These smoked chicken quarters are so juicy and succulent with a golden crispy skin that is seasoned to perfection! I use a simple BBQ dry rub blend that you can make from scratch in a snap! Once your chicken is seasoned, the smoker does the rest of the work!
Easy Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters
If your family can't agree on whether you should have chicken drumsticks or thighs, these smoked chicken quarters will keep everyone happy! It's an incredibly easy recipe with juicy and tender results and plenty of smokey BBQ flavor!
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If you can appreciate extra crispy chicken skin, be sure to stop by my page on how to get smoked chicken skin crispy (in pellet grills and smokers). It's full of useful tips and tricks you can try while smoking these chicken leg quarters!
🥘 Smoked Chicken Quarters Ingredients
All you need to make these delectable chicken leg quarters is the meat and a batch of my homemade BBQ chicken dry rub. You could use your favorite chicken dry rub as well, but I stand by the flavor of this simple seasoning blend!
- Light Brown Sugar - 2 tablespoons of packed light brown sugar or a light brown sugar substitute
- Smoked Paprika - 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika or regular paprika.
- Garlic Powder - 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Onion Powder - 1 teaspoon of onion powder or an onion powder substitute.
- Salt - ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Chili Powder - ½ teaspoon of chili powder or a chili powder substitute for a little heat.
- Ground Black Pepper - ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- Oregano (optional) - ½ teaspoon of oregano or an oregano substitute for some herbaceous flavor.
- Chicken Quarters - 2-3 pounds of chicken leg quarters.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Smoke Chicken Quarters
These chicken leg quarters are surprisingly easy to make (they just take a little time). You'll need your measuring spoons, a small mixing bowl, your pellet grill or smoker, and a meat thermometer!
1 pound of chicken leg quarters makes about 4 servings, so 2-3 pounds will give you 6-8 servings of chicken.
Prep The Chicken
- Make the dry rub. Add all of the dry rub ingredients (2 tablespoons (24 grams) of light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon (7 grams) of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon (3 grams( of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon (2 grams) of onion powder, ½ teaspoon (3 grams) of salt, ½ teaspoon (1 gram) of chili powder, ¼ teaspoon (0.5 grams) of ground black pepper, and ½ teaspoon (1 gram) of oregano) to a small mixing bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Pat dry. Rinse 2-3 pounds (907.18 grams) of chicken quarters under cool running water and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Season. Season the chicken generously with your prepared dry rub, making sure to massage the seasoning into the meat. Let the chicken sit in the seasoning for 40 minutes to get the juices flowing and let it absorb the flavor (*see note).
Smoke The Chicken
- Preheat. Near the end of the 40 minutes, preheat your smoker to 250°F (65°C).
- Put chicken on the grates. Once your smoker is ready, add the seasoned chicken quarters directly to the grate with the skin facing upwards.
- Smoke. Close your smoker and let it cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C), but preferably between 175-180°F (79°-82°C) as read by a meat thermometer. This took me about 2 hours (*see note).
- Rest. Transfer your chicken to a tray or cutting board and loosely tent a piece of foil over the top. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
🥗 What To Serve With Smoked Chicken Quarters
There are so many simple and wonderfully delicious side dishes you could pair with your smoked chicken leg quarters. From classics like Southern coleslaw or butter-boiled corn on the cob to rich and creamy Velveeta mac and cheese!
In fact, I have an entire page dedicated to all the fabulous foods you can serve with BBQ chicken. You can't go wrong with any of these delectable BBQ side dishes, either! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- While the CDC does not recommend rinsing raw meat, I prefer to wash off any small bone shards that may be on the surface. If you prefer not to rinse your chicken, pat it dry before seasoning (this is essential for crispy skin)!
- I use about ½ of a batch of my BBQ chicken rub per pound of chicken. So, for 2 pounds of chicken quarters, you will use a full batch. For 3 pounds of chicken, you may want to make another half batch!
- The salt in the BBQ chicken dry rub can draw moisture out of the meat if let to sit too long. You either want to season immediately before putting your meat in the smoker or wait at least 40 minutes after seasoning to let the juices reabsorb.
- The ideal internal temperature for cooked chicken is 165°F (74°C). However, when dealing with chicken that still has bones and skin intact, you should target closer to 175-180°F (79°-82°C). At this temperature, the connective tissues start to dissolve, resulting in moist and tender chicken meat.
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🥡 Storing & Reheating
Place any leftover chicken quarters in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing Smoked Chicken Quarters
Your smoked chicken can be placed in a heavy-duty freezer bag and frozen for up to 3 months. Transfer it to the fridge to thaw out overnight before reheating.
Reheating Smoked Chicken Quarters
Put your leftovers in a baking dish with a splash of broth and cover it with foil. Bake at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
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📖 Recipe Card
Smoked Chicken Quarters
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon oregano (optional)
- 2-3 lbs chicken quarters
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Prep The Chicken
- Add all of the dry rub ingredients (2 tablespoon light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, and ½ teaspoon oregano) to a small mixing bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Rinse 2-3 lbs chicken quarters under cool running water and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Season the chicken generously with your prepared dry rub, making sure to massage the seasoning into the meat. Let the chicken sit in the seasoning for 40 minutes to get the juices flowing and let it absorb the flavor (*see note).
Smoke The Chicken
- Near the end of the 40 minutes, preheat your smoker to 250°F (65°C).
- Once your smoker is ready, add the seasoned chicken quarters directly to the grate with the skin facing upwards.
- Close your smoker and let it cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C), but preferably between 175-180°F (79°-82°C) as read by a meat thermometer. This took me about 2 hours (*see note).
- Transfer your chicken to a tray or cutting board and loosely tent a piece of foil over the top. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- While the CDC does not recommend rinsing raw meat, I prefer to wash off any small bone shards that may be on the surface. If you prefer not to rinse your chicken, pat it dry before seasoning (this is essential for crispy skin)!
- I use about ½ of a batch of my BBQ chicken rub per pound of chicken. So, for 2 pounds of chicken quarters, you will use a full batch. For 3 pounds of chicken, you may want to make another half batch!
- The salt in the BBQ chicken dry rub can draw moisture out of the meat if let to sit too long. You either want to season immediately before putting your meat in the smoker or wait at least 40 minutes after seasoning to let the juices reabsorb.
- The ideal internal temperature for cooked chicken is 165°F (74°C). However, when dealing with chicken that still has bones and skin intact, you should target closer to 175-180°F (79°-82°C). At this temperature, the connective tissues start to dissolve, resulting in moist and tender chicken meat.
- To store: Place any leftover chicken quarters in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: Your smoked chicken can be placed in a heavy-duty freezer bag and frozen for up to 3 months. Transfer it to the fridge to thaw out overnight before reheating.
- To reheat: Put your leftovers in a baking dish with a splash of broth and cover it with foil. Bake at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
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