These grilled chicken leg quarters are juicy, tender, and oh so flavorful! Coated in with oil and a simple seasoning mix, grilled until deliciously golden, and then finished off with bbq sauce brushed on top, these grilled chicken legs are a perfect addition to any cookout!

Fire up the grill and throw on these amazing chicken leg quarters! They’re so easy to make and are full of flavor. The juicy, tender dark meat makes leg quarters one of my favorite cuts, and they always turn out perfect on the grill.

Overhead view of a plate of multiple grilled chicken leg quarters.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I find chicken leg quarters to be a pretty budget-friendly cut of chicken, and it is more likely to go on sale! So this is a delicious but budget-friendly meal you can whip up for dinner or as a meal prep for the week.
You can make this with or without the bbq sauce. I love brushing the bbq sauce onto the leg quarters, but the chicken and seasoning are flavorful enough to stand on their own if needed.
It takes under 40 minutes to make these grilled chicken leg quarters! You can even season them in advance and quickly throw them on the grill for a speedy weeknight dinner.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients needed to make grilled chicken leg quarters.

chicken quarters — the chicken leg quarter is made up of the thigh, drumstick, and part of the back of the chicken, so it’s quite the hearty serving of meat for a really good price! Got extra? Try my baked chicken quarters recipe!
oil — you’ll need some oil to get the seasoning to stick to the chicken legs.
seasoning — I use a simple mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. If you want to add some heat, mix in some cayenne powder.
bbq sauce — use your favorite bbq sauce! I love the sweetness of Sweet Baby Ray’s!

How to Grill Chicken Leg Quarters

Set of two photos showing chicken leg quarters seasoned and placed skin side down on a grill.

Drizzle the oil over the chicken quarters and rub the oil all over the legs to completely coat. Season well with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
Heat the grill to 400ºF. Place the chicken legs onto the grill, smooth side down.
Grill on direct heat for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the legs.

Set of two photos showing grilled chicken leg quarters with grill marks on the grill and then brushed with bbq sauce.

Flip the chicken legs every 5 minutes. Make sure the lid is on between flipping.
Brush the chicken legs with bbq sauce and flip them, allowing them to grill for 2 minutes with the brushed side facing down before brushing the other side and flipping the legs and grilling for another 2 minutes. This allows the sauce to caramelize and stick to the chicken leg quarters.
Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before serving.

A grilled chicken leg quarter on a plate with two slices of lemon and a fork and knife beside it.

Recipe Tips and Notes

Similar to chicken wings, I like to leave the chicken quarters in the fridge, uncovered, for a while so they dry out a bit, leading to wonderfully crispy skin.
I love serving my grilled chicken with some lemon slices or with a bit of lemon squeezed on top for some extra brightness!
When you grill the chicken drumsticks, keep the lid on. This will trap the heat so the chicken will cook evenly.
The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165°F (74°C) before taking them off the grill.

My Recommendation

This is my go-to meat thermometer for making sure that the internal temperature of my meat is good to go. It’s also magnetic so I have it on my fridge door to save drawer space!

Get it Now!

If the chicken is getting too dark too quickly, you can move it to indirect heat. My grill has a second set of grates on the lid to pop the chicken onto, so it still cooks but not directly over the flames.
If the chicken legs are stuck to the grill, give it a few more extra minutes. Similar to pan-searing chicken, the chicken should release once it’s ready to be flipped. You can also brush some oil onto the grill grates if you’re worried about the chicken sticking.
Try to get the seasoning underneath the skin of the chicken as well. This will make it even more flavorful!
Let chicken legs come to room temperature before grilling so the chicken cooks evenly.
Always let the chicken rest before serving. This gives the chicken time to redistribute the juices and remain moist. If you cut too early into the chicken, all the juices will run out.
While you don’t have to marinate this chicken leg recipe, if you have the time, you can season them and leave them overnight in the fridge for even more flavorful chicken!

A hand holding up a grilled chicken leg quarter.

Make Ahead Tips

Meal prep: once cooled, store the cooked chicken legs in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Freezer: allow the grilled chicken legs to cool before transferring them into an airtight container and storing them in the freezer. They can last for up to 3 months frozen.
Reheat: while you can reheat chicken legs in the microwave, you can reheat the chicken legs in the oven or air fryer for a couple of minutes so the skin stays crispy!

Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters

5 from 27 votes

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 24

Rest Time: 5

Total Time: 39

Servings: servings

Ingredients

5 chicken leg quarters
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika
½ cup bbq sauce

Equipment

grill

Instructions

Pat dry the chicken legs with a paper towel.
Drizzle the oil over the chicken quarters and rub the oil all over the legs to completely coat. Season well with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
Heat the grill to 400ºF.
Place the chicken legs onto the grill, smooth side down. Grill on direct heat for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the legs. Flipping every 5 minutes. Make sure the lid is on between flipping.
Brush the chicken legs with bbq sauce and flip them, allowing them to grill for 2 minutes with the brushed side facing down before brushing the other side and flipping the legs and grilling for another 2 minutes.
Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥

Nutrition Per Serving

Author: Carmy

Course: BBQ

Cuisine: American

Nutrition Disclaimer

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