A great low-carb dinner idea for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other time of the year is how to cook turkey legs in an air fryer with dry rub. These are great if you want more meat than our Ninja Foodi or Cosori air fryer whole turkey wings.
Air fryer turkey legs are great for a quick protein packed low carb dinner. During the holidays it’s perfect when there are only a few of you at home. Air fryer recipe success tonight. (affiliate links present).
The Ninja Foodi has revolutionized home cooking by combining the convenience of an air fryer with the flavor-enhancing power of a pressure cooker. With this versatile appliance, you can now achieve restaurant-quality dishes like succulent, fall-off-the-bone turkey legs right in your own kitchen.
Cooking turkey legs in the Foodi unlocks their full flavor and tenderness potential. The high-pressure environment quickly infuses seasonings into the meat while breaking down connective tissue. A final air crisp gives the skin a crispy, crackling finish.
Follow these expert tips and techniques for making spectacular Ninja Foodi turkey legs every time.
Benefits of the Ninja Foodi for Cooking Turkey Legs
The Ninja Foodi provides several advantages for cooking moist delicious turkey legs
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Pressure cooking – High-pressure steam tenderizes the meat and seals in juices,
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Air crisping – Crisps up the skin without needing to deep fry,
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Speed – Turkey legs cook much faster than traditional roasting.
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Flavor infusion – Pressure forces seasonings and marinades deep into the meat.
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Convenience – Makes cooking a breeze in one pot with no need to watch or flip food.
With the Foodi’s pressure, air crisp, and tender crisp functions, you get an easy shortcut to incredible turkey legs.
Choosing the Right Turkey Legs
Pay attention to the following when selecting turkey legs for the Ninja Foodi:
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Size – Opt for legs around 1-1.5 lbs. Larger legs may not fit properly.
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Shape – Curvy legs with more surface area will cook more evenly than straight legs.
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Skin – Legs with skin intact adds delicious crispiness. Go for skin-on.
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Quality – Choose fresh, antibiotic-free legs when possible for better flavor.
Look for plump, curvy legs with skin around the 1 lb mark for the Foodi.
Preparing Turkey Legs for Cooking
Prepping the legs correctly ensures they cook perfectly:
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Pat dry – Gently pat off any excess moisture with paper towels before cooking.
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Trim fat – Use a knife to trim away any large fatty areas.
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Make slashes – Cut shallow slits on the flesh side to help flavors penetrate.
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Season generously – Coat all over with salt, pepper, garlic, herbs and spices.
With thorough prepping, the turkey legs are ready for the Foodi.
Pressure Cooking for Super Tender Meat
Pressure cooking is the secret to melt-in-your-mouth turkey legs:
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Add liquid – The Foodi needs 1 cup of broth or water to build pressure.
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Position legs – Place in bone side down so moisture cooks into the meat.
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High pressure 20-25 minutes – Cook time varies based on size. Check doneness after 20 minutes.
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Quick pressure release – After cooking, manually release pressure quickly.
The combination of high pressure, steam and spices gives incredibly moist, robust turkey leg flavor.
Air Crisping for Maximum Skin Crispiness
Here’s how to get crackling crisp skin using the Foodi’s air crisp function:
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Pat legs dry – Remove excess moisture before air crisping.
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Coat with oil – Brush legs lightly with oil to help crisp the skin.
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Air crisp at 400°F for 5-8 minutes – Check often until skin reaches desired crispness.
The Foodi’s super hot air flow transforms the skin into a perfectly crisped, crunchy exterior.
Serving Up Your Delicious Turkey Legs
With your Foodi turkey legs ready, here are some tasty ways to serve them:
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Pair with traditional Thanksgiving favorites like mashed potatoes, stuffing and cranberry sauce.
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Place on top of fresh greens for a salad main course.
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Make slider sandwiches with mini buns, bbq sauce and coleslaw.
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Dice up the meat to add to soups, tacos, pasta and more.
With the right prep and cooking techniques, the Ninja Foodi can unlock the full potential of turkey legs. Experiment with rubs and sauces to put your personal twist on this classic dish.
