Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe
For a simple yet crave-worthy dinner, put these very best smoked chicken leg quarters on the menu and watch everyone fall in love with every delicious, succulent bite! Coated in a flavorful, aromatic dry rub, these tender, juicy chicken quarters are infused with the perfect kiss of smoky flavor and then are finished under a blast of high heat to ensure you get that perfect crispy skin.
How to Make the Best Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters
There’s nothing quite like tender, juicy smoked chicken leg quarters fresh off the smoker. This recipe delivers succulent meat with perfectly crispy skin, infused with delicious smoky flavor and an aromatic dry rub that will have your family asking for seconds.
The secret to these smoked chicken quarters starts with a simple dry brine—just salt and time. This technique draws moisture to the surface and then reabsorbs it, ensuring incredibly crispy skin. Combined with a flavorful spice rub featuring chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic, and cayenne, these chicken quarters deliver bold BBQ flavor in every bite.
The smoking process is straightforward: start low and slow at 225 degrees for tender, juicy meat, then finish with a hot sear to crisp up that skin to perfection. A quick brush with BBQ sauce at the end adds a finishing touch of glaze. Perfect for your next backyard BBQ or a weeknight dinner that feels special.
Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters
For a simple yet crave-worthy dinner, put these very best smoked chicken leg quarters on the menu and watch everyone fall in love with every delicious, succulent bite! Coated in a flavorful, aromatic dry rub, these tender, juicy chicken quarters are infused with the perfect kiss of smoky flavor and then are finished under a blast of high heat to ensure you get that perfect crispy skin.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
For the Dry Rub
For Serving
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and then generously sprinkle with salt and rub into the skin.
- Place the chicken in the refrigerator uncovered for at least four hours, though overnight is ideal. Do not wipe off the salt after brining.
Smoke the Chicken
- Prepare the smoker according to the manufacturer's directions, fill the water pan and set the temperature to 225 degrees F.
- As the smoker heats, make the spice rub by simply stirring together the spices.
- Rub the spice mixture all over the skin. Gently lift the skin and rub some spices directly onto the meat as well.
- Place the chicken in the smoker with the skin-side up. Insert a leave-in meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone.
- Close the smoker and smoke the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 130-140 degrees.
Finish at High Heat
- Crank up the heat to 400-425 degrees and remove the chicken quarters.
- As the temperature increases in heat, brush the skin with olive oil.
- Place the chicken quarters back in the smoker to finish cooking at that higher temperature.
- In the last few minutes, brush with BBQ sauce if desired.
- The chicken is done when it reaches at least 175 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh meat, though you can take it up to 190 degrees to allow the connective tissues and collagen more time to break down for better meat.
- Let the chicken rest for five minutes to allow the juices to settle.
- Serve with more BBQ sauce if desired.
Notes
- For the best results, use a meat thermometer to ensure accurate doneness.
- The dry brining step is crucial for crispy skin—don't skip it!
- If you don't have a smoker, you can adapt this recipe for a charcoal or gas grill by setting up for indirect heat.