Name: Air Fryer Turkey Legs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 turkey legs; 4 tablespoons butter, melted; 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning; ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning; ¼ teaspoon garlic salt; ¼ teaspoon pepper; ¼ teaspoon paprika

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These easy air fryer turkey legs give you crispy skin on the outside and fall-off-the-bone-tender meat on the inside every time for a meal the whole family will love!

Have you ever had a perfectly cooked turkey leg all by itself? Maybe you’ve been lucky enough to grab one from the Thanksgiving bird. Or maybe, like me, you’ve only gotten to try them at the Renaissance fair.

Let me tell you… these air fryer turkey legs taste just as good, if not better!

To me, the perfect drumstick has crispy skin on the outside and fall-off-the-bone-tender meat on the inside.

And thanks to the magic of the air fryer, that’s exactly what you get with this super easy, 30-minute recipe.

Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:

How to cook turkey legs in the air fryer to delicious perfection
Where to find the right turkey drumsticks
How to know when air fryer turkey legs are fully cooked
What to enjoy with your delicious turkey legs

Whether you’re making a smaller Thanksgiving meal or you’re just craving some dark meat, there’s never a bad time to make air fried turkey legs.

This recipe is just as perfect for holiday feasts as it is for dinner on a busy weeknight!

ingredients for turkey legs cooked in air fryer

Air Fryer I recommend: Large, easy to clean, square basket, burner on top and bottom. Click to see it.

How to Make Air Fryer Turkey Legs

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

STEP ONE: Preheat your air fryer to 390 degrees.

STEP TWO: Add the melted butter, cajun and poultry seasoning, garlic salt, pepper, and paprika to a bowl and mix together.

I use Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning and McCormick’s poultry seasoning for this recipe.

STEP THREE: Baste the seasoned butter all over the turkey legs. Make sure you get the top, bottom, and sides.

STEP FOUR: Place the turkey legs in the air fryer basket and cook for 25-30 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

I use an Instant-Read thermometer and pull them out right at 165 degrees to keep them nice and juicy.

STEP FIVE: Remove the turkey legs from the air fryer and enjoy!

Where To Buy Turkey Legs

You should be able to find turkey legs at your local grocery store. For this recipe, you want the drumstick by itself without the thigh.

Keep in mind that the turkey legs you find at the store might not be QUITE as huge as the ones you’ve gotten from a Renaissance fair or one of the Disney parks. Those are considered jumbo legs, and they are a little trickier to find.

Of course, you can always try your luck with your local butcher. If they don’t have jumbo turkey legs in stock, they might be able to special order them for you (just make sure they will fit your air fryer)!

How Long to Cook Turkey Legs In The Air Fryer

The cooking time is going to depend on the size of the turkey legs. For me, somewhere between 25 and 30 minutes is always perfect.

The most important thing is that the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. From there, you just want to make sure that the skin is fully crisped to your liking.

I wouldn’t recommend cooking turkey legs from frozen. It’s best to let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then cook them following the instructions above.

Can I Cook Smoked Turkey Legs In The Air Fryer?

Absolutely! Smoked turkey legs will taste amazing after cooking in the air fryer.

Because pre-smoked legs are already seasoned, you’ll want to skip the seasonings used in this recipe. Alternatively, if you want to cook pre-smoked turkey wings, check out my Air Fryer Turkey Wings recipe for directions!

What Temperature Do Turkey Legs Need To Cook To?

Turkey is considered safe to eat by the F.D.A. once the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

To make sure your turkey is fully cooked, insert an Instant Read meat thermometer in the thickest part of the drumstick.

What Can I Serve With Air Fryer Turkey Legs?

You can also cook any of these air fryer vegetable recipes to serve as a side dish too!

How to Reheat Turkey Legs In The Air Fryer?

Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
Place the turkey legs in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
Cook for about 5 minutes until heated through.

Other Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love:

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Yield: 3 servings