These Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters are marinated in the most delicious marinade and served as a traybake with Sweet Potatoes, Onions and Peppers!
Roasted Chicken Legs
I don’t often cook with full chicken leg quarters, and quite frankly I don’t really know why. They’re far juicier and more flavoursome than chicken breast, and far more convenient than cooking with a mix of thighs and drumsticks. In general, they’re also very cheap as well.
Chicken legs also make the perfect dinner! Here I’ve served it as part of a ‘dump n cook’ style tray bake for an easy hearty dinner. Here’s why I think you’ll love it:
- Flavour – Using a homemade marinade these chicken legs are bursting with flavour.
- Versatile – An easy way to use up leftover veg to create your own tray bake.
- Inexpensive – Cheap cut of meat and uses pantry essentials!
Just look at those pan juices 😍
Whole Chicken Leg Marinade
Behind every juicy, flavoursome chicken is a marinade. The marinade for these chicken legs is really simple, but really packs a punch in the flavour department. It’s verging on BBQ style – sweet and smoky, yet rich and spicy.
How long to marinade chicken legs?
Overnight is optimum, with the 2-4hour range working just great. Having said that, if for whatever you don’t have time, even just 30mins will make the world of difference.
How to marinade chicken legs (quick summary)
- Add smoked paprika, onion & garlic powder, cayenne pepper, s&p, olive oil, honey and lime juice to a small bowl.
- Thoroughly stir to combine.
- Pour over chicken legs in a large bowl.
- Thoroughly coat, then cover and marinade.
Chicken Leg Tray Bake
Alrighty, let’s turn these chicken legs into a full dinner shall we. There’s truly nothing easier than a tray bake is there?! To pair with the chicken I’ve gone for sweet potatoes, red pepper, yellow pepper and red onion. The sweet potatoes work really nicely with the BBQ/spicy flavour of the marinade, as do the peppers and onion. In my humble you don’t need much else, but do feel free to switch up if you fancy!
How to make a Chicken Tray Bake (quick summary)
- Remove chicken from marinade.
- Mix in veg with leftover marinade
- Spread out on a large tray.
- Nestle in chicken legs and bake away!
The BEST Baked Chicken Legs!
I mean, in my humble opinion of course. If you like the look of this tray bake, I know you’ll love my Spanish Chicken Tray Bake. Here’s some other similar recipes to tuck into whilst you’re here!
For another chicken leg recipe check out my Creamy Mustard Chicken!
One Pan Chicken Dinners
- One Pan Roast Dinner
- Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs
- Honey Garlic Chicken
- Herb Roasted Spatchcock Chicken
- Spanish Style Chicken Orzo
Alrighty, let’s get cracking on with this whole chicken leg recipe shall we?!
How to Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters (Full Recipe & Video)
Roasted Chicken Legs
Equipment
- 30cm x 45cm (12” x 18”) Oven Tray (or similar size)
- Large Bowl & Cling Film (for marinating)
- Small Bowl (for marinade)
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Spatula
Ingredients
Tray Bake
- 1lb / 500g Sweet Potatoes, diced into chunks
- 3 small Red Onions, quartered
- 1 large Red Pepper, diced
- 1 large Yellow Pepper, diced
- drizzle of Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
Chicken & Marinade
- 4 Chicken Legs (see notes)
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1 tbsp Lime Juice (can sub lemon)
- 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (more or less to taste)
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste), 1/2 tsp black pepper, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp lime juice.
- Combine in a large bowl with 4 chicken legs. Cover and leave to marinate for as long as you have time for (2-4 hours great, overnight best, but even 30mins is better than nothing).
- Take chicken legs out and add 1lb/500g sweet potato, 2 peppers and 3 small onions to the leftover marinade. Add a drizzle of oil and pinch of salt and pepper and thoroughly mix.
- Poor out onto an oven tray and nestle in the chicken legs. Pop in the oven at 210C/410F for 50-60mins, or until the veg and chicken is nicely charred and completely cooked through. Check after 30mins and if it's all charring too quickly, just take it out, flip the veg, baste the chicken and pop in at a slightly lower temp.
- The internal temp of the chicken should be 75C/165F with the juices running clear.
Video
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more?
You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’
If you loved this Roasted Chicken Legs Recipe then be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments below and pick up your free ecookbook along the way!
Attempting this as I type, just wondering how long leftovers would keep in the fridge and the freezer?
Had to substitute in carrots and shallots to make up the veggies, but looking forward to it
Thanks
Should last a few days tightly stored in the fridge or 1 month+ in the freezer. I’d store and reheat the chicken and veggies separately (thaw in the fridge if frozen). C.
Chris Thanks my L.Q. were veggies packed under the skin stuffed, convection oven low temps also KyUmBaYa amigo ‘n thanks w!lle
recipe was easy and tasted good, if I had to change something it would be to use a little less cayenne,,lol. Hubby loved the spiciness though. I used a mix of white and sweet potatoes (what I had on hand), carrots and onion. No problems with over charring, baked in allotted time per recipe.
Great to hear this went down well, Vicki! Give it a go with half the amount of Cayenne and see how you get on 🙂 C.
I made it for tonight dinner. Absolutely delicious!
My partner delighted. I am going to pass your recipe to my mum.
Thank you, Chris
So great to hear, Joanna! Thanks so much for popping back for a review 🙂 C.
This was a hit with the hubby! Will definitely be making it again.
Great to hear! Thanks so much for the review 🙂