This instant pot frozen chicken quarters recipe is great if you forgot to thaw chicken for dinner and need something quick and easy to make. Whole chicken legs are cooked in the Instant Pot until the meat is juicy and tender then it is broiled with more seasonings until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Ready in under an hour, serve with your favorite sides for a wonderful weeknight family dinner!

Cooking frozen chicken in the Instant Pot is an ideal cooking method, especially if you are short on time. It is hard to cook frozen meat in the oven or over the stove, and it takes much longer than if it were thawed.

However, because the Instant Pot uses a high amount of pressure, it cooks not only much faster but results in much more moist, tender, and juicy meat. Seasoned with a handful of pantry ingredients, you will have a very flavorful and delicious chicken dinner in no time!

How to make Instant pot frozen chicken quarters

Get your frozen chicken leg quarters out of the freezer first. If they look like a big lump (see the picture), its great as long as you can fit them in your pressure cooker. Its probably better if legs are individually frozen, so you can decide how many you want to add in the inner pot at once.

Its best to stack them like book, vertically, instead of horizontally. This way you will be able to fit more at once. Well, if its a frozen lump not much you can do.

I had 4 chicken leg quarters that fit perfectly in my Instant Pot, even though they all stuck together. Add 1 cup of water to the pot as well. Chop some garlic and slice green onions. Add them on top of the chicken.

Add salt, black pepper, cumin and oregano, trying to cover as much chicken surface as you can. Now close the lid and lock it. Push on MANUAL pressure setting and set for 30 minutes. Once cooked, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.

Open the lid and carefully take chicken out and transfer to the baking tray. You can line it will foil or parchment paper for an easy clean up. Add more garlic and onion on top of each chicken leg. If it looks like some parts didn't get any spice, add some.

Remember that those parts that was in the broth are salty enough and don't need to be seasoned with salt any more. You may want to add more black pepper to it along with oregano and cumin.

Turn the broiler on and place baking tray in the oven. Broil for 2-5 minutes, depending on how crispy and browned you want your chicken. Carefully remove dish from the oven and serve!

If unsure that the chicken is done, stick instant meat thermometer in to the thickest part of the chicken (and away from the bone). It should read at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit for a fully cooked chicken.

Recipe ingredients

Frozen chicken leg quarters. You will need 4 for this recipe, but if you are working with large pieces, fit as many as you can into your Instant Pot.

Garlic. Chopped. Gives a nice fresh garlic flavor and aroma.

Dried oregano. A wonderful seasoning that works well with chicken.

Salt and black pepper. Essential kitchen seasonings. Freshly ground black pepper will have more flavor.

Cumin. A Middle Eastern spice that is savory and warm with a slight citrus flavor.

Green onion. Adds a fresh, but mild onion flavor to the chicken.

Water. To cook the chicken. Creates a broth that will help keep the meat tender and juicy.

What are chicken leg quarters

Chicken leg quarters, also known as whole chicken legs are a great dinner go-to. They are made of both the drumstick and the thigh. They are called quarters because they make up a quarter of the bird if the chicken is separated into 2 breasts and 2 leg portions.

Chicken quarters are a very inexpensive cut of meat because there is less work involved in processing the chicken. Unlike boneless and skinless chicken which is more expensive and involves more work by the butcher. They are a great alternative to chicken breasts or wings, and because they are made of two different cuts of meat there will be something for everyone.

Make sure to use water

Frozen chicken quarters cook up nicely in the Instant Pot but make sure to cook it with a liquid for best results. I normally use water, but if you have chicken broth on hand you can use that too!

The added liquid will help to keep the chicken quarters moist as it thaws and then cooks inside the Instant Pot. It also creates a nice broth with the chicken juices that can be added to rice, potatoes, or whatever side you are having with your meal.

Do I need to broil the chicken

It is not necessary, but it is highly encouraged! By the time the chicken quarters are finished pressure cooking, they are already cooked through. Although, the meat will look pale and if you are using skin-on chicken quarters the skin will be soggy.

For this recipe, broiling the meat afterward is a great opportunity to season the chicken even more and to get the skin golden brown and crispy. It only takes a few minutes and it really makes a difference!

Frequently asked questions

Recipe notes

1. Stack frozen chicken legs like books inside the pressure cooker. If you have a big piece of frozen chicken stack together, you can try to fit it whole.
2. Watch chicken closely when broiling, it can burn really quick.
3. Check the internal temperature of the chicken when pressure cooked. I should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part. Keep the thermometer away from the bone.
4. Try a piece of chicken leg before broiling. If it feels like its missing spices, add some.

Instant Pot chicken leg quarters from fresh

You can use the same exact recipe but with the fresh chicken ! Just reduce pressure cooking time to 20 minutes and keep all the broiler instructions.

Side dishes

My favorite side dish for this chicken recipe is plain white rice. You can pour some drippings right on top of the rice and enjoy with the chicken leg on the side. Another option (that is as delicious ) is a nice bowl of mashed potatoes.

Fresh salad always pair well with chicken, roasted vegetables, grilled cob on the cob, zucchinis and mushrooms. So many choices! Steam some broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts for a healthy dinner.

Leftovers

Store Pressure cooked chicken leg quarters leftovers in the fridge for up to 6 days. Use air tight container for best results. To keep chicken juicy store it with the broth. Reheat in the microwave for couple minutes on HIGH.

More pressure cooker recipes

• Ninja foodi pork tenderloin
• Instant pot turkey wings
• Instant pot turkey thighs
• Ninja foodi crack chicken
• Instant pot frozen sausage
• Ninja Foodi broccoli
• Pork tongue recipe
• Ninja Foodi carne asada

Hope you will like this Instant pot frozen chicken quarters recipe as much as e do. Please rate the recipe if you made it and leave a comment below if you have any questions or comments.