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Easy Roasted Turkey Legs

June 28, 2021 by Lucy Parissi 2 Comments

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Easy Roasted Turkey Legs – tender and juicy turkey for lovers of dark meat! These perfectly seasoned oven-roasted turkey legs are a great alternative to roasting a whole turkey. 

Serve with my Goose Fat Roast Potatoes

Post may contain affiliate links. For more information, check my disclosure

roasted turkey legs on a tray with carving set on the side

I am a firm believer that Roast Turkey is not just for Christmas and Thanksgiving! I was rather excited to discover giant turkey legs for sale at my local supermarket recently. 

A whole turkey leg easily feeds four to six and is super economical too. Even better? You will be amazed how incredibly easy it is to prepare!

Forget brining, basting and getting hot and bothered about roasting the perfect turkey! Roast turkey legs are a great option if you are serving a smaller group of dark meat lovers.

PS: If you prefer white meat, check out my easy Roast Turkey Crown recipe! For a quick alternative to whole roast turkey, take a look at my Turkey Roll Recipe.

Here’s what you will need

  • Turkey leg (s) – my 1.6 kg (3 ½ pound) turkey leg came sliced into leg and thigh portions
  • Olive oil
  • Seasoning rub – salt, pepper, sugar, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, oregano, dried parsley and lemon zest
  • Onions, rosemary sprigs and lemons – these provide a bed for the turkey legs to cook on
  • Digital thermometer
  • A good carving set
Turkey leg and thigh rubbed with seasoning on a roasting tray

How To Roast Turkey Legs

Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!

Rub the turkey with olive oil. Combine all the ingredients for the rub and then sprinkle liberally over the turkey on both sides.

Prehea the oven to 180C (350F). Line a roasting tin with baking paper or foil and spread the onion, rosemary and lemon slices over it.

tray with rosemary, lemon and onion slices

Place the turkey leg on top, skin side down and roast for 30 minutes. Turn the legs over, skin side up, and continue to cook for a further 40 minutes or until the internal temperature is 75°C (167°F). 

checking the temperature of roast turkey leg with digital thermometer

Rest the turkey, loosely covered with foil, for 20-30 minutes. Slice and serve with your favourite sides!

carving turkey thigh on a cutting board

How Do I Know My Turkey Legs Are Done?

The best – and safest! – way to tell when your turkey legs are cooked to perfection is to check the temperature using a digital thermometer. 

Insert the probe in the thickest part of the leg, avoiding the bone, and check it has reached a minimum of 75°C (167°F). The juices should run clear – another indicator that the turkey is cooked.

Roasting times will vary depending on the size of the turkey legs and the efficiency of your oven so do check earlier if you are cooking smaller turkey legs. 

Perfectly juicy turkey

Rest the turkey legs before serving to allow the meat fibres to relax and juices to redistribute. If you carve the turkey immediately the meat will be tough!

Serving suggestions

Serve your roast turkey legs with your favourite sides or a simple green salad! Here are some suggestions

  • Lazy Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
  • Keto Brussels Sprouts – Creamy Sprouts With Bacon
  • Best Greek Lemon Potatoes
  • Perfectly Fluffy Dinner Rolls

Turkey Leftovers

Keep any leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Leftover dark turkey meat is great in soups, curries, pies and pasta!

  • Easy Leftover Turkey Pie
  • Leftover Turkey Casserole
  • Leftover Turkey Soup – Ready in 30 Minutes!
  • Creamy Leftover Turkey Pasta
overhead close up shot of oven roasted turkey leg and thigh

HAVE YOU MADE ROASTED TURKEY LEGS RECIPE? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!

Easy Roasted Turkey Legs

Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes
Easy Roasted Turkey Legs – tender and juicy turkey for lovers of dark meat! These perfectly seasoned oven-roasted turkey legs are a great alternative to roasting a whole turkey.
4.89 from 9 votes
Print Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Roasted Turkey Legs
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Resting: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 397kcal

Ingredients

Seasoning

  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp dried parsley
  • ½ tbsp garlic powder
  • ½ tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground pepper
  • 1 lemon , zest only

For the turkey

  • 1.6 kg 3 ½ pounds turkey leg and thigh portions
  • 3 tbsp olive oil , or as needed
  • 1 lemon , sliced into rounds (use the zested lemon)
  • 1 red onion , sliced into rounds
  • Few sprigs fresh rosemary

Instructions

  • Rub the turkey with olive oil. Combine all the ingredients for the rub and then sprinkle liberally over the turkey on both sides.
  • Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Line a roasting tin with baking paper or foil and spread the onion, rosemary and lemon slices over it.
  • Place the turkey leg on top, skin side down and roast for 30 minutes.
  • Turn the legs over, skin side up, and continue to cook for a further 40 minutes or until the internal temperature is 75°C (167°F).
  • Rest the turkey, loosely covered with foil, for 20-30 minutes. Slice and serve!

Video

https://youtu.be/aMnQwZNHzYc

Notes

How Do I Know When My Turkey Legs Are Done?
The best – and safest! – way to tell when your turkey legs are cooked to perfection is to check the temperature using a digital thermometer.
Insert the probe in the thickest part of the leg, avoiding the bone, and check it has reached a minimum of 75°C (167°F). The juices should run clear – another indicator that the turkey is cooked.
Roasting times will vary depending on the size of the turkey legs and the efficiency of your oven so do check earlier if you are cooking smaller turkey legs.

Nutritional Info

Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 559mg | Potassium: 706mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 463IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 5mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @supergolden88 or tag #supergoldenbakes!
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Comments

  1. Drew Amdahl says

    December 14, 2021 at 11:42 pm

    5 stars
    Very flavorful turkey legs, with healthy ingredients.

    Reply
  2. Stanley M Weinberg says

    September 24, 2021 at 7:53 pm

    5 stars
    Really delicious method for a turkey meal. Using the drippings and fat made a delicious gravy too. I roasted a 1.25 lb leg and it took 2 1/4 hours to cook. (It was still pink at 1 1/2 hours)

    Reply

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Picture of Lucy ParissiHi, I am Lucy Parissi, the recipe developer, food  photographer and author behind Supergolden Bakes. If you are looking for easy sweet and savoury recipes that are packed with flavour you have come to the right place!  READ MORE

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