With a simple mix of herbs and spices, these oven-baked chicken quarters become a delicious meal that’s great for any night of the week. Preparing this sheet-pan recipe is a breeze. Just stir together the spice rub and massage it onto the chicken quarters. After roughly 45 minutes, you’ll be rewarded with incredibly juicy and tender chicken that everyone will love!.
The whole chicken has been cut into four quarters, two for the legs and two for the breasts. This is called a quarter chicken. This is a very flexible and inexpensive way to buy and cook chicken. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about quarter chickens, such as how to cut a whole chicken into quarters, why quartering can be helpful, how to cook quartered chicken, and some tasty recipe ideas for quarter chicken.
How to Cut a Whole Chicken into Quarters
One whole chicken can be cut into four pieces with just a few easy steps:
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Place the whole chicken breast-side up on a cutting board Hold it steady with one hand
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Pull one leg away from the body and slice through the skin between the thigh and body to reveal the hip joint Cut through the hip joint to remove the whole leg quarter
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Repeat on the other side to remove the second leg quarter.
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Now flip the chicken over so it is backbone-side up. With a sturdy knife or kitchen shears, slice along both sides of the backbone to remove it.
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Finally, slice along either side of the breastbone to separate the breast halves.
And that’s it! With just four cuts you have two breast quarters and two leg quarters. It’s easy to remember: four quarters make a whole.
Why Buy and Cook Quarter Chickens?
There are several advantages to buying and cooking chicken quarters rather than whole chickens or individual pieces:
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Cost savings: Buying a whole chicken and cutting it yourself is much cheaper per pound compared to buying pre-cut chicken parts.
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Portion control: One breast or leg quarter is the perfect individual portion.
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Flavor: Quarters contain a mix of both white and dark meat. The leg has more fat so stays juicy when cooked.
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Versatility: Quarters can be roasted, fried, grilled, broiled, sautéed, stewed, and more.
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Convenience: Quarters are easy to cook, eat, and portion out for meals.
So if you want to enjoy delicious and economical chicken dishes, buying a whole chicken and dividing it into quarters yourself is the way to go.
How to Cook Quartered Chicken
Quartered chicken couldn’t be easier to cook. Here are some simple methods:
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Roast: Season the quarters and roast in a 425°F oven for 30-40 minutes until cooked through.
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Grill: Brush quarters with oil and spices. Grill over medium heat for 12-15 minutes per side.
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Sauté: Put the quarters in a hot pan with oil and cook them for three to five minutes on each side, or until they are browned and fully cooked.
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Fry: Dredge quarters in flour, dip in egg wash, then breadcrumbs. Fry in 350°F oil for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
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Braise: Brown quarters then simmer in broth or sauce for 40-60 minutes until very tender.
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Bake or stew: Add quarters to casseroles, pot pies, soups, and stews. Cook until done.
Quartered chicken works beautifully in all these cooking methods. Just adjust cooking times based on the size of the quarters.
Delicious Quarter Chicken Recipes
From classic to creative, here are some amazing recipes that feature quartered chicken:
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Roast Chicken with Roasted Vegetables – The classic! Juicy roast chicken quarters with potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic.
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Chicken Fajitas – Spice-rubbed chicken quarters, peppers, and onions grilled to perfection.
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Chicken and Dumplings – Comfort food at its finest – chicken quarters in an herbed broth with fluffy dumplings.
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Chicken Parmesan – Chicken quarters breaded and fried, then topped with tomato sauce and melted cheese.
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Chicken Pot Pie – Chicken quarters, vegetables, and creamy sauce baked under a flakey crust.
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Chicken Cordon Bleu – Chicken quarters stuffed with ham and cheese then breaded and fried.
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Thai Red Curry Chicken – Chicken quarters simmered in a flavorful Thai red curry sauce.
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Chicken and Waffles – Fried chicken quarters served over sweet waffles is an amazing flavor combo.
As you can see, quarter chicken offers endless possibilities in the kitchen. From down-home cooking to gourmet dishes, quarters can do it all. Next time you need an easy, budget-friendly, and tasty chicken dinner, reach for trusty quartered chicken.
