Everyday Healthy Recipes

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Cookie Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Cookie Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Easy Meals

    Spiced Crispy Chicken Legs

    March 12, 2018 By Monika Last Updated February 3, 2022 21 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Close-up view of crispy chicken leg quarters on top of wire rack with lime wedges.

    These delicious Moroccan spiced crispy chicken legs are perfectly crispy on the outside with gorgeous, succulent meat on the inside. This recipe is super easy to make and does not involve marinating or precooking the meat - just coat in the spices, bake and enjoy!

    Top down view of 2 crispy chicken leg quarters on top of wire rack with lime wedges on top of wooden board.

    This spiced crispy chicken legs recipe takes under 10 minutes to prepare and makes a fantastic family dinner.  

    This is the easiest method of baking chicken legs to crispy perfection I know and I am very excited to share it with you today.  I made this recipe a few times, each time a little differently in order to compare the results and decide which method worked best.  Once using spatchcock chicken and once using smaller chicken legs.

    Although the chicken tasted delicious each time (I used the same spice mix) the texture of the spatchcock chicken wasn't exactly what I was looking for.  The problem with using spatchcock chicken is that white meat cooks quickly and can be chewy if roasted for too long, so it's best to stick to dark meat only.

    When I used smaller chicken legs the skin was nice and crispy but the meat was a little dry around the edges.

    Using chicken leg quarters produced the best results.  The skin was paper thin and perfectly crispy with no traces of fat in it while the meat inside was succulent and absolutely delicious.

    How to make chicken legs crispy

    • Bake slowly in a preheated oven at a low/moderate temperature until nicely browned on top.
    • Bake the chicken legs skin side up.
    • Start basting halfway through.

    Top down view of 2 crispy chicken leg quarters on top of wire rack with lime wedges and tongs in background.

    Crispy chicken legs ingredients

    This recipe consists of chicken legs (with the skin on), a Moroccan inspired spice mixture and a little oil to keep the spices together and help crisp up the skin.

    You can play around with the proportions in this spice mix to suit your preference.  For example, adjust the amount of cayenne to create a milder or spicier mix.  If you are not a fan of cinnamon, for example, omit it and use more paprika instead (or add a little smoked paprika).

    Top tip

    In order to create a crispy finish it is important to use chicken with the skin on.

    Step-by-step recipe instructions

    1.Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ gas mark 4. Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper and set aside. In a bowl combine all the spices and salt and stir thoroughly.

    Spices in white bowl.

    2. Scatter the mixture over the bottom of your roasting pan.  Remove any loose pieces of skin from the chicken and pat the meat dry on both sides.

    Spice mixture spread over parchment paper and raw chicken leg quarters on white plate in top right corner.

    3. Coat the chicken legs in the spice mix on both sides as evenly as possible and arrange in your pan, skin side up. Drizzle over a little oil.

    4 spiced chicken leg quarters in roasting pan lined with paper.

    4. Bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Start basting after about 45 minutes every 15 minutes or so. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

    4 crispy baked chicken leg quarters and juices in roasting pan lined with parchment paper.

    Top tips

    • It is important to pat the meat dry before coating in the spices. Also try to coat the meat as evenly as possible.
    • Bake the chicken legs in a preheated oven.
    • Start basting after 40-50 minutes when there are enough juices in your roasting pan.
    • Do NOT turn the meat over. It should be roasted skin side up.
    • Serve the chicken straight from the oven as it won't be as crispy after 15 minutes.
    • You can prepare the spice mixture ahead, store it in a jar and keep in a cupboard.  If you double the ingredients you can also use it in other recipes. Sprinkle over potato wedges or other vegetables before popping them in the oven, add to fajitas (whether you are using meat or just vegetables), burritos etc.

    Serving suggestions

    Serve this Moroccan spiced chicken with cauliflower rice tabbouleh or roasted cauliflower salad.  Tastes delicious also with rice, couscous or curried quinoa.

    Close-up view of 4 crispy chicken legs in roasting pan.

