Juicy Baked Chicken Quarters with Herbed Dijon
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I hope this becomes your go-to recipe for chicken leg quarters (thighs and drumsticks). Everything roasts on one sheet pan with potatoes, onions, and carrots, and the Dijon-herb coating adds so much flavor with little effort.
This is the kind of recipe that feels a little more put-together than it really is. Baking bone-in chicken gives you juicy, flavorful dark meat, and everything cooks together on one sheet pan for a complete dinner.
I always imagine this dish is what a French chef would cook on their day off — it feels so casual and homey. And the roasted carrots, potatoes and onions bake right along with the chicken, so there’s no need to prep a separate side dish.
If you want more veggies to serve with the chicken, I highly recommend a side of these roasted green beans.
Let’s talk about ingredients
- Chicken quarters: Buy whole chicken legs (leg quarters), which include both the drumstick and thigh attached at the joint. This cut is one of the most flavorful parts of the bird — the higher fat content keeps the meat juicy and it’s hard to overcook.
- Potatoes: Use small “new” or baby potatoes (about 1 inch). They’ll cook through at the same rate as the chicken. If using larger potatoes, cut them into 1/2-inch chunks so everything finishes at the same time.
- Dijon mustard: Brushed over the skin, Dijon adds sharp, savory flavor and helps the surface brown as it roasts. Grainy mustard works too if you enjoy a little more texture.
- Herbs: Thyme is a natural partner for chicken. Strip the leaves and chop them roughly — no need to be fussy. You can swap in tarragon, oregano, or a dried herb blend if that’s what you have.
- Red wine vinegar: A splash added after baking brightens the pan juices and balances the richness of the chicken. You can substitute balsamic, white wine vinegar, or a squeeze of lemon.
Step-by-step with my tips
1. Pat the chicken dry, and sprinkle evenly with salt and black pepper. 2. Blend Dijon mustard, chopped thyme, and olive oil.
3. Brush the mustard mixture over the chicken skin. At this point, you can cover and place in the fridge up to 24 hours before baking. 4. Toss the sliced vegetables on a sheet pan with olive oil.
5. Arrange the chicken quarters over the veggies. 6. Bake at 425F until the internal temperature reads 170-175 on an instant-read meat thermometer (40-45 minutes) 7. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over and serve.
Juicy Baked Chicken Quarters with Herbed Dijon
Equipment
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 4 (580 g) chicken leg quarters, about 3½ pounds total
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) Dijon mustard, smooth or whole grain
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 4-6 medium (250 g) carrots, peeled and chopped into ½-inch thick rounds
- 6-8 (300 g) baby new potatoes (red or yellow), 1-inch diameter, sliced in half
- 1 onion (yellow or red), halved and thickly sliced
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly on both sides — don't be afraid to be generous because this step adds flavor to the chicken!
- Combine the mustard, thyme and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small bowl. Brush the mixture evenly over the skin side of the chicken.
- Put the carrots, potatoes and onion slices on a rimmed baking sheet that's just large enough to hold the chicken and vegetables snugly —10 x 15-inches is a good size. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch each of salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread the vegetable out evenly over the surface of the pan.
- Arrange the chicken quarters skin-side down on top of the vegetables, nestling them in so that some of the vegetables are exposed and some are tucked under the chicken.
- Bake 20 minutes. Flip the chicken over so it's skin-side up and rotate the pan Bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the chicken skin is golden brown and crusty and the vegetables are tender.
- Pour the vinegar into the pan around the vegetables. Sprinkle the parsley over the top and serve.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- Depending on your family’s appetite, this recipe will serve 4-6 people. If you’d like additional veggies, fill a second sheet pan with more potatoes, carrots and onions and bake in the oven with the chicken, on a separate rack.
- To ensure that the potatoes will be perfectly tender and roasted when the chicken is done, use baby potatoes that are no larger than 1-inch diameter. Otherwise, cut larger potatoes into 1/2-inch chunks.
- Fresh thyme is a classic seasoning for chicken. Strip the leaves off the thyme stems and chop them coarsely. You can switch out with tarragon, oregano or a dried herb blend you enjoy.
- A splash of tart red wine vinegar adds an instant hit of savory acidity to the pan juices. Balsamic, white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice are good substitutes.
- To reheat the chicken: Place in a 350F oven until warmed through, 12-15 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
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husband loved it. i seasoned under skin and then used red wine with lemon for finish. made it in morning and covered in frdge and cooked it at dinner time.
This was easy to throw together on a busy weeknight where I didn’t want to babysit a recipe. I substituted chicken thighs and delicata squash (for the carrots). It was delicious!
Ooooh – I might have to try it with thighs and delicata myself!! So happy you enjoyed.
This recipe is delicious and worked out perfectly.
I’ll definitely be making this again.
Hi, Karan i wanted all recipes with video to see how to cook Pls? Thanks!
This was so easy and very delicious!
This was great! I also used some bone in chicken breast with the quarters. I forgot to add the vinegar at the end. Yet even with that mistake, everyone said it was so good! Thank you!
Great recipe and BIG win at home! For the red wine vinegar, I threw it in a little spray bottle to spritz over the dish (maybe I’m a little extra, but it was a huge win and widely appreciated!) – JUST RIGHT!!
Love this recipe, and definitely a repeat!
Hello, this is a great recipe. The family loved it. Thank you!!!
This was fantastic! The quarters cooked perfect, just as nice as when they’re grilled. I’m making it for the second time today 🙂
I didn’t have a large enough of pan with high sides so I used a roaster pan. In the oven now for the first leg of its journey. I will flip over and maybe set it for 30 minutes since it is in a roster pan. Looks good and the dijon mustard/olive oil and thyme looked good on it. Gave it 5 stars because it is a no brainer.
This was so delicious and easy to make! I’m definitely making this again.
Oh, yay! I’m happy you loved this recipe. It’s a dish that goes way back to when I first started cooking for my husband 😍