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Home » Recipe Index » Air Fryer

Air Fryer Turkey Legs Recipe: Quick, Flavorful, and Perfectly Seasoned

Published: Jun 27, 2019 · Modified: Nov 13, 2024 by Tanya · This post may contain affiliate links · 25 Comments

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These Air Fryer Turkey Legs are roasted in the Air Fryer and are nice and crisp on the outside while perfectly juicy on the inside. Take a trip to your favorite fair with this easy recipe. 

roasted turkey legs in air fryer basket


 

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here. 

Full Recipe/Instructions can be found at the bottom of the post in the recipe card after the helpful tips and tricks in the post.

I’ve been thinking a ton about the Fair. It’s been a while since I’ve gone, but whenever I go, I always seek out the booth that sells the giant turkey legs. Holding a huge turkey leg while walking through the Fair brings back great memories. Forget the rides, forget the prizes; it’s all about the food. 

These roasted turkey legs would be perfect for a weeknight meal or even if you wanted to serve them up for the Thanksgiving Holiday. I cook them in the Air Fryer as it keeps the turkey leg nice and crispy on the outside and nice and moist on the inside. 

Ingredients Needed

Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Turkey Legs - Choose fresh or fully thawed turkey legs, as these will cook more evenly and crisp better in the air fryer. Typically, grocery stores carry them in packs of two or three, and they are often around 10–12 ounces each.
  • Oil and Seasonings - Olive oil, smoked paprika, brown sugar, seasoned salt, and garlic powder

How to Air Fry Turkey Legs

First, combine your seasonings. I use salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and brown sugar. 

seasoning for turkey legs on a plate
raw turkey legs on cutting board

Pat dry your turkey legs, then rub your spice mixture all over your turkey legs. I make sure to rub the seasoning under the skin as well to get that flavor all over the meat. 

hands rubbing turkey legs

Then place the turkey legs in your Air Fryer basket. Lightly spray your turkey leg with a mist of cooking oil. I use my handy dandy oil spray bottle. I discuss more on why you should invest in a spray bottle in my 10 Air Fryer Tips and Tricks. 

raw seasoned turkey legs in air fryer basket

 Cook on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes. Flip your turkey leg and lightly spray again and cook for another 15-20 minutes. 

Remove your turkey leg. Use a quick read thermometer to ensure that your turkey leg is done. 

cooked turkey leg in air fryer basket

Serve and enjoy your delicious and juicy turkey leg 🙂

Notes on Air Fryer Roasted Turkey Legs

  • You should be able to find turkey legs in your local grocery store in the poultry section. They usually sell them in packs of 2 or 3. If you pick up a pack of lean turkey legs, adjust the cooking time. 
  • Different air fryers will require different cook times. Adjust your cook times accordingly. 
  • I don’t brine the turkey legs when making them in the Air Fryer. However, if you choose to brine, just make sure to pat the turkey legs dry before air frying.
  • Lean turkey legs will cook in less time. Cut cooking times in half.

Make Ahead Tips, Storage, and Reheating

  • Storage: Store any leftover turkey legs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
  • Freezing: You can freeze cooked turkey legs by wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap, then placing them in a freezer-safe bag. They’ll stay good in the freezer for up to 2 months.
  • Reheating: Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 5–7 minutes, or until heated through. This method helps maintain the crispy skin. Alternatively, microwave in 30-second intervals, though the skin may be less crispy.

Serving Suggestions

  • Meal Pairings: Serve with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or a fresh salad to complete the meal.
  • Sauce Pairings: Try pairing with cranberry sauce, gravy, or a barbecue sauce for extra flavor.

Troubleshooting and Tips

  • Avoid Overcrowding: Ensure there is space around each turkey leg in the air fryer for even cooking. If you have a smaller air fryer, cook in batches.
  • Skin Crispiness: For extra-crispy skin, pat the turkey legs dry thoroughly before applying oil and seasoning.
  • Reduce Temperature: If you notice the turkey legs are browning too quickly or starting to burn, reduce the air fryer temperature to 325°F. This allows the inside to cook without further darkening the outside. Different air fryers can vary in heat intensity. If you’re using a high-wattage air fryer, check the turkey legs halfway through the cooking time and adjust as needed.

Looking for more Air Fryer Recipes? Try these out:

  • Air Fryer Turkey Breast
  • Air Fryer Turkey Wings
  • Fried Chicken
  • Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
  • Creamy Air Fryer Mac and Cheese
roasted turkey legs in air fryer basket
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4.87 from 22 votes

Air Fryer Turkey Leg Recipe

These Air Fryer Turkey Legs are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. These legs are perfectly seasoned and so easy to roast in your Air Fryer.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword air fryer turkey legs, roasted turkey leg, turkey leg recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes minutes
Total Time 45 minutes minutes
Servings 2 people
Calories 988kcal
Author Tanya
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 2 large turkey legs patted dry
  • 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • oil for spraying avocado, canola, etc.

Instructions

  • Combine smoked paprika, brown sugar, seasoned salt, garlic powder until fully mixed. Set aside.
  • Rub seasoning mixture all over turkey legs making sure to get under the skin as well.
  • Place in Air Fryer basket. Lightly spray with oil.
  • Air Fry on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes. Then open air fryer basket, flip turkey legs and lightly spray with oil. Close Air Fryer basket and cook for 15-20 more minutes.
  • Remove and Enjoy 🙂

Suggested Tools

Quick Read Thermometer
Air Fryer
Air Fryer

Notes

  • You should be able to find turkey legs in your local grocery store in the poultry section. They usually sell them in packs of 2 or 3. If you pick up a pack of lean turkey legs, adjust the cooking time. 
  • Different air fryers will require different cook times. Adjust your cook times accordingly. 
  • I don’t brine the turkey legs when making them in the Air Fryer. 
  • Lean turkey legs will need a lesser cooking time. Cut the cook times in half. 

