Herb & Garlic Butter Chicken Marylands (chicken leg quarters)
Recipe video above. Chicken marylands - such an under utilised cut of chicken! Cheap, juicy, flavourful, hard to stuff up. I tell people it's like roast chicken: without the mess of carving up a whole chicken. Slather in herb & garlic butter then bake until golden. Don't waste a drop of the pan juices - it's liquid gold!Serve with potato gratin or creamy mash with garlic sautéed green beans for the perfect meal!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time50 minutesmins
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Western
Keyword: chicken marylands, chicken quarters, whole chicken legs
Servings: 4marylands
Calories: 659cal
Author: Nagi
Ingredients
4 pieces (~1.5 kg/3 lb)chicken marylands (US: leg quarters) or 8 bone-in, skin-on thighs (Note 1)
1/2tspcooking/kosher salt
1/3cupchardonnay or other dry white wine(sub low-sodium chicken stock/broth)
Herb & garlic butter:
100g/7 tbspunsalted butter, softened
4garlic cloves, minced using a garlic press (Note 2)
2tspfresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped (Note 3 for dried)
2tspthyme leaves, finely chopped (Note 3 for dried)
Mix Herb & Garlic Butter ingredients until combined.
Butter chicken - Use an upside down tablespoon to loosen the chicken skin from the flesh on the thigh and most of the leg (Note 4). Smear 80% of the butter under the skin, just a small amount (~5%) on the underside (flesh side) then the remainder on top of the skin. (The flesh side gets lots of flavour from the pan juices).
Put chicken in roasting pan, skin side up. Sprinkle skin with the 1/2 tsp salt. Pour wine around chicken.
Roast 50 minutes - Roast 10 minutes to get the skin going. Then reduce the heat to 200°C /400°F (180°C fan) and roast for a further 40 minutes, basting every 10 minutes from the 20 minute mark onwards.
Rest & serve - Remove from oven. Rest 10 minutes then serve with the garlic-herb-butter pan juices as the sauce!
Notes
1. Chicken marylands are called chicken leg quarters in the US and chicken legs in the UK. Whole chicken leg with thigh attached. Great value, overlooked cut of chicken!Alternative - 8 x skin on, bone in thighs.2. Garlic - Or finely grated using microplane or very finely minced using knife. We want the juicy minced garlic to mix seamlessly into the butter for maximum garlic flavour.3. Fresh herbs really deliver in the flavour department but both can be substituted with 1 1/2 tsp dried herbs (each). Still chop them, to release flavour.4. Spoon is ideal for this job as the shape of the spoon hugs the curves of the chicken so the spoon won't pierce the skin. See video and step photos of help to do this step.Leftovers will keep for 3 - 4 days in the fridge.Nutrition per Maryland. 1 Maryland is a generous serving for someone with a hearty appetite.