Baked Chicken Quarters

Drizzling sauce over a baked chicken quarter.

These baked chicken quarters get slathered in a sweet and savory honey mustard glaze that turns into a delicious spooning sauce. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken or a side of rice or potatoes.

Check the notes for recipe variations to change the flavor up and serve this easy and economical chicken dinner several nights per month.

4.92 from 24 votes

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 45

Additional Time: 10

Total Time: 1 55

Servings: to 6 servings

Calories: 194kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

For the Honey Mustard Sauce

4 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 to 4 garlic cloves grated or finely minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup chicken broth or white wine

For the Chicken Quarters

4 chicken quarters leg and thigh
½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F and spray a 13 x 18-inch baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
In a small dish, whisk together the honey, Dijon mustard, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, vinegar, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Set the dish aside while you prep the chicken quarters.
Pat the chicken quarters dry with a paper towel. Trim away the excess fat and remove any pin feathers if present. Place the chicken on the baking sheet.
Brush half of the honey-mustard mix on the underside of the chicken quarters. Flip them over and brush the remaining mix on the skin side, lifting the skin as much as possible to get the sauce underneath the skin. Dust lightly with paprika.
Pour the chicken broth (or white wine) directly into the sheet pan, without pouring it on top of the chicken.
Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 45 minutes. When the chicken has roasted for 20 minutes, rotate the pan and tent with foil to prevent over-browning. Remove the tent for the last 5 minutes to crisp the chicken skin.
Cook the chicken quarters until the internal temperature reaches 175°F. Chicken is safe to eat at 165°F but since the chicken quarters have dark meat, they contain more connective tissue and need extra time to get juicy, and tender. If they haven't reached 175°F after 45 minutes, continue cooking them and check the internal temperature about every 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Use a half sheet pan (13 x 18 inches) in order to give plenty of room in the pan so the chicken doesn't get crowded. If you use a smaller pan, the chicken will get submerged in the liquid and boil instead of roast.
Chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165° but chicken quarters taste better if they cook to an internal temperature of 175°F. It takes longer to break down the connective tissue in dark meat.
Don't cook the chicken too far beyond 175°F or it will start to dry out.
If you don't have an instant-read thermometer, cook the chicken until the juices run clear. You will, however, get more consistent and reliable results if you use an instant-read thermometer.

Recipe Variations

Use a store-bought or homemade marinade to marinate the chicken for 60 minutes before baking it.
Coat in BBQ sauce or raspberry chipotle sauce instead of the honey Dijon sauce.
Try a dry rub like Maui Wowee Hawaiian Teriyaki Rub or a Beer infused rub like Honey mustard IPA rub or add extra umami with Umami seasoning.

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