Let Chicken Rest Before Serving
When the chicken is done, remove from the oven and let it rest for about 5-10 minutes. By allowing the chicken to rest, the juices have a chance to seep back into the meat. As the chicken cools, the proteins start to relax, and the juices are able to move back through the meat. This helps keep the chicken juicy and flavorful when you cut into it.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes: A natural pairing, our Instant Pot mashed potatoes are easy to make, rich, and OH so good!.
Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts: With a pit of parmesan cheese and ranch seasonings, these are sure to please even the pickiest eaters.
Country Creamy Coleslaw: Another natural pairing, chicken and coleslaw go together perfectly for the most comforting of meals.
Sure it can, just make sure you have enough rook on your sheet pan. Chicken quarters can be pretty large. Just double everything. Cooking time will be closer to 45 minutes but monitor with instant read thermometer.
This chicken is best when it’s fresh out of the oven. That’s when we have some nice crisp on the skin and the juiciest meat. However, if meal planning for the week, it certainly makes a delicious meal the next day. It’s even better this way when shredded up and put over a salad.
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Place the cooked chicken quarters on a baking sheet and loosely cover them with aluminum foil to keep them from drying out. Put the baking sheet in the oven and heat the chicken quarters for 15-20 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of heating for crispier skin.
Absolutely you can? If you have a favorite chicken seasoning blend, go right ahead and use it.
What are Chicken Quarters?
Chicken quarters, commonly called chicken leg quarters, are the combined pieces of drumstick and thigh. They are considered dark meat and highly regarded as being the most flavorful parts of a chicken. They are very forgiving when it comes to cooking and are perfect for cooks of all skill levels. Chicken leg quarters are also usually very affordable so they’re ideal for budget-friendly meals.
One of the things I absolutely love about this recipe is that it’s simple and uses a mix of herbs and spices that you likely already have in your pantry and spice rack. This mix of spices is perfect for seasoning poultry and makes the tender, juicy meat of the chicken quarters even more savory. Let’s take a look and the spice rub mix….
- Salt and pepper
- Italian Seasoning
- Ground mustard
- Onion and garlic powder
- Paprika
The Italian blend seasoning is the perfect combination of several key spices, including oregano, thyme, rosemary and basil. The ground mustard adds a vibrance with a bit of spiciness that compliments the other flavors and brings everything to life. It’s a wonderful ingredient and perfect for poultry recipes. The paprika adds a mild flavor to the spice mix and of course, it’s excellent color.
Begin by preparing a baking sheet by lining it with foil. This will help with cleanup.
Next, remove any excess skin or fat from the chicken. Sometimes chicken quarters have extra skin between the thigh and leg joint. Trim and discard it. Thoroughly pat dry the chicken skin using paper towels. This step is crucial to ensure the skin becomes crispy by eliminating excess moisture.
Once you’ve combined all the ingredients for the spice rub, brush both sides of the chicken with olive oil, then evenly apply the seasoning rub. Press it into the skin. I like to apply a thin coating of oil to the skin side of the chicken quarters after all the spice rub has been added.
It’s now time to put the chicken in the oven. Place the chicken on the prepared sheet pan.
How to Quarter a Chicken
FAQ
What is considered a quarter chicken?
Chicken leg quarters, also known as hindquarters, are a popular poultry cut that consists of the drumstick, thigh, and a portion of the backbone. This cut of chicken is generally tender, succulent, and full of natural flavor, owing to its higher fat content compared to the breast.
How many pieces of chicken are in a quarter?
A whole bird without giblets with all parts, including the breast, thighs, drumsticks, wings, back and abdominal fat. A 4-piece is 2 breast quarters (half breast with back and wing attached) and 2 leg quarters (drumstick, thigh and back, all attached). The tail and abdominal fat may or may not be present.
Is a quarter chicken leg or wing?
What is a chicken quarter? A chicken quarter is the whole leg of a chicken, which includes the thigh and the leg. This chicken quarter will be juicy and tender because the leg and thigh are both dark meat.
Is a quarter chicken enough for one person?
Chicken leg quarters include both the drumstick and thigh, and have about 6 ounces worth of meat. So one leg quarter per person is perfect.