Quick Look: Smoked Chicken Quarters
- Flavor: Smoky, juicy chicken quarters with a simple homemade dry rub.
- Texture: Crispy skin with tender, flavorful dark meat.
- Method: Slow smoked and finished with a quick sear for the best results (and crispy skin).
- Cook Time: Ready in about 1½ hours at 225 degrees F.
- Equipment: Works on pellet grills, Traeger grills, and smokers.
- Beginner-Friendly: Easy smoker recipe with simple temperature and timing tips.
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Love Cooking Chicken With Your Smoker?
Then you gotta try our smoked chicken wings and whole smoked chicken. They both yield a rich smokey flavor and juicy bites.
Key Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- kosher salt & ground black pepper – Both add flavor and help the other spices to shine their brightest.
- onion powder & garlic powder – Classic dry rub flavors.
- paprika – Because this spice comes from red peppers, it has a semi sweet yet peppery flavor.
- dried oregano – This diverse seasoning brings notes of mint and earthiness.
- ground ginger – For a kick of flavor!
- cumin – Brings rich undertones.
- ground coriander – Adds notes of citrus and pepper.
- chicken leg quarters – These are simply the hindquarters or leg quarters of a chicken.
- light olive oil – To get that crispy skin that we love!
Key To Crispy Smoked Chicken Skin
One of the biggest challenges when smoking chicken is avoiding rubbery skin. Here are the three things that make the biggest difference:
- Pat the chicken completely dry before seasoning
- Use a little oil to help the skin render properly
- Finish over medium-high heat for crispy skin (don’t skip this!)
That final sear transforms the texture and gives you restaurant-quality smoked chicken.
Best Wood For Smoked Chicken
Chicken absorbs smoke quickly, so lighter woods tend to work best. Great options include:
- Apple wood
- Cherry wood
- Pecan wood
- Maple wood
If you enjoy stronger smoke flavor, hickory works great in moderation.
How To Smoke Chicken Quarters
Step 1: While the smoker heats to 225 degrees F, combine the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl. Pat the chicken quarters dry with paper towels, drizzle with olive oil, and coat evenly with the dry rub on all sides.
Step 2: Once your seasoned chicken quarters are in the smoker, let them smoke for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes or when their internal temperature reaches 158 to 160 degrees fahrenheit.
Step 3: For perfectly crispy skin, preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat and sear the chicken skin-side down for 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: For best results, remove your smoked chicken leg quarters and let them rest for 5-10 minutes, as they will continue cooking during this time, which makes them super juicy.
Pro Tips For The Best Smoked Chicken Quarters
- Dry The Skin Well – Moisture is the enemy of crispy chicken skin.
- Use A Meat Thermometer – Always cook based on internal temperature instead of time alone.
- Sear At The End – A quick high-heat finish gives the skin incredible texture.
- Let Rest: this allows the juices to redistribute resulting in extra-juicy meat!
- Mix it Up: we love the homemade dry rub we included, but feel free to stick with salt and pepper instead and then brush with bbq sauce before serving!
What To Serve With Chicken Quarters
Chicken is such a versatile meat and pairs beautifully with so many veggies and starches, but a few of our favorite side dishes are smoked broccoli, zesty Italian pasta salad, smoked corn on the cob, or a caesar pasta salad.
Storage + Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken quarters for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F until warmed through for best texture.
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- How long does it take to smoke chicken quarters at 225? Chicken quarters typically take about 1½ hours at 225 degrees F, depending on size and smoker temperature consistency.
- What is the best temperature to smoke chicken quarters? 225-250 degrees F works best for juicy smoked chicken with plenty of smoky flavor.
- How do you get crispy skin on smoked chicken? Pat the chicken dry, lightly oil the skin, and finish with high heat at the end of cooking.
- Should chicken quarters be smoked skin-side up or down? Smoke them skin-side up so the fat renders properly and the meat stays juicy.
- Smoker: we used our Traeger Pellet Grill to smoke these chicken quarters.
- Dry Rub: This simple dry rub is one of our favorites, but we also have a basic chicken dry rub and a smoked chicken dry rub if you want to experiment with flavors.
Other Smoked Chicken Recipes You Might Like
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- light olive oil
Instructions
- Prep Smoker: Preheat the smoker to 225℉ and ensure the grill grates are clean.
- Mix Dry Rub: Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger to a small bowl; mix to combine.
- Prep Chicken: Place 4 chicken leg quarters on a large plate or baking sheet, pat dry with paper towels and then drizzle with light olive oil; rub to coat. Sprinkle with the seasoning mixture and rub to coat.
- Smoke Chicken: Carefully set the seasoned chicken quarters directly on the grill grates of the smoker and let the chicken smoke for approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes or until their internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat reaches 158-160℉ (use a meat thermometer). Total smoke time will depend up on how thick your chicken quarters are and other variables – keep an eye on that internal temp.
- Sear: To get a crispy outside, bring a gas grill to a medium-high heat and sear the chicken quarters with the skin-side down for about 2-3 minutes or until char marks form.
- Rest + Serve: Remove from grill and let the meat rest for about 5-10 minutes and serve any way you want! We love using smoked shredded chicken to make our Easy Smoked Chicken Salad!
Notes
- Smoker: we used our Traeger Pellet Grill to smoke these chicken quarters.
- Dry Rub: love the simple dry rub included in this recipe card is great! We also have a homemade chicken dry rub and a smoked chicken dry rub. A store-bought option would work too!
- Searing: You do not have to do Step 5 and sear the chicken BUT if you don’t then leave your chicken on the smoker a bit longer until it reaches an internal temp. of 163 degrees F. The internal temp will continue to rise as it rests and will reach 165 degrees F.
- Leftovers: if you have leftovers then make a batch of our smoked chicken salad!
Nutrition
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