A passionate performance earned Leeds a point to lift them off the foot of the table, as Chelsea clung on to top spot.
Jermaine Pennant's wonder goal was cancelled out by Damien Duff's 69th minute equaliser for the below-par Londoners.
With David Batty injuring an ankle in training, Elland Road caretaker-manager Eddie Gray brought in Stephen McPhail for his first game since returning from three months on loan at Nottingham Forest and his first Leeds start for a year.
Only survivors from the midweek Carling Cup win at Reading in Chelsea's starting line-up were John Terry, Joe Cole, Frank Lampard and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
Leeds' shock lead came in the 18th minute. Winning the ball off Claude Makelele on the right, Pennant sprinted away from Wayne Bridge into the box and cleverly cut inside William Gallas before tucking home a left-foot shot from close in.
It was Pennant's first goal for Leeds since arriving on loan from Arsenal in August and the first Chelsea had conceded in 653 minutes of football. It was also the first Carlo Cudicini had let in for 11hours 47minutes.
Hasselbaink created excellent chances which Cole and Lampard spurned for Chelsea, but Leeds looked anything but a side struggling at the wrong end of the table as they packed their midfield to telling effect, just as they had done at Charlton a week earlier.
Dominic Matteo was particularly impressive as he stifled the threat of Makelele.
Leeds played with a passion that had been lacking from most of their home performances this season - stirring memories of the blood and thunder clashes between these sides in the 60s and 70s.
Mark Viduka's superb turn teed up a chance which McPhail crashed just outside the angle of post and bar.
Chelsea replaced Cole with Hernan Crespo for the second half and Leeds somehow survived when keeper Paul Robinson parried Adrian Mutu's shot, Lucas Radebe blocked Crespo's follow-up and Damien Duff's attempt was charged down by Matteo.
However, Chelsea's pressure paid off with the equaliser, Duff scoring from six yards after Hasselbaink set up Mutu whose shot rebounded to the Irishman off Robinson.