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when you don’t want to cook a whole Thanksgiving Turkeythis Roasted Turkey Thighs Recipe is the perfect answer – and it’s full of flavor. If you have multiple family members who love dark meat, you don’t have to fight over it anymore!Learning how to cook a turkey leg is very easy as roasting a turkey leg is very similar Grilled Chicken Thighs. This is an easy master for smaller people grateful and Christmas reunion.
Why You’ll Love This Roasted Turkey Thigh Recipe
- Delicious and juicy meat, crispy skin
- Simple Herbs and Spices
- Less fuss compared to a whole turkey
- No bakeware required
- An easy choice for dark meat lovers

Ingredients and Substitutes
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this turkey leg recipe, what each ingredient does in the recipe, and substitution options.For measurements, see Recipe card below.
- turkey leg – Choose bone-in, skin-on turkey drumsticks that weigh about 12 ounces each. Other sizes are suitable for roasting turkey legs, but you will need to adjust the roasting time. If you have turkey thighs (including interconnected turkey thighs and drumsticks), you can cook them in a similar fashion, but they will take longer to cook through.
- olive oil – The oil helps to make the skin brittle. I use olive oil, but you can use any neutral oil like avocado oil. Melted butter works too, but burns more easily, so you may want to cover the top with foil as soon as possible during the baking process.
- seasoning – Paprika, garlic powder, rosemary, sage, thyme, salt and pepper.

How to Cook Turkey Legs
This section describes how to cook a turkey leg, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique to help you visualize it.For complete instructions, including quantities and temperatures, see Recipe card below.
- Prepare. Pat the turkey legs dry with paper towels.put them together Oven-safe rack mounted on a baking sheet. Brush all sides of the turkey with oil.
- season. Sprinkle the turkey legs with smoked paprika, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt and pepper.


- bake. Cook the turkey legs in the oven until crisp and juicy.
- rest. Remove the roasted turkey legs from the oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Tips for the Best Roasted Turkey Thighs
- here you go. Patting the drumsticks dry before seasoning can help crisp the skin.
- Use a rack. You can roast turkey legs on a regular pan, but you’ll get crispier skin and more even roasting with a roasting pan Oven-safe rack mounted on a baking sheetwhich will allow air to circulate while baking.
- Cook to 170 degrees Fahrenheit. A safe internal temperature for poultry is 165 degrees Fahrenheit, but for juicy dark meat, cook until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, the collagen begins to break down and the meat becomes extra soft. (with a meat thermometer Just be sure, and make sure to insert it into the thickest part of the meat, without touching the bone, to get an accurate reading. )
- If desired, tent with foil. If the skin gets dark enough before the inside reaches the right temperature, then loosely cover the top with foil and continue baking. Foil will prevent excessive browning.
- Don’t skip the rest step. If you cut or bite the turkey leg right away, the juices will leak out and the meat may dry out. Resting allows the juices to settle, so they stay in the meat.
Storage Instructions
- Shop: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Gently heat this dish in the microwave at 50% power so they don’t dry out, or in a 350 degree oven until fully heated. Leftovers were cold too!
- freeze: Let the roasted turkey legs cool to room temperature, then place on a baking sheet in the refrigerator for 1 hour, until firm. Transfer to a zip lock bag and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

what to serve with roasted turkey legs
So many traditional and delicious side dishes to serve with roasted turkey legs!
More Festive Turkey Recipes
Prefer to eat more white meat with a whole turkey leg? Try more holiday-cooked turkeys here:
Roasted Turkey Thighs (Easy, Juicy, and Crispy!)
This roasted turkey leg recipe is juicy, tender and crispy every time – and these roasted turkey legs are so easy to make!
Prepare: 10 minute
chef: 45 minute
All: 55 minute
Serving Size: 4 (Adjust the scale recipe)
raw material
Click on the underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn off Safari reader mode to view ingredients.
instruct
Tap the time in the instructions below to start the kitchen timer while cooking.
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Pat the turkey legs dry with paper towels to help them crisp up. Put them on the shelf.
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Brush the sides of the turkey with olive oil. Season with smoked paprika, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt and pepper.
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Roast Turkey Legs in the Oven 45-50 minutes, check them at 30 and 40 minutes – if they get too dark, wrap the top in foil and continue baking.The final internal temperature is measured with a meat thermometer Should be at least 170 degrees Fahrenheit (77 degrees Celsius). (For juicy meat, aim for over 170F rather than 165F, as this breaks down the collagen in the dark meat for a more tender result, but anything over 165F is safe.) Baking times are based on 12 ounce drumsticks, so if yours are larger or smaller, it may take more or less time – a meat thermometer works best.
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Remove from oven (do not remove foil) and let turkey legs rest 5-10 minutes Before serving.
recipe notes
Serving Size: 1 drumstick (about 1/2 pound meat)
nutrient content
Amount per serving. Serving Sizes in Recipe Instructions Above.
Calories 6.2
fat 0.2g
protein 0.4g
total carbohydrates 1 g
net carbs 0.5g
fiber 0.5g
sugar 0.1g
Nutrition Facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about the calculation or why you get different results?see our nutrition policy.
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