How long to cook frozen chicken leg quarters in air fryer

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Delicious Ninja Foodi chicken leg quarters recipe is so easy to make. This dish is very inexpensive and a great dinner or lunch option. Air fryer chicken leg quarters is one of the easiest meal you can make for your family in less than 30 minutes

This is one of the easiest recipes i have on my site. Chicken legs quarters in air fryer are so easy to make and so hard to mess up. Air fryer must be the best appliance for this recipe, so simple! Even if you overcook it, the meat will still be tender and juicy, thanks to the high fat content.

Its always good to have an instant meat thermometer ready to make sure its not raw. 165 degrees Fahrenheit is an internal temperature you are looking for.

How to cook Ninja Foodi chicken leg quarters

Start with rinsing chicken with cold water. This will remove slime and dirt, if there is any. Also shop off extra skin, its always lots of skin on chicken quarters, more than needed.

Season well with herbs, paprika and salt. If you like BBQ sauce, don’t add it just yet. By adding BBQ sauce in the middle of cooking time, you will lower the risk of sauce burning. Place seasoned chicken leg quarters in air fryer and set the temperature up. Cook at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Than baste with BBQ sauce if using and cook for another 15 minutes.

A little note. If you are using BBQ sauce, don’t add too many herbs and salt to the recipe. I t will overpower the sauce flavor. But if that’s how you like it, then its ok.

How to cook air fryer chicken leg quarters from frozen

You can use this recipe in any air fryer, not just Ninja Foodi. So, for frozen chicken legs you will need to keep the same temperature but expand the cooking time. 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes. And again, if you are using BBQ sauce, baste chicken at about 20 minutes into cooking.

Other seasoning ideas

Chicken is great to try different seasoning and sauces on. Its hard to mess up so lets get creative:

1. Teriyaki. Make teriyaki chicken leg quarters that everybody will love. Marinade chicken in teriyaki sauce for 10 minutes ( or few hours if possible) and add to the air fryer. The aroma will be outstanding!
2. Leon pepper seasoning. Simply cover chicken in lemon pepper seasoning and cook as described in the recipe card.
3. BBQ sauce. Baste chicken with BBQ sauce only after its being cooked half way though. This way you will not burn the sauce.
4. Cajun seasoning. Make this dish a bit spicy by adding Cajun seasoning. It contains paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano garlic powder and black pepper. A nice spice kick!

Recipe tips and tricks

• Make sure that chicken is cooked all the way through. It should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit when fully cooked. Stick instant meat thermometer in to the thickest part of chick, probably a thigh. Do no touch the bone though because the bone is always hotter that the meat.
• Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. It needs enough air to circulate between chicken so it cooks properly. Ninja Foodi doesn’t have a large air fryer basket so you can’t really fit more than one leg quarter at one time. Maybe two, if they are small.
• Use fresh herbs if possible. It will add unbeatable aroma and flavor to the dish. I only had dried herbs and it turned out delicious too.
• BBQ sauce is great substitute to herbs. Just brush it on chicken legs and cook( just a bit so it doesn’t burn). Brush some more during cooking and some in the end too!

Side dishes for Ninja Foodi chicken leg quarters

You can successfully use just about anything as a side dish for this Ninja Foodi chicken recipe! Whatever you think will go well with chicken thighs or chicken breast, will definitely go well here.

Try to add a cup of white rice, mashed or roasted potatoes. Make scalloped potatoes or a cup of quinoa. Delicious healthy salad will work well with chicken as well. Use arugula or chopped Romain lettuce, sliced tomatoes and onions, cucumbers and maybe some olives if you like it.

Drizzle olive oil, possibly mixed with balsamic vinegar and enjoy your healthy salad as a side dish to your amazing air fryer chicken leg quarters. Got corn on the cob? Add it to the plate with grilled asparagus or artichokes.

Do i need to flip the chicken

You do if you have more than 1 chicken leg quarter in air fryer and it takes most of the space. If using 2 and more, flip chicken halfway through cooking to make sure all the sides are getting cooked properly and the skin is getting crispy.

If cooking only one chicken quarter at a time, there is no need to flip. It will be enough hot air to circulate around the meat and cook it perfectly.

What to do with leftovers

Store Ninja Foodi chicken leg quarters in the container or ziplock bag in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1 minute or in Ninja Foodi Air fryer for 2 minutes at 400 degrees.

You can also freeze cooked chicken. Just place it in the freezer safe ziplock bag or container. Freeze for up to 6 months or more if you sure that package is vacuum sealed. Extra air will freezer burn the chicken. Still eatable but not that appetizingly looking.

Frozen chicken leg quarters should be thawed in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours. Remove bones and use shredded meat in quesadillas, casseroles or soups.

More Ninja Foodi recipes

• Ninja Foodi pot roast
• Ninja foodi mashed potatoes
• Ninja Foodi corned beef and cabbage
• Ninja Foodi ham and bean soup
• Ninja Foodi whole frozen chicken
• Ninja Foodi beef ribs
• Ninja Foodi beets
• Ninja foodi green beans

Hope you will like this Air fryer chicken leg quarters recipe. Please rate and leave a comment if you have any questions!

Ingredients

• 2 chicken leg quarters
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

1. Cover chicken with a mix of spices.
2. Place chicken in the air fryer basket skin side up.
3. Cook at 400 degrees for 30 minutes (use Air Crisp for Ninja Foodi) . Flip chicken halfway through to ensure proper cooking.Remove chicken and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Cook frozen chicken at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.
• Make sure that chicken is cooked all the way through. It should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit when fully cooked. Stick instant meat thermometer in to the thickest part of chick, probably a thigh. Do no touch the bone though because the bone is always hotter that the meat.
• Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. It needs enough air to circulate between chicken so it cooks properly. Ninja Foodi doesn't have a large air fryer basket so you can't really fit more than one leg quarter at one time. Maybe two, if they are small.
• Use fresh herbs if possible. It will add unbeatable aroma and flavor to the dish. I only had dried herbs and it turned out delicious too.
• BBQ sauce is great substitute to herbs. Just brush it on chicken legs and cook( just a bit so it doesn't burn). Brush some more during cooking and some in the end too!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 481Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 328mgSodium: 783mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 62g

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