You don't need a whole turkey to make a turkey dinner. These air fryer turkey legs are seasoned with BBQ rub and brushed with a maple butter glaze for a sweet and smoky finish.
The glaze comes together in a small bowl with melted butter, maple syrup, apple cider or apple juice, and lemon zest. There's no brine or long marinade to plan around.
Serve them with a couple of simple sides for dinner, or add your favorite holiday dishes for a smaller turkey meal. While the legs cook, you have time to get the rest of the plate ready.
Quick Success Tips
- Use a thermometer. This recipe cooks the turkey legs to 180°F in the thickest part, away from the bone.
- Check the fit before cooking. The legs need space around them and should not touch the heating element.
- Pat the skin dry before adding oil and seasoning.
- Follow the glaze stages below rather than adding all the glaze at the beginning.
How Long to Cook Turkey Legs in the Air Fryer
These turkey legs cook at 380°F for about 36 minutes. That includes both short glaze stages.
With 10 minutes of preparation, the total time is about 46 minutes. A 10-15-minute rest and is not included in that total.
Turkey legs vary in size, so the thermometer matters more than the clock. This recipe uses a 180°F endpoint. The safe minimum temperature for turkey is 165°F.
Ingredients
Find the full ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Turkey drumsticks: Use raw, fully thawed, bone-in, skin-on turkey legs. Choose similar sizes so they cook more evenly.
Olive oil spray: A light coating helps the rub stick to the turkey.
Salt-free BBQ rub: This gives the turkey its smoky seasoning and lets you control the salt separately. Check the label before adding salt, especially when using a different blend.
Melted butter and maple syrup: These make the rich, sweet base of the glaze.
Apple cider or apple juice: Either works in the glaze. Use cider or juice, not apple cider vinegar.
Lemon zest: Use the yellow part of the peel for a little citrus flavor without the bitter white pith.
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Tools Used to make this recipe
- Small bowls: These are perfect for measuring spices and herbs. Or to serve a single serving of dipping sauce.
- Kitchen tongs: I highly recommend using silicone tongs with the air fryer; this helps to avoid scratches.
- Sprayer Bottle: I like to use this one when cooking things in the air fryer to help me protect the coating of the basket.
How to cook turkey drumsticks in The air fryer
1. Season the turkey
Pat the turkey legs dry with paper towels and place them on a cutting board or baking sheet.
Gently slide a spoon under the skin to loosen it without removing it. Spritz with olive oil, then rub the BBQ seasoning over the legs and under the skin. Add salt and pepper to taste when using a salt-free rub.
2. Mix the glaze
Combine the melted butter, maple syrup, apple cider or apple juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl.
3. Air fry and glaze
Arrange the turkey legs in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook at 380°F for 15 minutes.
Brush the exposed side with maple butter and cook for 3 more minutes.
Turn the legs and cook for another 15 minutes. Brush the exposed side with maple butter, then cook for 3 more minutes.
Check each leg with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part without touching the bone. The target for this recipe is 180°F. Continue cooking as needed until it reaches that temperature.
4. Serve
Remove the turkey legs from the basket and serve. For an optional rest, leave them for 10-15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe tips
- Make sure you get the BBQ rub under the skin and on it so that it can permeate the meat more effectively.
- Different sized drumsticks can have different cooking times, so always use a meat thermometer to check that yours have cooked all the way through before serving.
- When you flip the legs over, brush a little of the marinade on them again to ensure that they are flavorful.
- Feel free to play around with herbs and spices to come up with your favorite flavors.
- You can always make more crispy turkey legs if looking to serve more people.
- Store leftovers air fryer turkey legs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for 3 months.
- If making turkey legs in air fryer oven, the cooking time could be longer, and you need to preheat for 10 minutes before starting to air fry the legs.
Make It a Meal
For a smaller holiday dinner: Add mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower, green beans, and cranberry sauce. Prepare the sides separately while the turkey cooks.
For an everyday dinner: Serve with Instant Pot brown rice and a bagged salad. The rice cooks separately, so the turkey has the air fryer to itself.
For a barbecue-style plate: Add corn on the cob and slaw. My air fryer corn on the cob is another option when you have a second air fryer or can cook it separately.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers, within 2 hours of cooking or within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F. Don't leave the turkey out to cool completely.
Keep cooked turkey in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen leftovers in the refrigerator before following the reheating directions below.
In the air fryer: Preheat to 380°F and reheat for about 6-8 minutes, continuing as needed until the thickest part reaches 165°F.
In the oven: Place the turkey in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and reheat at 400°F for about 15-20 minutes, continuing as needed until the thickest part reaches 165°F.
FAQs
This recipe is written for raw turkey drumsticks. Smoked turkey legs may already be cooked, so check the package and follow its cooking or reheating directions instead of this raw-turkey method.
Yes. Double the ingredients and cook in batches as needed. Keep the legs in a single layer with space around them, and check the internal temperature of each leg before serving.
More Turkey Recipes to Try
Another dark-meat option with herb seasoning, try air fryer turkey thighs.
For sliced turkey with fresh herbs, make air fryer turkey breast.
For a boneless option, try air fryer turkey tenderloin.
Please, do not forget to subscribe and follow us on Instagram and Pinterest. for more healthy air fryer recipes and ideas. Thank you for reading Enjoy Clean Eating!
Air Fryer Turkey Legs with Maple Butter Glaze
Sweet and smoky air fryer turkey legs seasoned with BBQ rub and finished with a maple butter glaze made with apple cider and lemon zest.
Ingredients
- 3-4 raw turkey drumsticks (around 4 pounds)
- Sprayer bottle with olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons salt-free BBQ dry rub
- Salt and pepper to taste (only if the rub is salt-free)
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider or apple juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
Tools Used
Instructions
- Pat the turkey drumsticks dry with paper towels and place them on a cutting board or baking sheet. Gently slide a spoon under the skin to loosen it. Spritz with olive oil and rub the BBQ seasoning over the legs and under the skin. Add salt and pepper to taste when using a salt-free rub.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, maple syrup, apple cider or apple juice, and lemon zest.
- Arrange the turkey legs in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook at 380°F for 15 minutes. Brush the exposed side with maple butter and cook for 3 more minutes. Turn the legs and cook for another 15 minutes. Brush the exposed side with maple butter, then cook for 3 more minutes. Check that each leg reaches 180°F in the thickest part without touching the bone. Continue cooking as needed until it reaches that temperature.
- Remove from the air fryer and serve. An optional 10–15-minute rest may be added before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cooking time varies with the size of the turkey legs and the air fryer. Use the internal temperature to confirm doneness.
- Cook in batches when needed to keep the legs in a single layer with space around them.
- The optional resting time is not included in the 46-minute total.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1 legAmount Per Serving: Calories: 922Total Fat: 47gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 29gCholesterol: 460mgSodium: 478mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 0gSugar: 20gProtein: 104g
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on products used. When the recipe list salt to taste the amount of salt is not calculated, only the sodium in the other ingredients is calculated.