Nutrition

Calories: 988kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 133g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 481mg | Sodium: 1666mg | Potassium: 1883mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 740IU | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 12mg
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Although myforkinglife.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Under no circumstances will myforkinglife.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.

 This post was originally published on June 27, 2019. It has been updated with new information.

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Comments

    4.87 from 22 votes (18 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Julian green says

    January 11, 2025 at 8:52 am

    Sounds like a great recipe will definitely try it soon. I’m alone, widow no family or kids here in the U.S

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      January 12, 2025 at 8:14 am

      Thanks, Julian! I hope you like the recipe.

      Reply
  2. Ann says

    November 18, 2024 at 6:43 pm

    This recipe looks great, I'll have to try it. I will be using a quick read thermometer, and I was wondering what the temperature would be when you take it out of the oven. Do you let it rest for a few minutes to complete cooking afterwards? Also, I appreciate the nutrition chart. I was wondering about the calorie count per serving, and serving size --or is this calorie count (988) for both legs?
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      November 19, 2024 at 5:27 pm

      Hi Ann, thank you. The calorie count is an estimation for 1 leg. I usually pull it at around 170 degrees Fahrenheit. I do let it rest for a few minutes afterward as well. I hope you like the recipe.

      Reply
  3. Linda says

    November 20, 2023 at 9:34 am

    Sounds great! Planning on giving this a go exactly as written. My AirFryer has racks instead of a basket. If I'm only using one rack, I have constant all around air flow. Do you think I would still need to flip them or just cook straight 40 mins?

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      November 21, 2023 at 6:38 am

      Hi Linda, I usually always flip, mainly because the heating element is at the top. I find that one side gets significantly darker if I don't flip.

      Reply
    • Linda says

      November 23, 2023 at 9:56 am

      @Tanya, Thanks! Happy Thanksgiving!

      Reply
  4. Jessi says

    October 09, 2023 at 6:00 pm

    I followed the recipe exactly and the turkey legs turned out great. Thanks for this!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      October 10, 2023 at 10:17 am

      Thank you, Jessi! So happy you liked the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  5. Fred says

    December 31, 2022 at 4:20 pm

    You can spray cooking oil on turkey or chicken legs lightly It won’t catch fire in insta-pot? I am new to insta-pot cooking

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      January 03, 2023 at 6:44 am

      Hi Fred, this recipe is for an air fryer. Instant Pots require liquid in order to cook properly.

      Reply
  6. Diane says

    September 16, 2021 at 11:59 am

    I've tried various recipes for turkey legs in my air fryer, and this one is the best! The seasoning is perfect, the skin is nice and crispy and the meat is moist. Thank you for sharing it with us!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      September 16, 2021 at 1:42 pm

      Thank you for the feedback Diane 🙂

      Reply
  7. dorothy heater says

    July 08, 2021 at 5:20 pm

    new at air frying, chicken thighs came out great, trying turkey leg recipe now -

    Reply
  8. Tyler says

    July 01, 2021 at 3:28 pm

    Can you use this rub on chicken legs too?

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      July 05, 2021 at 7:18 pm

      Hi Tyler, yes you can 🙂

      Reply
  9. Keith says

    February 06, 2021 at 1:17 pm

    How to survive quarantine without getting bored on meal choices? Follow Tanya Harris' My Forking Life blog! You have certainly made meal choices interesting and something to look forward to again since I am not dining out until this COVID situation is behind us.

    I am thinking of doing this recipe in the near future but wanted some clarification on what you mean by 'lea turkey legs' in the NOTES section?

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      February 07, 2021 at 2:30 pm

      hi Keith, Thanks! That should say lean turkey legs. They are usually smaller in size.

      Reply
  10. Sharon says

    December 04, 2020 at 11:08 pm

    You are an amazing cook🧑‍🍳

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      December 06, 2020 at 8:20 pm

      Thank you Sharon 🙂

      Reply
  11. Mishe says

    May 16, 2020 at 7:47 pm

    Thanks. This recipe looks awsome!!

    Reply
  12. Michelle says

    September 03, 2019 at 2:30 pm

    This was so Delicious! Thank you so much, now I can make my own & not spend 12$ for only 1 at the fair!

    Reply
    • dorothy heater says

      July 08, 2021 at 5:20 pm

      @Michelle, true always get a smoked turkey leg at the fair, part of the experience, but nice to do this at home!!

      Reply
    • June says

      February 13, 2022 at 4:11 pm

      @dorothy heater, I have to smoked drumsticks. Can I cook them the same way. If they are already smoked? First time cooking them

      Reply
      • Tanya says

        February 14, 2022 at 2:26 pm

        Hi June, I would reduce the temp if using already cooked smoked turkey legs. Since they are already cooked, you're technically reheating them. If the temp is too high when cooked, they can burn. I'd try at a temp of 300F until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Welcome to My Forking Life! Hi, I'm Tanya, attorney, busy wife and mom, and lover of quick, easy, and delicious meals.

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