Dump and Go Slow Cooker Chicken Leg Quarters and Potatoes

Dump and go slow cooker chicken leg quarters and potatoes might be the most dinner you can get for the least money. Leg quarters, the whole thigh and drumstick still attached, are usually one of the cheapest cuts of chicken in the store, and they’re also one of the best suited to a slow cooker. They come out fall-off-the-bone tender, the potatoes underneath soak up all the juices, and the whole thing costs about $5.78 for four servings at Walmart prices, or roughly $1.44 per plate.

The short version: put cut potatoes and onions in the slow cooker with a cup of broth, rub the leg quarters with smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, lay them on top, and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours. If you want crispy skin, broil them for 3 to 5 minutes at the end.

What this costs at Walmart

Here’s the full breakdown using Walmart.com prices from October 2026. Spices are priced by the amount used, not the whole jar. Prices vary by store and region, but this should get you close.

• 4 chicken leg quarters, about 3.5 lb (Tyson 10 lb bag, $8.64, or 86¢ a pound): $3.02
• 2 lb russet potatoes (from a 5 lb bag, $3.57): $1.43
• 1 yellow onion (from a 3 lb bag, regular price $3.64): $0.61
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (a quarter of a $1.54 carton): $0.39
• 2 tsp smoked paprika: $0.17
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder: $0.05
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt: $0.06
• ½ tsp black pepper: $0.05

Total: about $5.78 for 4 servings, or $1.44 per serving. The rest of the 10 lb bag freezes well, so one bag covers this recipe two more times.

Why leg quarters are made for the slow cooker

Leg quarters are all dark meat: the thigh and drumstick in one piece, with the bone, skin, and plenty of connective tissue. That’s exactly what you want for a long, slow cook. Lean chicken breasts dry out after a few hours in a slow cooker. Dark meat does the opposite. The collagen in the connective tissue slowly melts over 6 hours, and the meat turns silky and pulls right off the bone.

Leg quarters are safe to eat at 165°F, but dark meat is much more tender at 175°F and above. A slow cooker gets them there easily, which is why they’re so forgiving. An extra hour won’t ruin them the way it would chicken breasts.

Size matters for your slow cooker, though. Four leg quarters are big, so you’ll need at least a 6-quart slow cooker, ideally an oval one. It’s fine if they overlap a little.

Potatoes on the bottom

Putting the potatoes and onion under the chicken does two things. It lifts the chicken out of the liquid so it braises instead of boils, and it lets the potatoes cook in the drippings. By the end, they’ve soaked up the chicken fat, the smoky paprika, and the onion, which makes them the best part of the plate for a lot of people.

Cut the potatoes into large 1.5-inch chunks. Small pieces turn to mush over 6 hours, while big chunks hold their shape and stay tender. Russets are the cheapest and work great here. Yukon golds hold their shape a little better if you have them. Only a cup of broth goes in, since the chicken releases plenty of its own juices as it cooks.

How do you get crispy skin on slow cooker chicken?

You can’t get crispy skin in a slow cooker on its own. It’s a moist, closed environment, so the skin steams and comes out soft and pale. That’s the most common complaint about slow cooker chicken, and the fix is simple: broil it at the end.

When the chicken is done, heat your broiler, move the leg quarters skin-side up to a foil-lined sheet pan, and broil them 3 to 5 minutes until the skin is browned and crisp. Watch closely, because broilers can go from browned to burnt in under a minute. Patting the chicken dry before you season it and rubbing the paprika all over the skin both help it brown. If you’d rather skip this step, that’s fine. The meat is just as tender either way.

Frequently asked questions

How long do chicken leg quarters take in a slow cooker? 6 to 7 hours on LOW or 3½ to 4 hours on HIGH. They’re done when the meat near the bone reaches at least 175°F and pulls away easily.

Can you put frozen chicken leg quarters in a slow cooker? No. Food safety guidance is to thaw chicken before slow cooking, because frozen chicken can spend too long in the temperature range where bacteria grow. Thaw them overnight in the fridge first.

Do you need to add liquid? Just a little. One cup of broth under the potatoes is enough, since the chicken releases its own juices as it cooks.

Can I use thighs or drumsticks instead? Yes. Use about 3 pounds of bone-in, skin-on thighs or drumsticks and follow the same cook times.

Storing, freezing, and reheating

Leftover chicken and potatoes keep up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat them in the oven or an air fryer at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes to bring the skin back to crisp, or microwave for 2 to 3 minutes if you don’t mind softer skin.

The cooked chicken freezes for up to 3 months. Pull the meat off the bone first so it takes up less space and works for quesadillas, soups, and tacos later in the month. The potatoes don’t freeze well, so eat those within a few days.

If you like dark meat in the slow cooker, Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs is another dump and go favorite, and Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Green Beans is the oven route to crispy skin from start to finish.