Chicken Leg Recipe
Chicken leg marinated in spices, and herbs and freshly grilled.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Marinade
For grilling & finishing
Method
Marinade
- 1
Prepare chicken
Pat the chicken legs dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife make 2 shallow diagonal cuts through the thickest part of each leg to help marinade penetration and even cooking.
- 2
Make marinade
In a large bowl combine yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic and grated ginger. Whisk until smooth. Add paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, red chili powder, salt, black pepper and dried oregano. Stir in chopped cilantro and chopped mint (if using) until evenly distributed.
- 3
Marinate chicken
Add the chicken legs to the bowl and rub the marinade over and into the cuts, coating each piece completely. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer to a resealable bag. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight (8–12 hours) for best flavor. If short on time, allow minimum 30 minutes at room temperature.
Grill
- 4
Preheat and oil grill
Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for medium-high heat (around 375–425°F / 190–220°C). If using charcoal, set up a two-zone fire with coals to one side for direct and indirect heat. Clean the grates and lightly oil them with a cloth or brush dipped in vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
- 5
Bring chicken to temperature
Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator about 20–30 minutes before grilling to take the chill off. Shake off excess marinade so it does not drip into flames.
- 6
Sear on direct heat
Place the chicken legs skin-side down over direct heat. Sear for 3–4 minutes without moving to get good grill marks and crispy skin. Flip and sear the other side for 2–3 minutes. Watch for flare-ups; move pieces briefly if flames are high.
- 7
Finish on indirect heat
Move the chicken to indirect heat (or reduce flame to medium-low) and close the lid. Grill for an additional 18–25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the leg (not touching bone) reaches 75°C (165°F). Total cooking time will be about 25–35 minutes depending on grill and leg size.
- 8
- 9
Rest and serve
Transfer the grilled chicken legs to a clean platter and loosely tent with foil. Let rest 5–8 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Squeeze lemon wedges over the chicken, garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, and serve hot.