Traeger Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters - Easy pellet grill recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to smoke leg quarters on a pellet grill? ›

Arrange the chicken directly on the grill grates. Insert the probe into the thickest part of a chicken leg, avoiding the bone. Close the lid and smoke for 1 hour.

Sear the leg quarters on all sides over direct flame until crispy and golden brown. Transfer to indirect heat and close the sear slide. Reduce temperature to 350°F and grill the chicken for 45 minutes, turning occasionally, until chicken registers an internal temperature of 165° F.

Smoke your chicken legs at 225°F for 1 hour.

Then, increase the heat on your pellet grill to 325°F and cook your chicken legs to an internal temperature of 170°F.

Smoke your chicken breast at 225°F until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. This should take about 1 hour.

For chicken leg quarters, it is best to set your pellet grill to a temperature of around 375°F (190°C).

Cook at Higher Temperatures

First and foremost, smoke your chicken at higher temperatures. The ideal temperature to cook your chicken should be around 275 °F – 320 °F (135 °C – 160 °C). As you start to decrease temperature beyond this threshold, the skin will become rubbery.

Set up the smoker for cooking at 275°F using pecan or other smoking wood. Once the smoker is ready, place the chicken directly on the smoker grate. Let the chicken cook for 1 to 1.5 hours or until it reaches 165°F in the thickest part.

At 225°F degrees, you should smoke chicken quarters for four hours. If smoking at 275°F, you will need to cook your chicken for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. At 300°F, you should smoke the chicken leg quarters for one hour and 45 minutes.

Place the seasoned chicken on the grates of the pellet grill, and cook for 15 minutes. Flip, and continue cooking until the temperature reaches 150 degrees F.

Depending on the size of your quarters, they take anywhere from 40-55 minutes to thoroughly cook on the grill. Always use a meat thermometer to check for proper temperature to avoid any risk of food poisoning. You want to aim for 165-170 degrees F.

Is it better to smoke a chicken at 225 or 250? ›

As the temperature of the grill increases, you get less smoke.) Place the whole chicken in your Traeger and cook at it at 225 degrees Fahrenheit until the internal temperature of the bird (as measured at the thickest part of the breast) is165 degrees Fahrenheit. This can take between 3 and four hourts.

Start the Traeger and preheat to 300 degrees F, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 15 minutes, lid closed. Baste the chicken legs with the pepper syrup. Turn the legs over and baste every 15 minutes for 30 minutes.

Season generously with Traeger Chicken Rub. Insert the probe into the thickest part of a drumstick, avoiding the bone. Set the drumsticks directly on the grill grates, close the lid, and smoke for 30 minutes. Increase the grill temperature to 350°F and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

Preheat your smoker to 350˚F. Spray leg quarters with oil. Cover leg quarters with your choice of rub(s). Place in the smoker for 40 minutes.

The quarters should be placed skin side up in the smoker and do not need to be turned while they cook. We recommend smoking chicken quarters at 250℉ (121℃) for an hour and a half or so until they have cooked all the way through and their internal temperature reaches 165℉ (74℃). What is this?