Italian Roast Chicken

Crispy chicken is always a good idea! This Italian Roast Chicken is nothing less than brilliance in the idea department. The juicy tender flavor you get from the marinade is so perfectly paired with the crispy texture of the parmesan crust is just magical. This recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal but equally elegant enough for a Sunday supper or family get together.

I opted to use leg quarters for this recipe, as it makes for a great centerpiece of a meal. If you do not have leg quarters or just don’t like them, you could use thighs and drumsticks. I will urge you to use bone in for this as you need the chicken to take a little longer too cook through so that the parmesan crust can really crisp up and get that golden color. If you use boneless chicken or breast meat, you will likely end up drying it out.

When marinating, it is always a good idea to let it go longer if you can. If you cannot do longer, I suggest putting it in the marinade on during the lunch hour. But it will only improve if you can get it in there by the morning or even the night before. I also encourage moving the bag around some during the marinating process, this allows all sides to be coated and infused. It is also important that you roast the chicken on a rack in the pan – this ensures that the underside of the chicken does not not stuck with any fats that cook off. And of course, use parchment paper to minimize clean up!

When I served this, I made some ricotta & herb mashed potatoes to go along with the chicken and it was so good together. All the delightful Italian flavors through out the meal really sang together.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

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Italian Roast Chicken

A flavorful Italian marinaded chicken leg, crusted in grated parmesan and roasted to perfection.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword chicken leg quarters, chicken legs, italian dressing, marinated chicken, Parmesan, parmesan cheese, roast chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Marinating Time 4 hours

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 6 Chicken Leg Quarters
• 2 cups Parmesan Cheese grated
• 1 tbsp Oregano
• Cooking Spray

For the Italian Marinade

• ¾ cup Oil
• ½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tbsp Italian Seasoning see recipe below

Instructions

• In a gallon sized zippered bag, combine marinade ingredients. Add leg quarters and seal bag. Place in refrigerator and let marinate for at least 4 hours (flip halfway through, if possible).
• Preheat oven to 375degF.
• Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a baking rack over the top. Spray with cooking spray.
• Combine parmesan and oregano. Spread out on a plate or in a dredging tray. Remove each piece of chicken (do not shake off too much of the marinade) and press the top side into the cheese mixture. Then place (cheese up) on the baking rack.
• Gently spray with cooking spray and place in oven for 45 minutes.

Notes