    You might also like

    • Yogurt Marinated Moroccan Spiced Chicken Breast 
    • Easy Apricot Chicken Tagine with Chickpeas
    • Oven Pulled Chicken the Healthy Way
    • Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs

    Check out also this collection of 13 healthy easy one pot chicken recipes.

    Keep in touch!

    If you make this spiced crispy chicken legs recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Did you add any more spices into the mixture? Let me know in the comments below, thanks:)

    Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular recipe updates! Or you could subscribe to this blog and receive all my latest recipes right into your mailbox!

    Recipe

    Top down view of 2 crispy chicken leg quarters on top of wire rack with lime wedges on top of wooden board.

    Spiced Crispy Chicken Legs

    These easy, delicious Moroccan spiced crispy chicken legs are crispy on the outside with gorgeous, succulent meat on the inside.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner, Main
    Cuisine: dairy free, gluten free, Moroccan
    Prep Time: 7 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 27 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 351kcal
    Author: Monika Dabrowski

    Equipment

    • Medium size roasting pan

    Ingredients

    • 4 chicken leg quarters with skin
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil

    Moroccan Spice Mix, all in powder form

    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • ⅔ teaspoon ginger, cayenne pepper, onion and garlic each
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • ⅓ teaspoon allspice, cinnamon, fine sea salt each

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ gas mark 4. Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper and set aside.
    • Combine all the spices and salt, stir thoroughly and scatter the mixture over the bottom of the roasting pan.
    • Cut off any loose skin from the chicken and pat the chicken dry using paper towel. Coat the chicken in the spices on both sides (do this as evenly as you can using the entire spice mixture).
    • Arrange the chicken in the pan skin side up, drizzle with the oil and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes in the centre of the oven. Start basting after about 40-50 minutes (baste every 15 minutes or so). Do NOT turn the meat over.
    • Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

    Notes

    • It is important to pat the meat dry before coating in the spices. Also try to coat the meat as evenly as possible.
    • Bake the chicken legs in a preheated oven.
    • Start basting after 40-50 minutes when there are enough juices in your roasting pan.
    • Do NOT turn the meat over. It should be roasted skin side up.
    • Serve the chicken straight from the oven as it won't be as crispy after 15 minutes.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 305mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 254IU | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

    *Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

    **A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @Monika8021 or tag #EverydayHealthyRecipes!

     

    More Easy Meals

    • Side view of potato lasagna with meat filling and white sauce in rectangular dish.
      Potato and Meat Lasagna
    • Top down view of braised pork steaks with onion in large shallow pan.
      Braised Pork Shoulder Steaks (Polish Style)
    • Top down view of turkey meatballs in gravy in large shallow pan.
      Polish-Style Turkey Meatballs in Gravy (Klopsiki)
    • Side view of stuffed potato cakes in brown bowl.
      Stuffed Potato Cakes (Meat, Mushrooms)
    1023 shares

    Comments

      5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Lesley@lostinfood says

      March 20, 2018 at 5:54 pm

      I love the look of this dish, the spicing is right up my street, sounds delicious.

      Reply
      • Monika says

        March 21, 2018 at 10:55 am

        Thanks Lesley, I love Moroccan spices in everything:)

        Reply
    2. Jhuls says

      March 20, 2018 at 9:27 am

      This looks so tasty, Monika! I love the sound of the recipe. Thanks for sharing! x

      Reply
    3. petra08 says

      March 19, 2018 at 8:30 pm

      I love chicken with crispy skin and delicious spices! Yum 🙂

      Reply
      • Monika says

        March 19, 2018 at 9:15 pm

        Thanks Petra:)

        Reply
    4. Jacqui says

      March 18, 2018 at 7:44 pm

      Ohh Monika I would love these I know I would. I often do lamb with Moroccan Spices but Chicken less so. These look delicious!

      Reply
      • Monika says

        March 19, 2018 at 9:18 pm

        Thanks Jacqui! No one complained about dinner that day:)

        Reply
    5. TurksWhoEat says

      March 16, 2018 at 7:14 pm

      I love roasting chicken. I totally agree with sticking to the dark meat. This mixture of spices sounds wonderful.

