Spice-Rubbed Chicken Leg Quarters

When it's too cold outside to barbecue, I drum this up in the oven for family gatherings! The dry-rub barbecue has so much flavor versus using the sauce. And when you make your own dry rub, you'll never buy it in the store again. This is a must-try, family-favorite dry rub.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins
• Calories: 500 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅓ cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 5 cups water
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons chipotle chile powder
• 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
• ⅓ cup kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (Optional)
• 5 pounds chicken leg quarters
• 7 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons smoked paprika

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Mix water, sugar, salt, and vinegar for brine in a food-grade, nonreactive container.

Step 2

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place it in the brine, cover, and let sit for 2 hours.

Step 3

Mix brown sugar, paprika, chile powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, cumin, and nutmeg for dry rub together in a small bowl.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a baking dish with foil.

Step 5

Remove chicken from the brine and pat dry. Place it on a tray and generously sprinkle dry rub all over each piece, rubbing it into the skin and meat. (You will have some dry rub remaining.)

Step 6

Place chicken, skin-side down, in the prepared baking dish,. Cover with foil, making sure not to wrap it too tightly.

Step 7

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven. Increase the temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

Step 8

Remove the foil cover and turn chicken over. Sprinkle more dry rub onto the skin and return to the oven.

Step 9

Bake until skin is crispy, chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear, about 20 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).