These Roast Turkey Thighs for Two are a mouthwatering, tender turkey dinner without the hassle of roasting a whole bird!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love Roasted Turkey Thighs
My mom does this thing every Thanksgiving. If it's not her year to host, she has a second Thanksgiving with just us kids because she likes to have lots of leftovers. And sometimes, instead of making a gigantic turkey like she opts to make a smaller turkey and serve some roasted turkey thighs alongside it.
Each turkey thigh is always so flavorful and tender. So naturally, I did what I always do; I recreated them. My mom gave me some basic information, and I got to work. A little less than an hour later, I was thrilled to open my oven and find a couple of the juiciest, tender turkey thighs ever. They had just the right amount of seasoning and the most crispy, crackly skin on top.
Baked turkey thighs are special enough to make and serve for a holiday but simple enough for your usual Sunday or weeknight dinner. You can whip this recipe up in an hour, and it's very easy to put together as well. Don't you just love recipes that use simple ingredients that everyone has on hand? here's why I love these:
- 1 hour 15 minutes start to finish
- Easy and delicious
- Incredibly tender & juicy
- Kid-approved
- Holiday favorite
Ingredient Information and Substitutions
- Olive oil - I love the results when using olive oil, but you can certainly swap it for your favorite variety of oil.
- Onion - The slices of onion add huge amounts of flavor!
- Turkey Thighs - Try to buy turkey thighs that are the same size so they cook evenly.
- Salt & Pepper - Add as little or as much as you like.
- Poultry seasoning - Any variety of poultry seasoning works or you can you your favorite seasonings.
- Butter - The butter adds flavor but also makes the skin crispier.
How To Cook Turkey Thighs
Step 1: Add ingredients to pan
Begin by preheating the oven and drizzling oil in the bottom of the pan. Layer sliced onions on the bottom and top with seasoned turkey thighs (skin side up).
Step 2: Roast
Place butter on top of each turkey thigh and roast for 50 minutes - 1 hour, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Step 3: Rest and serve
Take the baked turkey thighs out of the oven and rest under an aluminum foil tent for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely. That’s part of the reason I left the basic ingredient amounts open. Just be sure to use the right size baking dish to accommodate the number of turkey thighs you make so as not to overcrowd the pan. They’re also a great way to supplement and have extra dark meat available alongside a whole bird.
These last 3-5 days when covered in the refrigerator.
You can! You’ll want to roast it for about 20 minutes per pound but keep an eye on it so as not to overcook- remove when the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 161 degrees and rest for 10 minutes before slicing. You can also check out my recipe for smoked turkey breast if you have a smoker.
I like to cook mine at 400 degrees.
165 degrees is a safe internal temperature for consuming poultry. I remove at 161 and rest for 5-10 minutes during which time the temperature will rise to 165.
1 per person is plenty if it's the only meat.
Tips For Making Baked Turkey Thighs
- Season to taste. I left most of the ingredient amounts pretty open. I always season it to taste, although I do tend to have a lighter hand with the poultry seasoning.
- Go digital. Everyone’s oven may vary, as will the size of your turkey thighs. I’d recommend temping each turkey thigh with a digital thermometer at the 45 minute mark. Insert the probe at the thickest part of the thigh, making sure you don't touch the bone. While these still taste great if they’re a little over cooked (gotta love dark meat!), they’re best when they temp out at 161 degrees and rested during which the temp will come to 165 degrees.
- Rest them! Let them rest for 10 minutes to redistribute the juices. Trust me on this!
- Prep Ahead: Slice onions.
- Leftovers and Storage: These will last 3-5 days covered in the refrigerator.
What To Serve With Turkey Thighs
A few great recipes to round out and complete this meal are:
- French Onion Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Easy Garlic Green Beans
- Sausage and Corn Bread Dressing
- Chocolate Cream Pie
Other Turkey Recipes to Try...
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Roast Turkey Thighs for Two
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
- ½ cup sliced onion
- 2 turkey thighs
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Lightly drizzle a small amount of oil on the bottom of the pan and spread the sliced onions into a layer..
- Season the turkey thighs on each side with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning to taste (the poultry seasoning is strong so use a light hand with this).
- Cut each pat of butter into smaller cubes and place them on various spots all over the skin on each turkey thigh.
- Place the turkey thighs, skin side up, on top of the onions.
- Roast for 50 minutes-1 hour until they reach an internal temperature of 161 degrees.
- Remove them from the oven and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Season to taste. I left most of the ingredient amounts pretty open. I always season it to taste, although I do tend to have a lighter hand with the poultry seasoning.
- Go digital. Everyone’s oven may vary, as will the size of your turkey thighs. I’d recommend temping each turkey thigh with a digital thermometer at the 45 minute mark. Insert the probe at the thickest part of the thigh, making sure you don't touch the bone. While these still taste great if they’re a little over cooked (gotta love dark meat!), they’re best when they temp out at 161 degrees and rested during which the temp will come to 165 degrees.
- Rest them! Let them rest for 10 minutes to redistribute the juices. Trust me on this!
- Prep Ahead: Slice onions.
- Leftovers and Storage: These will last 3-5 days covered in the refrigerator.
Dianna says
Jessy says
mL says
Jessy says
Rhonda says
Jessy says
Lacey says
Jessy says
vickie conner says
Jessy says
sarah says
Jessy says
Dingo says
Jessy Freimann says
Dee says
Jessy Freimann says
Michael Garrity says
Jessy Freimann says
Mrs M Johnson says
Jessy Freimann says
Ryan H. says
Jessy Freimann says
Christi says
Jessy Freimann says
Carol Anne says
Jessy Freimann says
Sybil Eggmann says
Jessy Freimann says
Sybil says
Jessy Freimann says
Alvin L says
Jessy Freimann says
LaDawn Ward says
Jessy Freimann says
LaDawn Ward says
Jessy Freimann says
Ceri says
Jessy Freimann says
Vasantha says
Jessy Freimann says
Chris from California says
Jessy Freimann says
Martha Wingard says
Jessy Freimann says
Chantel Rayner says
Jessy Freimann says
DN from NC says
Jessy Freimann says
DN from NC says
Jessy Freimann says
Catherine Reetz says
Jessy Freimann says
Marie Kadan says
Basia P says
Felix Melendes says
brittany says
Jessy Freimann says
Cynthia Tupper says