Crispy Herb Turkey Thighs (Air Fryer)

  

I am a person who just loves Turkey. I could eat it any time, any where, any how!  Living on my own, having a turkey dinner can be somewhat of a challenge because unless I am having company, a turkey is just too much for me to cope with.

When my children (I have five) were growing up, their father and I would often hop over the border to the US and pick up turkeys to put in the freezer. They were cheaper and you could bring back one for every person in the car. Not that we ever did, seven turkeys is a bit much for anyone, but we did always bring back 3 or 4 for the freezer.

I love American turkey. I confess I never had a dry one.  They were always exceptional.  But I digress.  Cooking a whole turkey just doesn't happen for me anymore.

I do often see turkey pieces in the grocery store though and the other day I picked up a package of two turkey thighs, Butterball with the idea in mind that I was going go cook and enjoy them.  I have always loved the dark meat of the turkey most of all! 

 

I decided I wanted to cook them in my air fryer.  Who wants to heat up the oven for two turkey thighs?  Not me!

OH, and now the days are warmer, who wants to heat up the oven anyways if you can possibly get away without having to. The air fryer is the way to go! 

 

Turkey is such a versatile and flavor filled meat. Why should it be reserved just for the holidays?  I say we should cook it more often. In the UK you could often buy small boneless turkey breast roasts, or turkey steaks, ground turkey, etc.

They don't seem to do that here. The smallest bits I have seen are these bone in thighs, and half breasts. You can also get ground turkey, which makes fabulous turkey burgers. 

I love turkey burgers. I'll choose one of them over a beef burger any day! One of my favorites are these Cheddar and Spinach Turkey Burgers. They are so darned good!  Flavorful and juicy!

 

I borrowed this recipe for cooking turkey thighs in the air fryer from a blog called Whole Lotta Yum, and adapted it for use and with dual measurements/temperatures both in North America and in the UK.

I am still really just learning how to use my air fryer and the first time I cook anything in it I like to have some guidance. Her recipe worked very well, with perfect results. 

I had everything in the kitchen to make the recipe with the exception of Herbs de Provence.  I would not let that little thing stop me however. I simply made my own mixture up.

I love making my own spice and herb blends. I have included the recipe to make your own Herbs de Provence in the recipe notes!  It worked a charm and is so beautifully fragrant. 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CRISPY HERB TURKEY THIGHS (AIR FRYER)

Its pretty simple really, aside from the air fryer. You kinda do need one of those, although for sure these could be cooked in the oven. It will just take appreciably longer!! 

• 2 to 3 turkey thighs (1/2 pound each) skin on, bone in
• 2 TBS light olive oil
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp Herbs de Provence (see note)
• 1 TBS butter, melted

The original recipe called for garlic salt. I don't keep garlic salt in the house, but I do always have garlic powder, so I used half salt and half garlic powder.

As I said, I made my own Herbs de Provence.  I did not use the lavender flowers in the recipe. I confess I am not overly fond of eating lavender. 

 

She specified olive oil in her recipe. I don't waste extra virgin olive oil in cooking unless I know it is going to make a big difference in the end result flavor-wise. I tend to use light olive oil, which is still olive oil, but not from the first press.

 I save the good stuff for other things. 

HOW TO COOK CRISPY HERB TURKEY THIGHS (AIR FRYER)

I love air fryer cooking. It is so simple and straight forward.  If you follow these instructions and timings you should have perfect results!

Begin by preheating your  air fryer to 370*F/187*C for 5 minutes.

While the air fryer is preheating, whisk the olive oil and all of the seasonings together in a small bowl to combine.

Pat the turkey thighs dry on both sides with some paper kitchen toweling. This will help to get the skin really crispy. Brush them well on both sides with the herbed oil and then place into a lightly oiled air fryer basket, skin side down.

Air Fry for 10 minutes at 370*F/187C. Carefully flip them over. Air fry for a further 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through and the juices run clear. The internal temperature should be at least 165*F/74*C. (180*F/85*C is better and the meat will be even more tender.)

Brush with the melted butter and leave to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

 

And that's it. Done!  These were so delicious. Succulent and beautifully flavored with a lovely crisp skin. I served them simply with some potato salad and coleslaw for the perfect summer supper.

Of course I did not eat both of them myself. I ate about 2/3 of the smaller one.  The rest I have refrigerated to use in a casserole over the next day or so. Or maybe even a hot sandwich. It all depends on my mood!

I any case I highly recommend cooking turkey thighs in the air cooker. They were excellent!!

Crispy Herb Turkey Thighs (Air Fryer)

Yield: 3 to 4

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinInactive time: 10 MinTotal time: 45 Min

Crispy skinned, well flavored and super tender inside. Done in a little more than half an hour, not counting resting time. These are fabulously tasty!

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 turkey thighs (1/2 pound each) skin on, bone in
• 2 TBS light olive oil
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp Herbs de Provence (see note)
• 1 TBS butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 370*F/187*C for 5 minutes.
2. Whisk the olive oil and all of the seasonings together in a small bowl to combine.
3. Pat the turkey thighs dry on both sides with some paper kitchen toweling. This will help to get the skin really crispy. Brush them well on both sides with the herbed oil and then place into a lightly oiled air fryer basket, skin side down.
4. Fry for 10 minutes at 370*F/187C. Carefully flip them over. Air fry for a further 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through and the juices run clear. The internal temperature should be at least 165*F/74*C. (180*F/85*C is better and the meat will be even more tender.)
5. Brush with the melted butter and leave to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

You can easily make your own Herbs de Province. Take 1 TBS fennel seed and 2 TBS dried rosemary. Grind to a powder in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Stir in 1/4 cup dried thyme, 3 TBS dried marjoram, 3 TBS summer savory (optional), 1 TBS dried tarragon, 1 TBS dried basil, 1 tsp dried chervil (optional), 1 tsp dried mint, and 1 tsp dried food grade lavender flowers (optional). Mix well to combine and store in a dark place in an air tight container for up to six months.

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