How to Cook a Chicken Leg

Co-authored by Jennifer Levasseur

A chicken leg is made of dark meat and is a tasty and faster alternative to cooking an entire chicken. Chicken legs can be cooked in a variety of ways, such as pan-frying, poaching, and baking. If you want to know how to cook chicken legs in a variety of ways, just follow these steps.

Ingredients

Pan-Fried Chicken Legs

8 chicken legs
5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
4 tbsp. kosher salt
3 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. ground cayenne pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dry mustard powder

Poached Chicken Legs

2 quarts chicken stock
1 leek
1 yellow onion
3 carrots
3 celery stalks
4 cloves garlic
6 chicken legs
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 bay leaf

Baked Chicken Legs

6-8 chicken legs
4-5 tbsp. olive oil
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Pan-Fried Chicken Legs

1
Marinate the chicken. Mix together the spices and 3 tablespoon (44.4 ml). of olive oil and rub the chicken in the spices to improve its flavor. Let the chicken soak in the marinade for at least one hour in the refrigerator before you begin to fry it. The longer you leave the chicken in the marinade, the deeper the color and flavor will penetrate the chicken.^{[1]
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2
Warm a pan with olive oil over medium heat. Add at least 2 tablespoon (29.6 ml). of olive oil to the pan, just enough to thinly coat the bottom of the pan. Wait until the oil is sizzling, which should take about 1-2 minutes.

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3
Place the chicken in the pan and let it sizzle for 5-10 minutes. Fry the chicken until the bottom has darkened and begun to turn crispy and brown.
4
Turn the chicken over and cook the other side. Cook the chicken on its other side until it's the same color and consistency as the first side of the chicken. To check that it's done, you can cut into the thickest part of the drumstick. The juices should run clear and the meat should be opaque throughout -- not pink.
- You can also use a regular or digital thermometer to check the chicken internal temperature. The thickest part of the leg must cook until it reaches 165 °F.
5
Remove the chicken from the pan and let it cool. Place it on a plate for at least 10 minutes until it has cooled down.
6
Serve. Enjoy this tasty chicken while it's hot. You can eat it on its own or pair it with a nice portion of veggies and potatoes.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Poached Chicken Legs

1
Prepare the stock. To prepare the stock, finely chop the leek, onion, and garlic. Then, place the stock pot on the burner until medium-low heat and add the olive oil to the pot. Then, place the chopped ingredients into the pot and sweat them out. Then, add the chopped carrots, celery, and bay leaf and chicken stock to the pot.
2
Cover the pot and let it simmer for an hour. As it simmers, add salt and pepper to taste. Then, reduce the heat so between 170 - 180 ºF (76 - 82 ºC).
3
Add the chicken legs to the stock. Gently move the chicken around in the liquid if pieces of chicken are touching each other. You do not want raw sides, and you do not want to have a funny piece of chicken, set in a rough shape from another piece of chicken squashing it while it was cooking.
4
Cook the chicken for 25-30 minutes or until they're tender. Make sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165º F (74º C) before you eat it. When it's done, place it on a plate and let it cool for 5-10 minutes.
5
Serve. Enjoy this poached chicken on its own or with a side of veggies or mashed potatoes.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Baked Chicken Legs

1
Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).^{[2]
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2
Coat the bottom of the roasting pan with olive oil. You should use about 2–3 tablespoon (30–44 ml). of olive oil to do this.
3
Prepare the chicken. Rinse the chicken legs in water and pat them dry with paper towels. Then, Rub some olive oil over the chicken pieces. Rub the olive oil over the chicken pieces to prevent them from burning and to give them an even richer flavor. After that, sprinkle both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and freshly ground pepper.
4
Arrange the pieces in the roasting pan skin-side up. Leave a little bit of room between the pieces so they aren't crowded in the pan.
5
Cook the chicken for 30 minutes. Place the pan in the oven and begin to cook the chicken.
6
Lower the heat to 350°F (176°C) and cook the legs for 10-30 more minutes. You should cook the legs for about 14-15 minutes for each pound of chicken. Cook them until the juices run clear instead of pink when they're poked with a sharp knife. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165ºF (74º C). If the pieces aren't browning as much as you like, you can broil them for the last five minutes.
7
Remove from heat. Remove the chicken from the roasting pan and place it on an aluminum plate, tenting it with foil. Let it rest for at least 5-10 minutes before you serve it.
8
Serve. Enjoy this delicious baked chicken on its own while it's hot.

Community Q&A

Question

Do you use flour when pan frying chicken?

Community Answer

You can add a few tablespoons of flour to the spice mixture and dip the chicken in egg before coating with the flour mixture.
Question

What is the difference between a chicken leg and a chicken quarter? Do they cook the same?

Community Answer

A chicken leg and quarter are practically the same. A chicken quarter is a part of a chicken leg. They can be cooked the same ways.

Warnings

Remember chicken becomes tough and stringy when cooked too fast or when cooked in excessively hot liquid. Boiling chicken equals tough stringy chicken.

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