How to Make Air Fryer Turkey Legs Recipe

Whether you are craving a fair-style meal at home or just want something other than chicken, air fryer turkey legs are the perfect option. It’s easy to learn how to make air fryer turkey legs!

Air Fryer Turkey Legs are the perfect alternative to your deep-fried favorites or a good alternative to Smoked Turkey Legs, they are ready in just about 20 minutes and give you an easy recipe option for serving family and friends. These will come out as crispy turkey legs using just a spritz of oil spray and your favorite seasonings.

What type of turkey legs should you use?

Turkey legs can be found at your local grocery store. It’s best to use giant turkey legs. These typically can be found in the meat section and come in packages of 3 of turkey drumsticks.

The cooking time will also depend on the size of the turkey legs, which is why it’s important to use a meat thermometer to check the temperature throughout the cooking time.

What seasonings should you use for this Air Fryer Turkey Leg Recipe?

Seasoning air fryer turkey legs is entirely up to you and your preference. They can be seasoned with traditional poultry seasoning or as simple as salt and black pepper.

If you want to add some spicy flavor, brush the turkey legs with a little bit of olive oil or use olive oil cooking spray and then add paprika and red chili flakes.

If you prefer a more savory variation, add a little bit of olive oil and then season them with garlic powder, rosemary, and thyme along with a bit of garlic salt. The seasoning can simply be evenly coated over the turkey drumsticks, not more than a tablespoon or so.

How to Make Air Fryer Turkey Legs:

This is an easy prep recipe, meaning very few ingredients and it’s customizable to your taste! The recipe card below will contain the full recipe instructions.

The turkey will be coated with Grapeseed Oil Spray or Olive Oil Spray and then place turkey legs right into the basket, be sure they are placed in a single layer in your air fryer basket.

To get that crispy skin, be sure there is room around the turkey legs for hot air to circulate. A coat of grapeseed oil spray can be used to crisp up the skin as well.

If you prefer at this point, you can season them before or after cooking with your favorite seasonings like poultry seasoning or simply salt and pepper. If you have a favorite dry rub for turkey, you can also use it before cooking them.

How do you Air Fry Turkey Legs?

Once they are in the air fryer the cooking time will be 20 minutes at 390 degrees F or until the internal temperature of the turkey legs is at least 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the turkey leg. The turkey legs should be a nice golden brown with crispy skin.

This will need to be checked with an instant-read thermometer.

For best results and to obtain some juicy, tender meat on the inside, it’s best to let the turkey legs rest for 10 minutes before serving. This allows for the juices to flow throughout the turkey legs giving you a juicy turkey leg.

Once the turkey legs are ready to serve, they can be wrapped in aluminum foil just as they would at the fair to make them easier to serve.

How do you store leftover turkey legs?

Leftover turkey legs can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

If you want to freeze them, be sure to wrap the turkey legs with plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe storage bag before storing them in the freezer. These can be stored for up to 4 months.

When ready to reheat, they can be heated in a microwave-safe dish for 4 minutes or in the Air Fryer at 360 degrees F for 4-5 minutes, watching them carefully.

If you are taking them out of the freezer, it’s best to defrost them first and then reheat them.

Remember this recipe can be done as Ninja Foodi Turkey Legs using your Ninja Foodi Multi-Cooker or Air Fryer too, just use the Air Crisp function.

This recipe is a good option for your meal rotation or when you are serving a smaller group even perfect for Thanksgiving!

Be sure to choose some of your favorite sides to make this a complete meal. If you enjoy these turkey legs, then you will love this Air Fryer Turkey Breast too!

Cooking turkey legs in the air fryer is a game-changer. The air fryer circulates hot air around the food, creating a crispy exterior without the need for excess oil. With crispy skin and juicy meat, this recipe is sure to become a favorite in your weekly meal rotation.