Sometimes an entire turkey is just too big for a small Thanksgiving or Christmas gathering. Enter this delicious and easy baked turkey legs recipe! Simply season turkey legs with turkey rub, then roast for approximately an hour in the oven, and dinner is served!
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Dark meat lovers, rejoice! These baked turkey legs are easy enough for weeknight dinners yet tasty enough to serve for Thanksgiving!
Whether you're celebrating Thanksgiving alone, as a couple, or as a small family, baking an entire turkey might be a bit much. Especially if you don't want to eat leftover turkey sandwiches for weeks to come.
One whole turkey leg (thigh and drumstick) can easily serve two people, so this recipe can serve 4 comfortably. However, if you have a slightly larger group to feed, you may want to consider a Traeger smoked turkey breast, which feeds 6 to 8.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
- Turkey: I used 2 turkey hindquarters (unseparated leg and thighs) totaling 5 lbs. You may substitute with legs or thighs. Cooking times may need to be adjusted if you use smaller or larger turkey legs.
- Herbs: Rubbed sage, herbes de Provence (or a combination of thyme and rosemary), and marjoram (similar to oregano but sweeter).
- Spices (rub): Salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and Tajín seasoning (optional). If you prefer, you can use your favorite turkey rub or seasoning.
- Ghee or Oil: To get that desired crispy turkey skin, you'll need to slather the turkey with either ghee or oil. I prefer using ghee over melted butter. Since it's clarified, it does not have any water content, which helps to crisp up the skin. However, you can still use softened unsalted butter if that's what you have on hand.
*See recipe card for a full list of ingredients.
How to Cook Turkey Legs in the Oven
Step 1: Bring turkey legs to room temperature, then 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.
Pro Tip: If you decide to season both under and over the turkey skin, you may want to season more lightly so that the turkey does not end up too salty. Another option is to reduce the amount of salt in the turkey rub.
Step 2: Rub turkey with olive oil, ghee, or softened butter, including under the skin. Mix turkey rub ingredients in a small bowl, then sprinkle seasoning generously on all sides of the turkey and lightly under the skin. Allow the turkey seasoning to infuse the turkey flesh for a couple of hours or overnight.
Step 3: Preheat oven to 450℉. Place the turkey legs in a roasting pan or high-rimmed baking sheet and insert a probe into the thickest part of the thigh or leg. Set probe temperature to 180°F.
Pro Tip: When inserting the probe or meat thermometer, make sure it does not touch the bone.
Step 4: Roast turkey legs, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Brush turkey legs with rendered juices, then turn the temperature down to 400°F.
Step 5: Loosely cover the turkey legs with foil and bake for another 35 to 45 minutes, or until the juices run clear and the probe or meat thermometer reaches 180°F.
Pro Tip: Allow the turkey to rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute; however, don't tent with foil. The condensation created between the foil and the turkey will cause the crispy skin to soften.
How Long to Bake Turkey Legs
How long it takes depends on the size of the pieces and your oven. My two turkey legs (thigh and drumstick together, about 2½ lbs each) took about an hour: 20 minutes at 450°F, then 35 to 45 minutes at 400°F. Use this chart as a guide, but always go by the thermometer, not the clock. They're done when the thickest part reaches 180°F.
| Turkey Pieces | Total Baking Time |
|---|---|
| Drumsticks (1 to 1½ lbs each) | 45 to 60 minutes |
| Thighs (1 to 1½ lbs each) | 40 to 55 minutes |
| Whole legs (2 to 2½ lbs each) | 55 to 70 minutes |
| Large whole legs (about 3 lbs each) | 70 to 85 minutes |
These times are estimates for 20 minutes at 450°F, then the rest at 400°F. Actual time will vary with the size of the pieces, how cold they are when they go in, and your oven.
What to Serve With Turkey Legs?
If you want to keep things simple, serve the turkey legs with boxed wild rice and Parmesan-roasted rainbow carrots. But if you're more ambitious, you can serve the turkey legs with mashed potatoes, Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn, chestnut stuffing, and a pear and arugula goat cheese salad, or this adorable and fun turkey veggie tray!
And for a hassle-free Thanksgiving dessert, this no-bake pumpkin pie is creamy, delicious, and has a gingerbread crust. Or bake some pumpkin biscotti instead!
Have leftovers? Use the meat and the roasted bones to make a small batch of my creamy turkey soup, or pile the meat into this gourmet grilled cheese sandwich.
Recipe FAQs
Turkey is safe to eat at 165°F, but dark meat like turkey legs is much more tender when cooked to 175°F to 180°F. I take mine out at 180°F.
The most accurate way to gauge if your turkey legs are undercooked is by using a meat thermometer. Make sure the internal temperature has reached 180°F and the turkey juices run clear.
A turkey leg usually refers to the entire hindquarters, which includes the thigh and drumstick, while the drumstick refers to the portion below the knee joint.
Pro Tips
- Oven temperatures vary greatly, so more than anything, you'll want to pay attention to the internal temperature of the turkey more than the roasting time. Remove turkey legs once they reach 180°F.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- The roasting times may need to be adjusted if the turkey legs weigh more or less than mine did.
- If you're looking for an easy side dish idea, season roughly chopped potatoes or potato wedges with the same rub and scatter them around the turkey thighs. The potatoes will cook in the rendered juices and will be ready when the turkey legs are.
More Turkey Recipes
If you enjoy this turkey legs recipe, check out these other related recipes!
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Bring turkey legs to room temperature, then 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.
- Rub turkey with olive oil, ghee, or softened butter, including under the skin. Mix the turkey rub ingredients in a small bowl, then sprinkle the seasoning generously on all sides of the turkey and lightly under the skin. Allow the turkey seasoning to infuse the turkey flesh for a couple of hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 450℉. Place the turkey legs in a roasting pan or high-rimmed baking sheet and insert a probe into the thickest part of the thigh or leg. Set the probe temperature to 180°F.
- Roast turkey legs, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Brush turkey legs with rendered juices, then turn the temperature down to 400°F.
- Loosely cover the turkey legs with foil and bake for another 35 to 45 minutes, or until the juices run clear and the probe or meat thermometer reaches 180°F.
Nutrition
Notes
- If you decide to season both under and over the turkey skin, you may want to season more lightly so that the turkey does not end up too salty. Another option is to reduce the amount of salt in the turkey rub.
- When inserting the probe or meat thermometer, make sure it does not touch the bone.
- Oven temperatures vary greatly, so more than anything, you'll want to pay attention to the internal temperature of the turkey more than the roasting time. Remove turkey legs once they reach 180°F.
- Allow the turkey to rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute; however, don't tent with foil. The condensation created between the foil and the turkey will cause the crispy skin to soften.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- The roasting times may need to be adjusted if the turkey legs weigh more or less.
- Use leftovers to make creamy turkey soup!
- If you're looking for an easy side dish idea, season roughly chopped potatoes or potato wedges with the same rub and scatter them around the turkey thighs. The potatoes will cook in the rendered juices and will be ready when the turkey legs are.
Terri Noon says
Why do you let it rest for 2 hours? It will be cold!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Terri, I think you must've misread one of the steps because I suggest resting it for 10 minutes not 2 hours.
Ruby says
After seasoned the turkey, should I keep it in the fridge overnight or room temperature overnight?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Ruby, You don't want to leave it out overnight, it needs to be in the fridge!
Ruby says
Thank you!!