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Chicken quarters on a serving platter with grilled spring onions; garnished in minced parsley.
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5 from 58 votes

Smoked Chicken Quarters

Talk about flavor! This easy smoked chicken quarter recipe get a simple spice rub before being smoked and then finished with a quick sear for perfectly crispy skin and delicious bites.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Resting Time5 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, barbeque
Servings: 8
Calories: 536kcal
Author: Kita Roberts

Ingredients

  • 5 lbs Chicken leg quarters
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 2 tbsp berbere
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp Chili powder
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Girl Carnivore Chick Fest

Instructions

Prep the Chicken

  • Pat the chicken dry and trim as needed to remove excess skin or fat.
    5 lbs Chicken leg quarters
  • Rub the chicken with the oil.
    2 tbsp oil
  • Whisk the spices together in a bowl.
    2 tbsp berbere, 1 tsp Garlic powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp Chili powder, ½ tsp Salt, 1 tsp Girl Carnivore Chick Fest
  • Liberally coat both sides of the chicken leg quarters with the spice blend.

Smoke the Chicken Quarters

  • Temp your Traeger or pellet smoker for 250-275 F.
  • Arrange the chicken on the grill grates.
  • Grill chicken skin side up and the lid closed.
  • After 1 hour, check the chicken for a temp of 180 to 190 F.

Sear the Chicken

  • Remove chicken from grill, set aside.
  • Increase heat for sear, around 400 to 450 degrees.
  • Sear chicken to crisp the skin 5 to 10 minutes, rotating as needed.

Rest And Serve

  • Allow the smoked chicken quarters to rest before serving 5 minutes.
  • Serve hot

Notes

Grill Options:
  • This recipe was made on a Traeger pellet smoker but could be made on any type of smoker: electric smoker, charcoal, or gas grill.
  • If using gas or charcoal, set your heat up for indirect heat and grill the chicken legs on the cooler side of the grill until you're ready to sear them at the end.
Flavor Variations:
  • Because chicken legs are begging to be smoked, they are perfect for any flavor variation. We love classing it up with unexpected global twists but also use our favorite BBQ blend or Latin-inspired cumin lime rubs, depending on how we're feeling. Get inspired and use this recipe as a basic guide for any flavor profile you're craving.  
Smoking Wood: 
  • Because chicken is mild, stick to mild smoking woods like apple, pecan, or maple.
  • We recommend Jack Daniel's Charcoal Pellets for any pellet smoker with a smoker tube or box filled with wood chips for the best flavor.  
Serve with Alabama White Sauce for dipping.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 536kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 236mg | Sodium: 448mg | Potassium: 508mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 359IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 3mg