Oven Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters

From the crispy skin to the tender, juicy deliciousness inside, these oven-smoked chicken leg quarters are a sensory symphony of unforgettable aroma, taste, and texture, y'all. Marinated all night, cooked low and slow, then basted with an incredible homemade sauce that transforms this super humble chicken cut into an easy, gourmet-quality meal. Yep and yay...

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• Frugal Can Be Super Fabulous, Too...
• Ingredient Essentials & Substitutions
• Top Recipe Tip
• Variations
• How to Make Oven-Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters
• What to Serve with Oven-Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters
• Oven Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters

Frugal Can Be Super Fabulous, Too...

Oven-smoked chicken leg quarters use soaked wood chips to impart a smoked flavor to the poultry as it is roasting in the oven.

My original recipe includes a chicken broth-based marinade that eradicates the slightly slimy texture of the quarters as it infuses it with flavor. It also includes an easy but incredibly delicious homemade basting sauce that colors the skin beautifully. 

This frugal yet fabulous meal only includes minutes of hands-on time, as the bulk of the work is performed by the oven as the dish slow-cooks into fall-apart tenderness as it fills your home with warm, intense aromas. 

Ingredient Essentials & Substitutions

• I buy fresh chicken leg quarters at the grocery store. I almost always avoid the frozen ones, as two or more of them are usually stuck together in the bag. So, you have extra steps of thawing them out and separating the clusters. However, if you have the time, using thawed frozen pieces will not affect the taste or texture of this oven-smoked chicken leg quarters recipe.
• I love the smell of cherry wood chips, and the flavor that it gives to the meat. And, since I haven't tested this recipe with any other chips, I can't truly recommend a substitute. I can say, however, that if you're completely satisfied with the flavor of the wood chips that you have on hand then go ahead and try them. 
• You don't need expensive paprika, parsley flakes, garlic powder, or onion powder. I use either Great Value or McCormick spices in all of my recipes, including this one.
• I use original-flavor KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce in this oven-smoked chicken leg quarters recipe. I love the taste and it fits into my gluten free diet seamlessly. 
• The darker the apple cider vinegar the better, y'all. However, if you only have white vinegar on hand then it'll work as a suitable substitution. 
• I recommend Colgin liquid smoke and Crystal hot sauce. I love both of these brands that bring amazing depths of flavor to many of my favorite recipes. 

Top Recipe Tip

Take the time to marinate the chicken and the wood chips for 24 hours. Any less than this and the chips might be too dry to use without adding water to the pan throughout the cooking process.

And, the skin-on chicken won't have the time it needs to soak up the flavors in the marinade. So, don't take too many shortcuts when preparing this recipe to ensure your success.

Variations

You can use bone-in thighs and legs in place of the leg quarters if desired. You can even use breasts. However, you need to check on them regularly after the 2-hour cooking mark to ensure they are not over-cooking.

How to Make Oven-Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters

Start the recipe by gathering the water and wood chips. 

Pour the water over the chips. Make sure that all of the chips are saturated, then cover and refrigerate. 

Next, make the easy homemade sauce. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Now, pour all of the marinade ingredients into a very large bowl or rectangular container with a fitted lid. Stir until combined.

Submerge the chicken quarters in the marinade as best as you can. (I find that putting them in skin-side down gets you the most coverage.)

Cover the marinated chicken, and refrigerate for 24 hours.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven.

Then, drain the wood chips and put them in the bottom of a two-tiered roasting pan.

I have a vintage one that's hard to find. But, you can use a new one like this one from Amazon with great success.

Next, arrange the drained quarters on the top rack of the roaster. Then, slide the pan into the oven very carefully.

When the chicken is almost ready, baste each piece with the sauce at least two to three times before serving.

And that's it, y'all!!

The first thing that you notice about these oven-smoked chicken leg quarters is their beautiful color. So red, rich, and appetizing, they make you want to go all in with both hands.

Then, once you experience the fall-apart tender dark meat of the leg and thigh, you're overcome with joy that you have the whole delectably smoky piece for yourself. For sure.

Share these oven-smoked chicken leg quarters with those who appreciate how you're always surprising them with something flavor-fantastic new. Much food love, and see y'all on the yum side...

What to Serve with Oven-Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters

Make it a complete meal with one of these sides that are just as good as the main dish. 

NOTE: This post was originally published on October 31, 2017, and updated and republished on June 20, 2024.