When you’re looking for an easy dinner, these Instant Pot Chicken Leg Quarters are the way to go. Just pop them in the Instant Pot, even from frozen, and they cook in 12 minutes.
Chicken leg quarters are my go-to for dinner when I need it to be easy and quick. When they come out, you can serve the as is or crisp up the skin under the broiler.
Why You’ll Love It
- You can make these from fresh or frozen in the Instant Pot.
- You can dress them up with just about any sauce you like – a BBQ sauce, a Sriracha Mayo, a Bourbon honey glaze – you name it. They are delicious any way you serve them.
- Chicken goes with any side dish so you don’t have to put a lot of thought into dinner.
Jess says: 
These are beyond easy in the Instant Pot. Full of flavor and simple…my kind of recipe!
cookingmama says: The best part was how quickly it cooked, this recipe has earned a permanent spot in my weeknight dinner rotation
» You might also want to try Instant Pot Chicken Salad.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken legs – You can use frozen or thawed chicken legs (see recipe card for time specifications). If you don’t have chicken legs, you can also make this recipe with drumsticks or thighs.
- Dry rub or seasoning salt – I use a homemade dry rub with paprika, garlic salt, black pepper, brown sugar, and onion powder. You can mix up your own, use any dry rub you have on hand, or just use seasoned salt.
- Water – You need one cup of water in the bottom of a 6 quart Instant Pot to create steam. An 8-quart IP requires 1 1/2 cups water.
- Garlic (optional) – I always put two crushed pieces of garlic in the water which imparts some flavor and aroma as it steams.
- Sauce – Adding a sauce to your chicken after it’s cooked is optional, but you can mix it up however you want – honey mustard, BBQ, buffalo sauce, etc.
How to Cook Chicken Leg Quarters in the Instant Pot
You’ll need the trivet that came with the Instant Pot. If you don’t have one, you can set the chicken directly in the pot. I like the texture of the chicken more when it’s on the trivet. It’s more tender and less watery.
Step 1: Season the chicken
Seasoning the chicken legs before cooking adds a ton of flavor. I season almost everything with my homemade dry rub. You can find the recipe at that link. It’s fine to season with seasoning salt or just salt and pepper. Maybe try a garlic salt or lemon pepper.
Step 2: Prepare for cooking
Pour a cup of hot chicken broth into the base of the pot. Add the trivet. Then place the legs evenly on the trivet. This recipe is for just 2 servings, but you can make as many chicken legs as you need, just stack them up like logs – not directly on top of each other, but at different angles, so they aren’t directly touching (as much as that’s possible).
Step 3: Pressure cook
Close the lid and seal the vent. Pressure cook on high for 12 minutes. When it’s done, allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then manually release the remaining pressure.
You can cook frozen chicken legs in the Instant Pot, if you’ve forgotten or haven’t had time to thaw in advance. If you’re cooking these chicken legs from frozen, you’ll need to cook them on high for 15 minutes, and I also sometimes extend the pressure release to 8 to 10 minutes.
Always check that the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165°F (74°C) to ensure they are fully cooked and safe to eat.
Adjustments may be necessary based on the size and quantity of chicken legs you’re cooking. You can see in the photo below, my chicken legs are not huge. They cook through in 12 minutes. If you stack up 8-10 legs, or the legs are each much larger in size, add 2-3 additional minutes. If you’re stacking up frozen chicken legs, you will need up to 10 additional minutes of cook time.
One thing I don’t recommend doing is stacking frozen chicken directly on top of each other. Two frozen pieces right next to each other have a difficult time cooking through. They need some space. Stack them at odd angles and they’ll cook better.
Be sure to visit our Instant Pot Guide for more tips and great recipes!
Step 4: Serve
At this point, you can serve the chicken legs as is. They are nicely seasoned and tasty. Or you can brush them with BBQ sauce (try our killer bourbon bbq sauce recipe), buffalo sauce, or a glaze, like this delicious honey sriracha sauce.
You can also crisp up the skin in the oven, if you want to. I almost always skip this extra step. It’s just not necessary, in my opinion. Cooking the chicken for longer in the oven isn’t why I choose to use the Instant Pot.
If you do want to crisp the skin, put it under the broiler for up to 5 minutes.
What to Serve With Chicken Legs
You can serve this dish with any side dish you like. That’s the best part – they go with everything.
Try serving them with these sides that you can also make in the Instant Pot:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cook the chicken frozen?
Yes, you can cook the chicken from fresh or frozen. If cooking from frozen, pressure cook on high for 15 minutes. If you’re cooking more than 2 chicken legs from frozen, you’ll need to add up to 10 minutes more cook time. Always check the chicken’s internal temperature when cooking to ensure it reaches 165 degrees F.
Will the skin be soggy when cooked in the Instant Pot?
