Oven-roasted chicken leg-thigh quarters are on my weeknight meal rotation two or three times a month. They're tender and juicy, and, sigh-oh-my, that gorgeous, golden, crispy skin. Each one is a one-piece drumstick and thigh, which means each piece is the perfect one portion, so, no guesswork involved, you never have any leftovers (unless you want leftovers, then you roast six-eight). No matter what you're seasoning or saucing these with (the possibilities are almost endless), the upfront prep-work is minimal. Into the oven they go for 1 hour, 15-20 minutes, and, your hands are, for the most part, free to make an easy side-dish or two and set the table.
Chicken quarters: Meaty, easy to prepare, &, inexpensive.
Chicken leg-thigh quarters are, seriously folks, really inexpensive -- quite a bit less than separated leg and/or thigh portions. In fact, it's almost double the meat and it's not reflected in the price. Why? it's because it's one less step at the butchering/processing end. It's the same reason why you can buy an entire chicken for almost the same price as a couple of chicken breasts.
Four pieces, four portions & four-ish pounds for about $4.00:
4 chicken leg-thigh quarters, about 4-4 1/2 pounds
freshly-ground sea salt and peppercorn blend
honey, for dipping or drizzling at table side (optional)
~Step 1. Arrange chicken quarters in a large disposable roasting pan into which a wire rack has been inserted and a sheet of parchment has been placed atop rack. Generously season tops of chicken with freshly-ground sea salt and peppercorn blend. Roast on center rack of 350° oven, 1 hour, 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, plate and serve.
Remove from pan, plate, & serve the family ASAP:
Try 'em w/honey & Spiced Couscous w/Golden Raisins:
Buffalo-Style w/Jalapeño Jack Mashed Potatoes:
Barbecue-Style w/Mel's Stovetop Macaroni & Cheese:
Japanese Teriyaki-Style w/Steamed Rice & Veggies:
Crispy Outside, Tender Inside, Oven-Fried Chicken Quarters:
Alfredo alla Primavera-style Parmesan-Chicken Quarters:
How to Season & Roast Chicken Leg-Thigh Quarters: Recipe yields instructions to season and roast 4 chicken leg-thigh quarters/4 servings.
Special Equipment List: 20" x 12" x 4" disposable aluminum roasting pan, or, 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" baking pan; wire cooling rack; parchment paper
Cook's Note: Mexican rice became a staple on our family's table back in the 1980's. Whenever we ate in a Mexican restaurant, our three kids would eat all the side-dishes: the multi-colored veggie-bejeweled rice, the murky-earthy slightly-soupy refried beans, and, the bright-green garlic-laced guacamole. Without prodding, they'd slather and scoop 'em onto tacos, fajitas, carnitas (whatever they were eating), along with red or green salsa and the bottled hot-sauce du jour. Go figure, and, "shut my mouth wide open." Super-easy to prepare, ~ Mexican-Style Adobo Rice (Meatless Spanish Rice) ~ (as pictured in the top photo of this post), is another one of my favorite side-dishes to serve with oven-roasted chicken leg-thigh quarters.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2020)
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