Baked Chicken Leg Quarters (Chicken Marylands)
, Updated Jan 26, 2026
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Juicy baked chicken leg quarters (a.k.a Chicken Marylands) with next-level marinade. A budget-friendly, easy chicken dish that’s absolutely packed with flavor!
Debuting a new chicken recipe for 2026 that I have been making ON REPEAT since testing it a few weeks ago. Say hello to juicy, tender baked chicken leg quarters, a.k.a my new obsession!
This baked chicken leg quarters recipe is a real winner that delivers truly tender, flavor-packed chicken thanks to my secret marinade. We’re talking shallots and garlic lovingly cooked in butter with herbs and seasoning then blended to paste and used to marinate the chicken legs.
This lends incredible depth of flavor, while the oven does all the hard work. You can roast the chicken with vegetables for a one-pan dinner or cook it on its own — either way, the result is tender, juicy perfection with perfectly crispy skin.
What are chicken leg quarters?
Chicken leg quarters are a cut that includes the thigh and drumstick, plus a portion of the back. They’re called “quarters” because each piece represents one quarter of the chicken.
This cut goes by chicken Marylands in Australia, chicken legs in the UK and whole chicken legs in the US. Maryland Chicken (or Chicken Maryland) on the other hand is a fried chicken recipe from the state of Maryland (served with creamy gravy… yum!).
Whatever the name, chicken leg quarters are not just flavorful and easy to cook, but usually cheaper as well, which these days is a minor miracle. I honestly prefer them to chicken breasts, as you can probably tell if you look through the recipe archive.
The dark meat of chicken thighs and drumsticks contains more connective tissue and collagen than chicken breasts. This makes them so forgiving and hard to mess up – you can cook them for longer and at a higher heat.
What You’ll Need
The marinade takes a little time, but it will knock your socks off taste-wise! You can prepare it up to three days in advance or make a big batch and stash it in the freezer to use when needed. You can also simply use flavored butter if in a hurry – check the recipe card notes.
- You will need unsalted butter, shallots or onions, maple syrup or honey, lemon juice, plenty of garlic, plus Italian seasoning, garlic powder, sweet paprika, mustard powder, salt and pepper.
- Chicken stock or broth to braise the chicken if cooking with vegetables or white wine if baking the chicken on its own.
- Chicken leg quarters – 8 small or 4 large to feed the whole (hungry) family. You can also make this recipe with bone-in chicken thighs or even a whole chicken.
- Vegetables (optional) – add a layer of potatoes and carrots under the chicken to soak up the delicious juices – you won’t regret it!
How to make my Baked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe
Prepare the marinade
- Add butter to a saucepan and melt over low heat. Add sliced shallots and whole garlic cloves and stir to coat in the butter. Sweat over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Covering the shallots with a piece of parchment paper or lid traps the steam and allows them to cook gently without too much stirring.
- Stir in the seasonings, maple syrup, lemon juice and chicken stock once the shallots are soft and translucent. Blend to a paste using an immersion blender or food processor and transfer to a bowl. Chill in the fridge (or freezer if you are in a hurry) before using.
Marinate the chicken
- Trim the chicken legs of excess skin and fatty bits and pat dry using paper towels. Use a spoon to loosen the skin over the leg and thigh.
- Push a generous amount of the marinade under the skin of the chicken and brush some over the top as well. Marinate for 3- minutes or even overnight in the fridge.
Chicken leg quarters with potatoes and carrots
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) or 350°F (180°C) if using fan-forced. Spread a layer of potato wedges and carrots over the bottom of a roasting pan. Place a rack over the top and add enough hot water to just cover the vegetables.
- Position the chicken legs on the rack in a single layer and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Cover tightly with foil (you are covering just the chicken, not the entire pan).