How to Cook Turkey Legs in Air Fryer
These aren’t much different than chicken legs, just take longer. You can soak in buttermilk and coat with breadcrumbs or just season the outsides like we did here. Set inside the basket, flipped halfway until it reaches 165 F. Anyone can air fry anything and make it taste amazing and out of this world with the right rub.
- This much will fit in your air fryer basket at once: two turkey legs
- Olive oil spray
- Sea salt
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Basil
There wasn’t really a question as to how I was going to season these babies. Years ago, I made this turkey dry rub, and it was a HUGE hit. So I just cut the recipe in half, which was meant to cover the whole bird. Even so, I’ve made it with just salt, pepper, and Old Bay. That’s my favorite secret ingredient for “everything.”
Just mix the seasonings together, rub it on and you’re ready to cook once your machine is preheaed. First put these in the Instant Pot. Then start the garlic mashed potatoes. Everything will be done at the same time, so you can enjoy it all at once.
Ninja Foodi Turkey Legs
You might want to serve that traditional dish, but you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a whole bird. Two legs would be enough for you, and you could use the rest to make a recipe the next day. The lid that comes with the Foodi and the “air crisp” button will be used to make this.
Last week we shared how to cook turkey legs and thighs and we just couldn’t stop there. Since it was so good, I thought I’d show you another Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner recipe. This is especially great if you only have two people in the home during the holidays.
If you love extra crispy food and quick recipes, here are some resources to start with:
- My favorite models are the Foodi or this Cosori, which can do two things at once.
- There are more Ninja Foodi recipes here as well, so save both of them.
- Putting food in a hot basket is the best thing to do. this is how to preheat air fryer first.
- Here is a free air fryer cooking time chart that you can print out and put on your fridge.
While I was shopping for food, these caught my eye. I was trying to decide what to cook next. I hadn’t experimented much with them so I thought “why not”. I thought it would be hard to go wrong at about $4 for two big pieces, so I bought two packages to try them out.
This set was enough for me because the first time I used it, they turned out great! I first tried this crispy crunchy method and then used it on baked turkey legs. Loved that too.
Ninja Foodi Turkey Legs Pressure Cooker/Air fryer Combination Cooking
FAQ
Can you cook a turkey in the Ninja Foodi?
What temperature should turkey legs be cooked at?
How do you cook a turkey breast on a ninja foodi?
Place the turkey breast on the rack inside the Ninja Foodi’s cooking pot. Close the lid and select the “Pressure Cook” function. Set the cooking time to 25 minutes. Once the cooking time is up, allow for a natural pressure release for about 10 minutes.
How long do you Pressure Cook a Turkey in Ninja foodi?
Determining the pressure cook time for a turkey in the Ninja Foodi is straightforward: The number you get is the pressure cook time in minutes. For example, a 10 lb turkey would cook for 19 minutes (10 x 2 – 1 = 19). This formula works like a charm to prevent over or undercooking.
How long to cook a Turkey in a ninja foodi air fryer?
Cook at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Carefully turn the turkey breast, coat it again with olive oil spray and a dash of rosemary if you prefer. Cook for an additional 30 minutes at 350 degrees. How to cook a Turkey in a ninja foodi air fryer?
How do you cook turkey legs in an air fryer?
Preheat air fryer to 390 degrees F. Mix together dry rub ingredients in a bowl. Rub on all sides of legs. Spray inside of air fryer basket with olive oil spray and lay legs inside. Spray top of legs with olive oil spray. Close drawer and air fry turkey legs at 390 degrees F for 21 minutes.
How do you Crisp a Turkey in Ninja foodi?
Remove the turkey and strain the liquid into a bowl. If your turkey is small enough, you can put the turkey back into the Ninja Foodi to crisp up the skin using the AC function. Or, you can always transfer the turkey to a roasting pan and crisp it up with the broil setting (or high heat setting) in the oven just before serving.
How to make Ninja foodi Turkey Tenderloin for Thanksgiving?
If making ninja foodi turkey tenderloin for Thanksgiving, keep in mind that 1 average size tenderloin will feed 1 person. So plan accordingly. You can marinate turkey in spices, add a little bit of olive oil and keep in the fridge overnight. This simple process will help infuse seasonings flavors into the meat.