Sometimes a whole turkey is too big for your Thanksgiving or Christmas gathering, so try this delicious and easy baked turkey leg recipe. Just rub the turkey leg with turkey spices, bake in the oven for about an hour, and dinner is ready.
Dark meat lovers, rejoice! This roasted turkey leg is easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner, but delicious enough to serve at Thanksgiving!
Whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving alone, as a couple, or with your small family, roasting a whole turkey can be a bit of a challenge, especially if you don’t want to eat leftover turkey sandwiches for weeks.
One turkey leg (thigh and drumstick) is enough for two people, so this recipe easily serves four, but if you’re serving a slightly larger crowd, consider Traeger Smoked Turkey Breast, which serves six to eight people.
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🧐 Why this recipe works
This turkey leg recipe is super easy and requires no cooking skills. Don’t throw away the bones from your roasted turkey, use them to make turkey soup. If you have leftovers, you can use the broth and turkey meat to make a scaled-down version of one of our readers’ favorite recipes: Creamy Turkey Soup. Who doesn’t love a leftover turkey sandwich? Take it a step further and make this gourmet grilled cheese sandwich instead. We’re salivating just thinking about it.
🛒 What you need for this recipe
🔖 Materials and Substitutes
Turkey: I used 2 hind legs of a turkey (legs and thighs unseparated), 5 pounds total. You can substitute legs or thighs. If your turkey legs are smaller or larger, you will need to adjust the cooking time. Herbs: Rubbed sage, Herbs de Provence (or a combination of thyme and rosemary), marjoram (similar to oregano, but sweeter). Spices (rub): Salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, Tajine seasoning (optional). If you like, you can use your favorite turkey rub or seasoning. Ghee or Oil: To get a crispy turkey skin, generously brush the turkey with ghee or oil. I prefer to use ghee over melted butter. Ghee is a clarified oil, so it doesn’t contain any moisture, which helps crisp up the skin. However, if you have unsalted butter on hand, you can soften it and use that too.
*A full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🍗 How to Roast a Turkey Leg
Step 1: Bring the turkey leg to room temperature, then pat it dry with paper towels. Gently loosen the skin by inserting one or two fingers under the skin and carefully lifting it away from the muscle.
Pro tip: If you season both the inside and outside of the turkey skin, it’s best to season it lightly to avoid making the turkey too salty. Another option is to reduce the amount of salt in your turkey spice mix.
Step 2: Brush the turkey with olive oil, ghee, or softened butter, including under the skin. Mix the turkey seasoning in a small bowl and sprinkle the seasoning generously on all sides of the turkey and under the skin. Let sit for several hours or overnight to allow the turkey seasoning to soak into the turkey meat.
Step 3: Preheat oven to 450°F. Place turkey leg in a roasting pan or baking sheet with high rim and insert probe into thickest part of thigh or leg. Set probe temperature to 180°F.
Pro tip: When inserting the probe or meat thermometer, be careful not to touch the bone.
Step 4: Roast the turkey leg, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Brush the turkey leg with the melted juices and reduce the temperature to 400°F.
Step 5: Cover the turkey legs loosely with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 35 to 45 minutes, or until the juices run clear and a probe or meat thermometer reaches 180°F.
Pro tip: Let the turkey rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to distribute, but don’t cover it with aluminum foil, as condensation will form between the foil and the turkey, softening the crispy skin.
🍽 What should I serve with my turkey legs?
If you want to keep it simple, serve the turkey leg with boxed wild rice and Parmesan-roasted rainbow carrots, or if you want to get more adventurous, serve the turkey leg with mashed potatoes, Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn, and a pear and arugula goat cheese salad.
For a hassle-free Thanksgiving dessert, this no-bake pumpkin pie is creamy and delicious with a gingerbread crust. Need I say more?
🤷🏻♀️ Frequently asked questions about recipes
Unlike turkey breasts, which need to be cooked to 165°F, turkey legs should be cooked to an internal temperature of 180°F.
The most accurate way to determine if a turkey leg is cooked through is to use a meat thermometer — make sure the internal temperature reaches 180°F and the turkey juices run clear.
The turkey leg typically refers to the entire hind quarter, including the thigh and drumstick, whereas the drumstick refers to the part below the knee joint.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
Oven temperatures vary widely, so you should pay more attention to the internal temperature of the turkey than the roasting time. Remove the turkey leg once it reaches 180°F. Store the rest in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If your turkey leg weighs more or less than mine, you may need to adjust the roasting time. If you’re looking for an easy side dish idea, rub some diced potatoes or potato wedges with the same spices and sprinkle them around the turkey thigh. The potatoes will cook in the melted juices and will be ready by the time the turkey leg is done.
If you like this turkey leg recipe, check out our other related recipes:
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📖 Recipes
Easy roasted turkey legs
This easy roasted turkey leg is super flavorful and ready in about an hour — perfect for a small Thanksgiving gathering or a quick weeknight meal.
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Number of people: 4 Serving
calorie: 782kilocalories
Instructions
Bring the turkey leg to room temperature and pat dry with paper towels. Gently loosen the skin by inserting one or two fingers under the skin and carefully lifting it away from the muscle.
Preheat oven to 450°F. Place turkey leg in a roasting pan or high-rimmed baking sheet and insert probe into thickest part of thigh or leg. Set probe temperature to 180°F.
Roast the turkey leg, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Brush the turkey leg with the juices and reduce the temperature to 400°F.
Cover the turkey legs loosely with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 35 to 45 minutes or until the juices run clear and a probe or meat thermometer reaches 180°F.
Note
If you season both the front and back of the turkey skin, you can season it lightly to avoid making it too salty. You can also use less salt in the spices you apply to the turkey. When inserting a thermometer or meat thermometer, be careful not to touch the bone. Oven temperatures vary widely, so you should pay attention to the internal temperature of the turkey above all else, rather than the roasting time. Remove the turkey legs when they reach 180°F. Let the turkey rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to distribute, but do not cover with aluminum foil. Condensation between the foil and the turkey will soften the crispy skin. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If the turkey legs weigh more or less, you will need to adjust the roasting time. Use leftovers to make a creamy turkey soup. If you’re looking for an easy side dish idea, season some diced potatoes or potato wedges with the same spices and scatter them around the turkey thighs. The potatoes will cook in their own juices and will be done by the time the turkey thighs are done.
nutrition
Presentation: 1Serving | calorie: 782kilocalories | carbohydrates: 1G | protein: 92G | fat: 43G | Saturated fats: 17G | cholesterol: 363Milligrams | sodium: 349Milligrams | fiber: 0.2G | sugar: 0.1G