- Bake for 40 minutes, take the foil off and baste generously with the marinade. Turn the heat up to 425°F (220°C) or 400°F (200°C) fan oven. Return to the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temp in the thickest part of the thigh registers 180–185°F (82–85°C) on a meat thermometer.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and rest for 15 minutes, loosely covered with foil. Drain the cooking juices from the pan and reserve. Toss the vegetables with some of the marinade and roast for a 15 minutes while the chicken rests so they get a little caramelization.
- Add cornstarch slurry to the pan juices and simmer until thickened. Pour over the chicken and vegetables when serving.
Baked chicken leg quarters (without vegetables)
- Add the marinated chicken to a rimmed baking sheet and pour in some wine or chicken stock. Cover the pan tightly with foil and roast for 40 minutes.
- Uncover, baste with marinade and turn up the heat to crisp up the skin – another 10-15 minutes for golden perfection! Spoon the pan juices over the chicken, garnish with thyme and enjoy.
Notes and Tips
- Serving suggestions: A simple salad is all you need if you have cooked this recipe with vegetables. The roasted chicken leg quarters pair well with mashed potatoes, steamed greens, potato salad, pasta or rice. Sure to wow guests at a dinner party, but easy enough for an everyday budget-friendly meal.
- Did you know? While the safe recommended internal temperature for chicken is 165°F (75°C), dark meat can be cooked up to 180–185°F (82–85°C) to give it a fall-off-the-bone, succulent texture. A meat thermometer is highly recommended for best results, but not essential – it’s hard to mess up chicken leg quarters by overcooking them!
- Storage and leftovers: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze the cooked chicken legs for up to three months. To reheat, place in a 350°F (175°C) oven or air fryer until hot. The air fryer gives the best results for crispy chicken skin!
Recipe Variations
- Simple compound butter: If you are short on time you can still make this recipe without the shallot marinade. Simply combine softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, minced garlic, lemon juice and all the other spices, herbs and seasoning. Push spoonfuls of the flavored butter under the skin and over the top and cook as instructed in the recipe method.
- For a spicier version: Add 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper or chili flakes to the marinade, or mix in a small amount of Sriracha.
Frequently Asked Questions
One medium chicken leg quarter per adult is standard, but if your chicken is on the smaller side I would serve two per person. They reheat beautifully so you can always make extra and save them for leftovers.
They’re require less processing than individual thighs/drumsticks, plus dark meat is typically priced lower than white meat.
Absolutely! Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (190°C) for 5 minutes. Add the seasoned leg quarters in a single layer in the air fryer basket (do not crowd them!) and cook for 25-30 minutes, flipping and basting with the marinade halfway, until crispy and fully cooked.
They’re higher in fat than chicken breasts but also richer in nutrients and naturally juicy. Removing the skin significantly reduces fat content if preferred.
👉 If you make my baked chicken leg quarters recipe, please leave a comment and star rating — it really helps others discover the recipe. Follow me on Pinterest for more easy recipes and don’t forget to tag me on @Instagram or TikTok so I can see your creations.
Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For the marinade
- Scant ½ cup (100g) unsalted butter
- 6 large shallots ( or 1 large onion) sliced thinly
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey / brown sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp mustard powder or 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- pinch red pepper flakes or cayenne (optional)
- ½ cup (125ml) chicken stock or broth
For the chicken
- 6 medium chicken leg quarters (chicken Marylands)
- salt and black pepper
- ⅓ cup (80ml) white wine or Marsala / chicken stock
- 2 tsp cornstarch (cornflour) diluted in 1-2 tbsp cold water
- fresh thyme to garnish
For the vegetables (optional)
- 6 medium potatoes cut into wedges
- 6 medium carrots peeled, cut into quarters
- 2 cups (500ml) boiling water or as needed
Instructions
Prepare the marinade
- Add butter to a saucepan and melt over low heat. Add the shallots and garlic cloves and stir to coat in the butter.Scant ½ cup (100g) unsalted butter, 6 large shallots, 6 cloves garlic
- Sweat over low heat for 15 minutes, covering with a tight lid or piece of parchment paper and stirring once or twice.
