Oh how I love bone-in-skin-on chicken leg quarters. Talk about flavor. And when you serve them up with roasted garlic and some crusty bread? Perfection.
You could certainly skip the whole cranberry thing, but I do like the tartness of the cranberries in the dish. They add an extra step, but you can certainly prep them the day before you make these chicken leg quarters.
The fresh herbs, the lemon juice, the garlic – mmmm! When you layer in flavors, and go the extra step, it really gives your dish some body – perhaps, we might say, a leg to stand on? I’ll be here all week.
Isn’t the color in this dish so gorgeous, too? I love how the red cranberries pop with the yellow of the lemons – it’s like a feast for your eyes and not just your stomach!
Cranberry Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters
The cranberries need to be soaked in water and sugar for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours prior to making this dish. The fresh herbs, lemon juice and garlic really make the dish pop and bring a fresh, brightness to your dinner table.
Ingredients
For the cranberries:
- 2 c water
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1 lb cranberries
For the chicken:
- 4 chicken leg quarters bone in, skin on
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 10 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 c fresh poultry seasoning, minced
- 1 lemon, juiced remnants saved
- salt, pepper, to taste
- 2 whole heads of garlic tops cut off, optional
Instructions
- Combine sugar and water until sugar is dissolved.
- Combine cranberries with sugar water, refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours. The longer they sit, the less tart and/or bitter the cranberries will be.
- Preheat the oven to 425.
- Pat the chicken leg quarters dry and melt 4 tbsp butter in an oven-safe skillet.
- Sear the chicken leg quarters on eat side until skin is golden, about 5 minutes per side.
- Remove from the heat.
- In a small bowl, combine minced garlic, seasoning, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour over chicken leg quarters.
- To the pan, add your soaked cranberries; place halved lemon in the pan along with 2 garlic heads with the tops cut off (optional).
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Serve with crusty bread.
