The Best Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters

Hey everyone! If you love tasty chicken, you’re going to be excited about this leg quarter recipe. We’re grilling chicken leg quarters with a super easy and yummy dry rub. This means we’ll mix some common spices together and rub them all over the chicken before grilling it. The result? Juicy, flavorful chicken with a crispy skin that’s perfect for summer cookouts or family dinners. Even if you’re new to grilling, don’t worry— these are really easy and I am going to walk you through it. So, let’s get started and make some delicious grilled chicken leg quarters!

Chicken leg quarters are one of my favorites. They’re usually cheaper than most cuts of meat and super easy to cook. Seriously, you can overcook them, and they still turn out amazing. You can’t do that with chicken breasts without them drying out!

You can use chicken leg quarters for so many things—from making delicious soup to cooking them in a cast iron skillet until they’re perfectly seared and baked. I love making cast iron chicken quarters when I am not grilling them.

But because I love grilling, grilled chicken leg quarters are one of our favorite ways to make them. You can get the skin as crispy as you want, and they’re really easy to cook on the grill.

Just a heads-up: this recipe is for grilling chicken quarters on a gas grill. If you’re using charcoal, make sure to adjust the cook times accordingly. Let’s fire up the grill and get started!

Ingredients for grilled leg quarters

The ingredients for grilled chicken leg quarters are super simple. The spices are ones you probably already have at home, but if there’s one you don’t like, you can easily swap it out or leave it out. You might notice that the skin on our chicken looks a bit patterned—that’s because we use food saver bags to vacuum seal all the meat we freeze.

• Chicken leg quarters – Use your favorite brand of chicken here, we usually use Perdue or store brand.
• Salt – Highly recommended to enhance all the flavors, but you can reduce the amount if needed.
• Paprika – You can use smoked or regular. We have tried it with both and it really depends on if you like the smoked flavor or not.
• Garlic powder – No substitutions recommended.
• Thyme – If you are not a big thyme fan you can use rosemary in place of the thyme. We use dried thyme, if you use fresh double the amount.
• Black pepper – No substitutions recommended.

Other great grilled dishes

If you love our grilled chicken leg quarters, you will love these other great dishes!

• Perfectly grilled chicken legs
• The best T-bone steaks on the grill
• How to grill a perfect burger
• The best grilled baby back ribs

How to season the leg quarters for the grill

We don’t use any marinades on our grilled chicken leg quarters. We think they taste best with a simple dry rub.

First, mix together the salt, paprika, garlic, thyme, and pepper in a small bowl. Set it aside until you’re ready to put it on the chicken.

Take the chicken out of the package and remove any large pieces of fat, especially on the bone side. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel for the best flavor and texture.

Sprinkle the dry rub all over the chicken leg quarters and rub it in so it coats the chicken evenly. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before putting the chicken on the grill.

How long to grill chicken leg quarters on gas grill

Cooking grilled chicken leg quarters takes about 35-40 minutes, depending on how thick they are. You need to cook the chicken to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit (we like it at 175 degrees) before eating, so make sure to check the temperature and not just the cook times.

First, heat the grill to between 400 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit. For this recipe, you’ll be cooking the chicken over direct heat. If you use indirect heat, you might need to adjust the times a bit.

Start with the chicken skin side up. Place the leg quarters on the grill and close the lid, cooking for 10 minutes. Then, open the grill, flip the chicken so the skin side is down, close the lid, and cook for another 15 minutes. Flip the leg quarters one more time so the skin side is up. Close the lid and cook for about 10 more minutes until they reach at least 165 degrees.

If the temperature is higher than 165 degrees when you check, that’s okay! We think they taste even better at 175 degrees—the texture and flavor are just right. Chicken leg quarters don’t dry out easily like chicken breasts do, so don’t worry if the temperature is higher.

At 165 degrees, the meat might be a bit rubbery, but it’s safe to eat. At 175-185 degrees (yes, you can go beyond 175 with chicken leg quarters), the texture is softer and more tender.

Allow them to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. We like to serve them with loaded potato foil packs or potato wedges cooked along side them on the grill.

Frequently asked questions