      Reply
      • Monika says

        March 16, 2018 at 8:06 pm

        Thank you! glad you like my choice of spices:)

        Reply
    6. Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food says

      March 14, 2018 at 7:52 pm

      I love making spatchcock chicken because it's oh-so-dramatic, but I'm with you about the different cooking times (and resulting uneven results). I love the idea of using leg quarters—they're always on sale at my grocery, and they're impressive in their own right. These look just gorgeous: I'm going to have to try these babies out on the hubster for date night!

      Reply
      • Monika says

        March 15, 2018 at 3:13 pm

        Thanks Michelle, really glad you like this recipe, do let me know how it turns out if you make it:)

        Reply
      • Phil says

        August 22, 2020 at 9:24 pm

        Hi Monika, made your gorgeous Moroccan crispy spicy chicken tonight, totally yum. I served it with a stir fry of peppers, thickly sliced red onions, carrots, green beans, celery, smoked garlic, sliced green chilli and coriander leaves, fried in olive oil, dhania, cumin and tomato paste. I put the chicken on a bed of cauliflower rice mixed with finely chopped coriander. Thank you for a beautiful recipe, I will definitely be cooking it again - and again , and again! I love spices and big flavour, happy me!!

        Reply
        • Monika says

          August 23, 2020 at 8:38 am

          Sounds like quite a feast, I especially like the addition of the smoked garlic! You are welcome and thank you for your feedback:)

          Reply
    7. Mandy Mazliah says

      March 14, 2018 at 12:19 pm

      This sounds really lovely - I think my kids would really enjoy this x

      Reply
      • Monika says

        March 15, 2018 at 3:06 pm

        Thanks Mandy! I thought your whole family was vegetarian...

        Reply
    8. Corina Blum says

      March 14, 2018 at 11:50 am

      This sounds really delicious! Coating chicken in some spices and then roasting it really is one of my favourite easy meals - It's also something I can pretty much guarantee everyone in the house will eat too which is always a good thing!

      Reply
      • Monika says

        March 14, 2018 at 11:20 pm

        Thank you Corina! It's the same in my house:)

        Reply
    9. fessjarmer says

      March 13, 2018 at 4:12 pm

      Ahhhhh I just love crispy chicken SO much, especially when it's coated with my fave spices! Moroccan cuisine is just the best and full of so much flavour! x

      Reply
      • Monika says

        March 14, 2018 at 9:08 am

        Thank you! Moroccan spices really are super delicious:)

        Reply
    10. Cat says

      March 12, 2018 at 8:58 pm

      This looks delicious. I prefer dark meat on chicken because I think it as more favour which along with your Moroccan spices and crispy skin would be so tasty!

      Reply
      • Monika says

        March 13, 2018 at 11:31 am

        Thank you Cat! It really was delicious and easy to make:)

        Reply

    Hi, I am Monika, welcome to Everyday Healthy Recipes! This blog is all about simple recipes with a healthy twist, old classics with a modern take, and an occasional Polish dish thrown into the mix - all easy to make and delicious, perfect for everyday cooking.

    Find out more about me →

    Popular Posts

    • Side view of 3 plesniak cake slices on top of wooden surface.
      Polish Pleśniak Cake
    • Top down view of pierogi in bowl, making pierogi and dough.
      5 Traditional Pierogi Recipes (plus tips for serving, freezing)
    • Top down view of cottage cheese egg salad in grey bowl with spoon.
      Simple Cottage Cheese Egg Salad
    • Top down view of meatballs in mushroom sauce in large pan.
      Healthy Meatballs in Mushroom Sauce

    Polish Recipes

    • 4 colourful Polish soups in bowls.
      28 Traditional Polish Soups
    • Sauerkraut stew in green bowl with spoon with hands holding it, and grey pot with stew in background.
      Authentic Polish Bigos Stew Recipe
    • Top down view of cabbage rolls in large white shallow pan.
      Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Golabki) in Tomato Sauce
    • Close-up view of Polish potato dumplings in green bowl.
      Authentic Polish Potato Dumplings (Kopytka)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • About

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for recipe updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2025 · Everyday Healthy Recipes

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.