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 them 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.
Lucky lovers of all-things wings: They come in many forms.
What started in 1964 as late-night pub grub at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY, deep-fried chicken wings, is now found in many forms. Truth told, there's not much that Buffalo-style chicken can't do, and applying Buffalo wing sauce to oven-roasted chicken leg-thigh quarters is the perfect way to transition a game day snack into a main-dish meal. But, are they as good as, or as enjoyable as, eating chicken wings? As a lady who loves her deep-fried wings, but, only in the privacy of my own home (where I'm free to lick fingers, smack lips, pick teeth, and, drip sauce), yes, while different, this knife-and-fork main-dish is every bit as enjoyable as chicken wings.
In my family alone, Nacho Mama's Buffalo Chicken Sheet-Pan Nanchos, Buffalo-Style Shredded Chicken 'n Slaw Sliders, Spicy Blue-Cheesy Buffalo-Style Chicken Dip, Spicy Blue-Cheesy Buffalo-Chicken Quesadillas, Batter-Dipped Buffalo Chicken & Blue Cheese Subs, Sweet-and-Savory-Glazed Buffalo-Chicken Meatballs, Buffalo-Style Skinny Chicken Tacos, and, Almost Effortless Chunky Buffalo-Style Chicken Chili are favorite wing-night or game-day options. Tonight, it's a main-dish option I'm serving.
Buffalo-Style Chicken Quarters w/Jalapeño Jack Mashed Potatoes:
For the wing sauce (Note: This makes 2 cups, which is enough for basting the chicken 3-4 times while it's in the oven, plus enough to be served for dipping or drizzling at the table. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.):
1 12-ounce bottle Frank's RedHot Buffalo Wing Sauce, or your favorite brand of wing sauce
6-8 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons salted butter
~ Step 1. In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan place wing sauce, honey and butter over medium heat. Whisking constantly, cook until the butter has melted into the wing sauce and the mixture is uniform in color, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a 2-cup measuring container. Yield: 2 cups sauce.
For the Buffalo-style chicken leg-thigh quarters:
4 chicken leg-thigh quarters, about 4-4 1/2 pounds
a generous sprinkling Frank's RedHot Original Seasoning Blend, for seasoning chicken quarters
a portion of the wing sauce (from above recipe), for basting chicken quarters 2-4 times while roasting
~Step 1. Arrange chicken quarters in a large disposable roasting pan into which a wire rack has been inserted and a sheet of apartment has been placed atop rack. Generously season tops of chicken with Frank's seasoning. Roast on center rack of 350° oven, 1 hour. Remove the pan from the oven, use a pastry brush to baste each chicken quarter with wing sauce, and return pan to oven to roast for 5 more minutes. Repeat this basting process 2-3 more times, for a total roasting time of 1 hour, 15-20 minutes.
Plate 'em up, atop your side-servings, then, call all to the table:
I serve 'em w/jalapeño mashed potatoes & steamed carrots:
Roasted Buffalo-Style Chicken Leg-Thigh Quarters: Recipe yields 4 servings.
Special Equipment List: 1 1/2-quart saucepan; whisk; 2-cup measuring container; 20" x 12" x 4" disposable aluminum roasting pan, or, 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" baking pan; wire cooling rack; parchment paper; pastry brush
Cook's Note: Steaming hot mashed potatoes. I love them, you love them -- doesn't everyone? In my food world, about the only thing that can be better than a forkful of pure, unadulterated creamy-rich, mashed potatoes is: a forkful of creamy-rich mashed potatoes with a flavorful cheese added -- American, cheddar and gruyère are my favorites. Jalapeño Jack cheese is one such cheese too, and trust me, if you and yours enjoy a little spicy heat, you will not have to call anyone to the table twice if they know you're serving these. ~ Yukon Gold Rush Jalapeño Jack Mashed Potatoes ~ are the perfect side-dish foil for my Buffalo-style 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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