Rosemary Roasted Turkey Legs

Skip the whole turkey this Thanksgiving and save time roasting juicy turkey legs instead.

rosemary roasted turkey legs
Photo:

Christopher Testani

Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
1 hrs
Rest Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs 25 mins
Servings:
8

Isn’t everyone’s favorite part of Thanksgiving turkey the juicy legs? Give the people what they want and save yourself some time in the process. These turkey legs are cooked in an herby and zingy butter mixture and wine. Fragrant rosemary, thyme, and lemon will deliver all the Thanksgiving scents you know and love. Come serving time, you'll be giving thanks for not having to carve a giant bird. Simply arrange the turkey legs on a platter and garnish with lemon slices and fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme. This recipe is easy to scale up for a larger crowd as well.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 4 teaspoons)

  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme

  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

  • 8 turkey drumsticks (about 12 ounces each)

  • 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in top third of oven.

  2. Melt butter in microwave or on stove. Stir in lemon juice, rosemary, salt, garlic, thyme, and pepper.

  3. Dry drumsticks well with paper towels and place in a high-sided roasting pan. Brush all over with butter mixture. Add wine to pan.

  4. Cover and roast for 15 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450°F, uncover, and continue to roast until juices run clear, skin is nicely browned, and a thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 165°F, 35 to 45 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

209 Calories
16g Fat
4g Carbs
12g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 209
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 8g 41%
Cholesterol 81mg 27%
Sodium 759mg 33%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 13mg 63%
Calcium 27mg 2%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 173mg 4%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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