- Stir in the seasonings, herbs, maple syrup, lemon juice and chicken stock once the shallots are soft and translucent. Blend to a paste using an immersion blender or food processor and transfer to a bowl. Chill in the fridge (or freezer if you are in a hurry) before using.2 tbsp maple syrup, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, 2 tsp mustard powder, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika, 1 ½ tsp salt, pinch red pepper flakes, ½ cup (125ml) chicken stock
Marinate the chicken
- Trim the chicken of excess skin and fatty bits and pat dry using paper towels. Use a spoon to loosen the skin over the leg and thigh. Push a generous amount of the marinade under the skin of the chicken and brush some over the top as well. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or even overnight in the fridge. Keep any leftover marinade for basting.6 medium chicken leg quarters
Bake in the oven (with veggies)
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) or 350°F (180°C) if using fan-forced / convection oven. Spread tje potato wedges and carrots over the bottom of a roasting pan. Place a rack over the top and add enough hot water to just cover the vegetables.6 medium potatoes, 6 medium carrots, 2 cups (500ml) boiling water
- Position the chicken legs on a rack above the vegetables in a single layer and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Cover tightly with foil (you are covering just the chicken, not the entire pan). Bake for 40 minutes, take the foil off and baste generously with the marinade.salt and black pepper
- Turn the heat up to 425°F (220°C) / 400°F (200°C) fan oven. Return chicken to the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temp in the thickest part of the thigh registers 180–185°F (82–85°C) on a meat thermometer. Transfer the chicken to a plate and rest for 15 minutes, loosely covered with foil.
- Drain the cooking juices from the pan and reserve. Toss the vegetables with some of the marinade and roast for a 15 minutes while the chicken rests so they get a little caramelization.
- Add cornstarch slurry to the pan juices and simmer until thickened. Pour over the chicken and vegetables when serving.2 tsp cornstarch (cornflour)
Oven-baked chicken leg quarters (without vegetables)
- Add the marinated chicken to a rimmed baking sheet and pour the wine or chicken stock. Cover the pan tightly with foil and roast for 40 minutes.⅓ cup (80ml) white wine
- Uncover, baste with marinade and turn up the heat to crisp up the skin – another 10-15 minutes for golden perfection! Spoon the pan juices over the chicken, garnish with thyme and enjoy.fresh thyme
Notes
- While the safe recommended internal temperature for chicken is 165°F (75°C), dark meat can be cooked up to 180–185°F (82–85°C) to give it a fall-off-the-bone, succulent texture. A meat thermometer is highly recommended for best results, but not essential – it’s hard to mess up chicken leg quarters by overcooking them!
- Storage and leftovers: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze the cooked chicken legs for up to three months. To reheat, place in a 350°F (175°C) oven or air fryer until hot. The air fryer gives the best results for crispy chicken skin!
- To cook in an air fryer: Preheat to 380°F (190°C) for 5 minutes. Add the seasoned leg quarters in a single layer in the air fryer basket (do not crowd them!) and cook for 25-30 minutes, flipping and basting with the marinade halfway, until crispy and fully cooked.
- Simple compound butter: If you are short on time you can still make this recipe without the shallot marinade. Simply combine softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, minced garlic, lemon juice and all the other spices, herbs and seasoning. Push spoonfuls of the flavored butter under the skin and over the top and cook as instructed in the recipe method.
- For a spicier version: Add 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper or chili flakes to the marinade, or mix in a small amount of Sriracha.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
This was delicious! My whole family loved it (including little kids and a senior parent)
It smelled delicious while cooking and the meat was tender and flavorful!
I used salted butter as that’s all I had on hand, it worked fine – I didn’t add any other salt to the meal.
Thanks for this recipe! I’ll be adding it to our regular recipes!
Wonderful to hear, thanks so much for your comment Meghan! ❤️