Air-Fryer Turkey Legs with Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Crispy and flavorful air-fryer turkey legs rubbed with a blend of brown sugar and spices, paired with a tangy homemade cranberry sauce. This recipe delivers juicy meat with a perfectly crisp skin in under 30 minutes of cooking time, ideal for a quick yet impressive holiday or family meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes plus 4 hours (or overnight) marinating time
- Cook Time: 20 to 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes (including marinating and resting time)
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey Legs and Spice Rub
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons finely ground poultry seasoning (such as Spice Islands)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt or 1/2 tablespoon fine salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 4 turkey legs
- 2 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Cranberry Sauce
- 1 (14-ounce) can whole-berry cranberry sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 large thyme sprig
- 1 medium orange, zested and juiced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
- Prepare Spice Rub: Place a cooling rack on a rimmed baking sheet. In a medium bowl large enough to fit a turkey leg, stir together the dark brown sugar, poultry seasoning, salt, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to form the spice rub.
- Season Turkey Legs: Pat the turkey legs very dry with paper towels. One at a time, rub each leg thoroughly with the spice mixture until completely coated. Place the seasoned legs on the baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for 4 hours or up to overnight to allow flavors to penetrate. Remove from fridge 30 to 60 minutes before cooking to come to room temperature.
- Air-Fry Turkey Legs: Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (193°C). Brush each turkey leg with vegetable oil and arrange in the air-fryer basket, fitting up to 4 legs depending on size or cooking in two batches if necessary. Cook, flipping halfway through, for 20 to 25 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C), the juices run clear, and the skin is crispy and deeply browned. Transfer legs to a platter and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Make Cranberry Sauce: While turkey cooks, combine the canned cranberry sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, thyme sprig, orange juice, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in orange zest, and let infuse for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with additional salt if desired. The sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored refrigerated.
- Serve: Serve the rested turkey legs hot with the cranberry sauce on the side for dipping or spooning over the meat as desired.
Notes
- Be sure to pat the turkey legs very dry before applying the rub to ensure crispy skin.
- Allowing the seasoned turkey to rest uncovered in the fridge helps dry out the skin for better crisping during air frying.
- Check the size capacity of your air fryer; cooking in batches may be necessary to avoid overcrowding.
- Use a reliable instant-read thermometer to ensure turkey is fully cooked to a safe temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Cranberry sauce can be prepared ahead and refrigerated for convenience and enhanced flavor infusion.
- For extra smoky flavor, smoked paprika is preferred, but regular paprika can be substituted if unavailable.
Keywords: air fryer turkey legs, crispy turkey legs, holiday turkey recipe, cranberry sauce, easy turkey recipe
