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Smoked chicken legs on a carving board with some barbecue sauce and green beans.

The Best Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters

These smoked leg quarters are going to be the hit at any summer cookout. Better than a rub, this smokey sweet dry brine penetrates the meat ensuring crispy delicious skin and tender juicy meat, every time.
5 from 29 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: smoked chicken leg quarters, smoked chicken quarters
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Dry Brine: 6 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 5
Calories: 281kcal
Author: Karen

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 5 chicken quarters look for air-chilled on the packaging
  • 3 Tablespoons brown sugar packed
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

  • Combine salt and spices to make the salt brine
  • Trim excess fat from leg quarters
  • Clean and pat dry with a paper towel
  • Rub brine generously on top and beneath the skin
  • Place leg quarters on a drying rack and refrigerate uncovered for 6-24 hours
  • Preheat your pellet smoker to 225F according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Place leg quarters in the smoker and close the lid
  • At the one-hour mark, check each portion of meat individually with a meat thermometer, be sure to probe the thickest part of the chicken quarter for an accurate read.
  • At the two-hour mark take another temperature reading. Quarters that are above 165F degrees are ready to be taken out of the smoker. If you would like darker crispier skin, feel free to leave them on until they reach 175-195 degrees
  • Allow meat to rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute before serving

Notes

Use 6 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 3 teaspoons of table salt to replace the 4.50 teaspoons Morton kosher salt in the ingredient list.
Don’t forget to apply the brine underneath the skin directly to the meat. This will give the meat its own flavor and make it extra juicy.
Do not use oil. This may seem counterintuitive but the smoking process releases water vapor from the meat.  Adding oil or even bbq sauce can act as a barrier which prevents the liquid in the chicken from vaporizing and resulting in chewy rubbery skin.
Don't worry if the temperature of your smoker doesn’t quite hit 225° F. It just means your leg quarters will take longer to cook.
Always use a meat thermometer when smoking meats. Smoking discolors the meat making it very difficult to tell when the meat is properly cooked so you must use temperature as your guide.
Avoid using a meat thermometer that has an attached probe and remains in the meat while its cooking. Not all the leg quarters will cook in the same amount of time due to hot spots in your smoker which means you must check the temperature of each piece individually.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 2874mg | Potassium: 259mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 296IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg
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