Follow this recipe for smoked chicken quarters with bite-through skin and meat so juicy you’ll need extra napkins.
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Table of Contents
What are chicken quarters
A whole chicken is usually broken down into four main cuts: chicken breasts, chicken wings, chicken legs and chicken thighs.
Sometimes however the chicken legs and thighs are kept together. This cut of chicken is called a chicken quarter. It’s usually a little less per pound because it requires less butchering.
Chicken quarters are dark meat, which makes them juicier than chicken breasts, which are white meat.
They do have kind of thick skin, especially on the thighs, so it’s important to smoke them at the right temperature, so you get bite-through melt-in-your-mouth skin instead of rubbery skin.
Ingredients
- Chicken Quarters
- Oil: You can use olive oil, canola oil or avocado oil.
- Poultry Rub: Any type of dry rub that’s good on chicken will work great. You can also make your own simple rub with kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, a touch of brown sugar and some cayenne pepper or chili powder for heat.
- Duck Fat Spray: You can find this in BBQ specialty stores or buy duck fat spray online. You can also use vegetable oil spray.
OPTION: If you like sauced BBQ chicken, you'll also need a cup of your favorite BBQ sauce.
See the full recipe card below for servings and a full list of ingredients.
How to smoke chicken quarters
Your grill temperature setting will vary, depending on what type of smoker you’re cooking on.
For a charcoal grill or gas grill, set the temperature to 275F degrees with an indirect heat zone.
If you’re using a charcoal smoker, push the coals to one side, or use a diffuser plate.
For a gas grill, turn one burner off. That’s the side you’ll cook on. Then, add wood chips in a foil pouch.
If you’re using a pellet smoker like a Traeger Grill, Pit Boss, Recteq or Green Mountain Grill, set the temp to 325F degrees.
The best wood for smoking chicken is pecan wood or fruit woods because they produce a lighter smoke flavor. Cherry fruit wood will create a beautiful mahogany color.
- STEP ONE: Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with olive oil and rub.
PRO TIP: I like to season chicken quarters in a big container like the Drip EZ Prep Tub. If you have time, let the seasoned chicken rest in the fridge overnight. This will help flavor the meat more and will dry out the skin, so it will be more tender.
- STEP TWO: Place the seasoned chicken quarters on the smoker, skin side up, and smoke over indirect heat for 1 hour.
- STEP THREE: After the first hour, spritz with duck fat spray. This will help the skin crisp up.
- STEP FOUR: Continue smoking for another 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat measures 195-200F degrees using an instant-read thermometer.
PRO TIP: If you want to add your favorite barbecue sauce, brush it on during the last 15 minutes of the cook.
How to serve smoked chicken quarters
Once the chicken reaches temp, it’s best to serve it right away. When it’s hot, you’ll have bite through chicken skin and really juicy meat.
Smoked chicken quarters go great with a side of classic potato salad or baked beans. They’re also great on their own with just some chopped white onion and homemade pickles.
Storage
Store leftover chicken leg quarters in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. It can be reheated in a microwave. Or, for crispy skin, reheat it in an air fryer.
You can also freeze smoked chicken quarters, but the skins will lose their great texture.
GCG Pro Pitmaster Tips
- Let your chicken rub rest on the chicken overnight, if you have time
- Grill over indirect heat for even cooking
- Smoke to an internal temperature of 195-200F
Frequently Asked Questions
If you smoke chicken quarters at 275F degrees, it will take about 90 minutes for them to cook.
On a charcoal grill, I recommend smoking chicken quarters at 275F degrees. For a pellet grill, I recommend smoking them at a higher temperature around 325F. I don’t recommend smoking at a lower temperature because the skin won’t render properly and may be rubbery.
Chicken quarters contain both the chicken drumsticks, also called chicken legs, and the chicken thighs. Sometimes you’ll see them labeled as chicken leg quarters.
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Smoked Chicken Quarters
Ingredients
- 6 chicken quarters
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp chicken rub
- Duck Fat Spray
- 1 cup BBQ sauce, optional
Instructions
- Season: Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Rub all over with oil and seasoning. If you have time, let this rest in the fridge overnight. If not, that's okay.
- Charcoal or Gas Grill: Heat the grill to 275F degrees with an indirect heat zone. See above for setup and wood recommendations.
- Pellet Grill: If you have a pellet grill, heat it to 325F degrees.
- Smoke: Place the chicken on the grill skin side up. Smoke for 1 hour.
- Spray: After the first hour, spray it with duck fat spray. This helps crisp up the skin.
- Finish: Continue smoking for another 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 195-200F degrees.
- Optional Sauce: If you want to add sauce, brush it on during the last 15 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