The skin on the chicken will not get crispy in the Instant Pot, but if you keep it up out of the water on the trivet when cooking, it won’t get soggy either. If you prefer crispy skin, broil it for a few minutes after cooking or set it skin-side down on a frying pan for 3-5 minutes.
How many chicken leg quarters can I cook at one time?
You can cook as many leg quarters as you need at one time. It will take only a few minutes longer to cook them. Just be sure not to exceed the max fill line. It’s also wise not to directly stack the pieces on top of each other. Put them at odd angles, so they have a little room to steam. If you fill the pot with chicken (stacking at odd angles), you can fit around 12 pieces. Cook for 15-18 minutes.
Why is chicken tough after cooking in an Instant Pot?
Chicken can sometimes turn out tough after cooking in an Instant Pot due to overcooking or lack of enough liquid, or the chicken cut being older or tougher. Always give at least a 5 minute natural pressure release to give the chicken time to relax after cooking.
What is the difference between chicken leg and chicken quarters?
A chicken leg consists of the drumstick and thigh, while a chicken quarter includes a leg, thigh, and a portion of the back.
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Instant Pot Chicken Leg Quarters
Note: Made in a 6-qt Instant Pot
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 chicken leg quarters
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) dry rub or seasoning salt
- 1 cup (237 ml) water
- 2 cloves garlic optional
Instructions
- Season the chicken legs with the dry rub or seasoning salt.
- Add water to the Instant Pot and insert the trivet.
- Set the chicken leg quarters on the trivet, skin side up. Drop the garlic, if using, into the water.
- Secure the lid and set the vent to sealing. Pressure cook on high for 12 minutes. When done, let the pressure release naturally for 5-8 minutes, then do a quick release of the remaining pressure.
- Always check that the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165°F (74°C) to ensure they are fully cooked and safe to eat. Adjustments may be necessary based on the size and quantity of chicken legs you're cooking.
Notes
- If cooking the chicken from frozen, pressure cook for 15 minutes.
- You can cook more than 2 pieces at a time. When adding more, stack them at odds with each other so they aren’t directly on top of each other. You can fill with chicken up to the fill line, but you will need to add additional cook time if they are stacked.
- You can broil the chicken to get the skin crispy, if you wish. It takes about 3-5 minutes under the broiler.
- It is not necessary to use garlic. I add it to give a little bit of aromatics to the water, but it’s not required.
Nutrition
Laura is a passionate home cook and the owner of A Pressure Cooker Kitchen. She is dedicated to helping people create delicious Instant Pot meals with ease. Laura is an expert at developing recipes that can be prepared quickly and easily using a pressure cooker.
These turned out so juicy!!!
These are beyond easy in the Instant Pot. Full of flavor and simple…my kind of recipe!
You can never go wrong with a great chicken dinner. Made in the Instant Pot….makes a quick an easy meal. So much better than takeout.
I love cooking chicken in my Instant Pot. It’s consistent juicy and delicious!
Love how simple this recipe is! Such a perfect cosy meal to snuggle up with during the fall season:)
I tried out this pressure cooker chicken leg recipe last night, and it was a game-changer! The chicken was incredibly tender and flavorful
Glad you liked it August.
The best part was how quickly it cooked, this recipe has earned a permanent spot in my weeknight dinner rotation
That’s great! And they go with any side dish!
this is insane. one night it was late, i was exhausted and had 2 chicken leg quarters in the fridge that i wanted to eat so badly but didn’t think i had the time to cook. i looked up “instapot chicken quarters” and found this recipe. this changed my life. perfectly cooked, insanely juicy and so flavorful! and done so quickly! thank you!!!!
I’m happy to hear that our recipe popped up at the perfect time for you and that it came out great! Cheers!
I’m always on the lookout for easy recipes and this recipe delivered
So glad to hear that!
can I use boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken legs?
You should see our recipe for chicken thighs instead, as they will cook at a different time: https://apressurecookerkitchen.com/instant-pot-frozen-chicken-thighs/
I used a blend of smoked paprika and cumin instead of the suggested herbs and it worked so well!
“Just stack them up” didn’t work for four chicken quarters. Exposed parts cooked to 165F while the touching parts only cooked to 125F. No choice but to overcook from there.
I’m surprised to hear that. We always stack food in ours. You could allow it to come down to a lower temperature before recooking, so it doesn’t overcook.
Your instructions on time to cook per poundage is contradictory. At one point you say go cook 10-12mins per pound, and at another point you say to load it up as much as you want just don’t pass the fill line and you won’t have to cook it longer.
I followed the original recipe cooked for 12 mins and my chicken was still raw. 🙁 not a huge deal, just cooked longer and ate dinner later than wanted. But annoyed at the lack of attention to detail.
I’ve updated the contradictory information, to be clearer. You do need to add additional time for larger amounts.