a minimum temperature of 165 °F. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read at least 165 °F, and the juices should run clear when the chicken is pierced with a fork.

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