Start by thoroughly cleaning your chicken leg quarters (linisin mabuti ang mga hita at paa ng manok). Use paper towels to pat them completely dry (kailangang tuyuin ng mabuti gamit ang paper towel). Rub kosher salt evenly across all pieces of chicken (pahiran ng asin ang bawat piraso ng manok), making sure to get under the skin when possible. Let the salted chicken rest at room temperature for 15 minutes (palamiginin ng labinlimang minuto).

While the chicken is resting, prepare your poaching liquid (maghanda ng sabaw na papakuluan). In a deep pot or Dutch oven, combine your chicken stock, light soy sauce (manipis na toyo), dark soy sauce (maitim na toyo), Shaoxing wine, and brown sugar (asukal na kayumanggi). Add your aromatics: the whole star anise (sangke), cinnamon stick (kanela), crushed garlic cloves (durog na bawang), sliced ginger (hiwang luya), and black pepper (paminta). Set your stove to high heat and bring this mixture to a boil at 200°C. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low (about 160°C) and let it simmer for 5 minutes until the liquid becomes fragrant (hanggang mabango).

Gently lower your chicken pieces into the simmering liquid (dahan-dahang ilagay ang manok sa mainit na sabaw). The liquid temperature will drop - wait until it returns to a gentle simmer at 180°C. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady temperature of 160°C. Cook the chicken for 20-25 minutes, occasionally turning the pieces for even cooking (paikutin paminsan-minsan ang manok para maluto ng pantay). The chicken is done when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F or 74°C (luto na ang manok kapag umabot sa 74°C ang init sa loob).

Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid using tongs (hanguin ang manok gamit ang sipit). Place them on a wire rack and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels (patuyuing mabuti gamit ang paper towel). This drying step is crucial for achieving crispy skin (importanteng hakbang ito para maging malutong ang balat). Place the rack with the chicken in your refrigerator, uncovered (ilagay sa ref nang hindi natatakpan), and let it air dry for 6-12 hours or overnight. The cold air helps dehydrate the skin, which will make it extra crispy when fried.

When ready to fry, remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to take the chill off (ilabas sa ref tatlumpung minuto bago prituhin). Heat your frying oil in a deep pot to exactly 350°F or 177°C (initin ang mantika hanggang 177°C). Carefully lower the chicken pieces into the hot oil (dahan-dahang ihulog ang manok sa mainit na mantika). Maintain the oil temperature between 325°F and 350°F (163°C-177°C) - use your thermometer to monitor this carefully. Fry each piece for 3-5 minutes per side until the skin is deeply golden brown and crispy (hanggang maging golden brown at malutong ang balat).

Transfer the fried chicken to a clean wire rack to drain excess oil (patuyuan ng mantika sa parilya). Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving (palamiginin ng 5-10 minuto bago ihain). This resting period allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring each bite is juicy (para manatiling malambot at malasa ang karne).

Serve hot with steamed rice (mainit na kanin) and your choice of dipping sauce. A mix of vinegar, soy sauce, and chili (suka, toyo, at sili) makes an excellent accompaniment. If storing leftovers, let the chicken cool completely before refrigerating in an airtight container (palamiginin bago ilagay sa lalagyan at iref). Leftovers will stay crispy when reheated in an oven at 400°F (200°C) for 10-15 minutes or in an air fryer at 370°F (188°C) for 5-7 minutes.

Remember that the key to perfect crispy skin lies in thorough drying (ang susi sa malutong na balat ay ang maayos na pagpapatuyo) and maintaining proper oil temperature during frying (at ang tamang init ng mantika sa pagpiprito). If your chicken browns too quickly, your oil is too hot. If it takes longer than 5 minutes per side to brown, your oil isn't hot enough. Always use your thermometer to ensure perfect results (palaging gamitin ang termometro para sa perpektong resulta).