Step 1

Preheat oven to 400F.

Step 2

Dry the chicken quarters with paper towels and rub with oil. Evenly sprinkle the seasonings on both sides of each quarter and gently pat to make the seasonings stick.

Step 3

Heat 1/2 cup of cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In two batches, sear the chicken quarters, about 2 minutes per side or until the skin is deep golden brown. The time will depend on how hot your skillet is. Tip: the hot oil will splatter so be careful not to get burned. Use a splatter guard if you have one.

Step 4

Transfer the chicken onto the baking sheet, fitted with a cooling rack. Pour about 1 Tbsp of the cooking oil from the skillet over each chicken quarter. Tip: line the baking sheet with aluminum foil for much easier cleaning after cooking. Tip: you must use a cooling rack, or else the bottom of the chicken will come out soggy and greasy.

Step 5

Bake at 400F for about 35-45 minutes, or until the chicken skin is crispy and deep golden brown. Different ovens bake differently so the exact time may vary. In my oven, I need 45 minutes.Tip: chicken quarters will be fully cooked and reach 165F internal temperature at 400F in about 25 minutes, but you want to cook them longer for two reasons. One is that chicken legs and thighs just taste much better when cooked to about 185F - 190F. That's when they become super tender. The second reason is that the skin won't be as crispy after just 25 minutes.

Step 6

Remove the chicken from the oven, let rest for 3 minutes and serve with your favorite side dish.