Turkey legs aren’t just for Thanksgiving around here. Growing up in a Southern kitchen, they showed up at Sunday dinners and holidays, always seasoned with love and cooked until tender. Now, with over a decade of sharing my recipes online, I’ve put together a baked turkey leg recipe that works every time. You know my recipe is coming with crispy skin, juicy meat, and always well seasoned because we don't do bland!
You will also love my Baked Turkey Wings and Fried Pork Chops Recipe.
Baked Turkey Leg Ingredients
- Turkey Legs: I am often asked where I buy my turkey drumsticks. Some standard grocers will keep brands like Butterball and Jenni-O on hand year-round. Many retailers only carry them seasonally around fall. A local butcher is usually really helpful.
- Olive Oil
- Onions
- Green and Red Bell Peppers
- Creole Seasoning, Smoked Paprika, and Garlic Powder
- Broth
How to Make Baked Turkey Legs
The key is to cook these low and slow.
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Pat Dry and Drizzle with Oil: Pat the turkey legs dry with paper towels, this helps the oil and seasoning stick. Rub each leg all over with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Season the Turkey: Season generously with Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Make sure you rub it in well so every bite has flavor.
- Add the Turkey Legs to the Pan: Place the turkey legs in a baking dish or roasting pan. Scatter the sliced onions and bell peppers around the legs. Drizzle the broth in the pan around the turkey legs. Don't drizzle it on top of the turkey because you don't want to lose the spices.
- Bake with Foil: Cover the pan with foil and bake, until the meat is tender.
- Baked Uncovered: Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another until the skin is golden brown and a little crispy.
- Serve: Serve the turkey legs hot, spooning some of those baked onions and peppers over the top for extra flavor.
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also grab your FREE ebook with my best 30-minute one-pot meals! Dinner stress stops here.
Save those turkey drippings, onions and bell peppers once the turkey is cooked. Pair these with our Turkey Graving From Drippings or Yellow Gravy Without Drippings recipes.
Juicy Turkey Legs in Oven
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also grab your FREE ebook with my best 30-minute one-pot meals! Dinner stress stops here.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup sliced onions I used white onions.
- 1 cup sliced green and red bell peppers peppers
- 3-4 pounds turkey legs
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil Use enough to coat each leg.
- 1 tablespoon Creole Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup broth Any broth, turkey, chicken, vegetable, etc.
- foil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Place the sliced onions and bell peppers into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
- Pat the legs dry. Place the legs in the dish and drizzle both sides of the legs olive oil and then sprinkle the spices onto both sides of the legs. Be sure to use enough spices to cover the skin of both sides of the legs. Add additional as necessary to prevent bland turkey.
- Rub the spices into the legs. Drizzle the broth in the pan around the turkey legs. Don't drizzle it on top of the turkey because you don't want to lose the spices.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 2 hours.
- Remove the foil and adjust the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Allow the legs to bake for an additional 20-40 minutes or until the skin is crisp and the turkey is tender and falls off the bone. You can test if the legs have finished cooking by using a meat thermometer. Test the thickest part of the leg and ensure the turkey has reached a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Cool before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute Creole seasoning for any of your favorite spices or chicken/turkey rubs.
- You can also use chicken drumsticks. Be sure to test if the chicken is done by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest parts of one of the pieces of chicken. Chicken must be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.
- You will need to use a meat thermometer. Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of one the turkey wings. According to the USDA, Poultry must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- The legs are baked and covered at a lower temperature initially, in order to cook the turkey throughout.
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Frequently Asked Questions and Pro Tips
Absolutely! Bake them, let them cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge. They reheat beautifully, just warm in the oven at 300°F until hot.
Check out my Smothered Turkey Wings Recipe. Follow the instructions for how to make the gravy and add it to your turkey legs.
They probably needed more time or liquid. Turkey legs are full of connective tissue that needs time to break down. Cover tightly, add broth, and give them another 20–30 minutes in the oven.
You will need to use a meat thermometer. Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of one the turkey legs. According to the USDA, Poultry must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Cooking the drumsticks low and slow does the trick. The turkey will produce drippings while it cooks with the onions and green peppers which will help keep it moist.
Cooked turkey legs can be stored in the fridge tightly covered for 3-4 days.
Yes, cover them with foil for the first part of baking. This traps in steam and helps tenderize the meat. Uncover toward the end so the skin gets that beautiful color and crisp edges.
Yes, a little broth keeps them juicy while they bake. It helps create that flavorful gravy at the bottom of the pan, perfect for spooning over rice or mashed potatoes.
You can freeze leftover drumsticks tightly covered and sealed. For best taste, they will last up to 3 months. Defrost the legs overnight in the fridge and reheat.
I like to season these with Creole Seasoning and smoked paprika. Feel free to use any of your favorite spices or blends.
Homemade BBQ Seasoning and Rub
Homemade Blackened Seasoning
Homemade Ranch Seasoning
Cajun Seasoning
Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Add moisture + cover tightly. This is the key. You’re basically creating a steam environment, that’s how you break down those tendons so the meat goes from chewy to tender. You have to bake them low and slow. Don’t rush it. Fall-off-the-bone meat isn’t a high-heat situation.
You have to cook turkey low and slow to get it tender and fall off the bone. I bake these for at least 2 hours at 300 degrees, covered in foil and then for another 30 minutes uncovered to get crispy skin. At around the 2.5 hour mark, it should be fully cooked, tender, and pulling away from the bone.
You’ll want to thaw them first for even cooking. Thaw in the fridge overnight or use a cold water bath if you’re short on time.
My favorite ways are to use the air fryer (350 degrees until warm) or the oven (350 degrees until warm). You can microwave them if you wish.
What to Serve With this Turkey Legs Recipe
Pair these with classic Southern side dishes like Southern soul food baked mac and cheese, Southern chicken and dressing, Southern candied sweet potatoes,Southern mustard greens, or Southern green beans.
Pair With These Recipes
Baked Crab Legs
Seafood Mac and Cheese
Southern Okra and Tomatoes
Southern Style Green Beans
Jungle Juice Recipe
More Turkey Leg and Turkey Wing Recipes
Air Fryer Turkey Wings
Air Fryer Turkey Legs
Smothered Turkey Wings
Stuffed Turkey Legs
Smoked Turkey Wings
Smoked Turkey Legs
Grilled Turkey Legs
More Turkey Recipes
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Slow Cooker Crockpot Boneless Turkey Breast
Crockpot Slow Cooker Bone-in Turkey Breast
Traeger Smoked Turkey
Turkey and Cheese Sliders
Justine says
These were so good! Low and slow is definitely the way to go - they were absolutely tender and so juicy.
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them!
Dana says
These are so fun! My kids were so tickled by the size of the turkey legs and devoured them straight away.
staysnatched says
So glad to hear it!
Kim says
Hi there, I'm in Australia and the Turkey legs we gave here are around 700 - 900 pounds each. How long would I need to cook these for?
Would I need to change anything at all?
What about the white tough membrane in them?
staysnatched says
You cook took turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees for safety, however long it takes. Ours doesn’t have a white membrane. If you don’t want it, then remove it.
Debbie says
@Kim, Each weigh that much? :/