Turkey leg in the air fryer is one of the easiest ways to get tender meat with crispy skin on the table. The leg is an overlooked cut at the meat counter, but it gives you plenty of food, has more flavour than the breast and is covered by a layer of skin that turns golden when it is left to cook undisturbed. You simply rub it with coarse salt and pepper and cook it skin-side up, so the fat melts out and keeps the meat juicy.
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Halfway through, you place small potatoes with thyme next to the leg, so they turn tender and golden in the meat juices. The result is a filling dinner for four, where the whole meal is made in the same basket.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Why I love turkey leg in the air fryer
Many people think of turkey as a whole bird that has to be minded in the oven for hours at holiday time. A single leg is far more manageable and suits a weekday just as well as a relaxed Sunday. The leg meat is also more forgiving than the breast, because the fat and connective tissue keep it juicy.
The best part is that the air fryer does most of the work. Once the leg is in the basket, it does not need to be turned or brushed. You simply add the potatoes next to it when half the time has passed, and then the dish more or less looks after itself.
The difference between an air fryer and an oven
In an oven, the heat has to spread through a large space, and it takes longer before the skin turns crispy. The compact chamber and powerful hot air of the air fryer dry the skin quickly, so the fat melts out and the surface turns golden and crunchy. At the same time, the potatoes next to the leg share in the fat and the meat juices, and you avoid heating up the whole kitchen.
My kitchen test of turkey leg
I tested the dish in my Philips XXL, because a turkey leg of about 1 kg with potatoes next to it needs a basket of about 5.5 litres or more. The leg first cooks alone at 180 °C for 30 minutes. Then the potatoes join it for 25 minutes at the same temperature, and finally I turn it up to 200 °C for 5 minutes, so the skin gets extra crispy and the potatoes get a nice colour.
With preparation and 10 minutes of resting, the dish takes 85 minutes in total, of which 60 are in the air fryer. The meat thermometer is the most important tool: in the thickest part of the leg, without touching the bone, the internal temperature should be at least 75 °C. My leg had reached that when the time was up, but a larger leg may well need a couple of extra rounds of 5 minutes at 180 °C. Leg meat also becomes even more tender and comes away from the bone more easily if it reaches about 80 °C.
Dry skin is the whole secret. Pat it thoroughly dry with kitchen paper before the salt goes on, and leave the leg skin-side up until it is done.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The first mistake is to season a damp leg. Water on the skin turns to steam, which makes it tough instead of crispy, so pat it dry on all sides before the salt goes on. The second mistake is to turn the leg along the way or cover it with foil while it rests. Both make the skin soft again, so keep the skin side up all the way through, and let the leg rest uncovered on the cutting board. The third mistake is to trust the clock rather than the thermometer. Turkey legs vary a lot in size, so always measure in the thickest part, and give the leg 5 minutes at a time at 180 °C until it has reached 75 °C.
How to serve turkey leg
Cut the meat away from the bone, slice it, and serve it with the potatoes. Here are my favourites to go with it:
- A green salad with a fresh dressing
- Cucumber salad, which adds acidity and freshness
- Red cabbage for a more classic Danish plate
- A quick sauce made from the meat juices at the bottom of the air fryer
- Redcurrant jelly, if you like a little sweetness with poultry
Storage and reheating
Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat the meat and potatoes in the air fryer at 170 °C for 5-8 minutes, until everything is heated through. That also brings back a little of the crispiness of the skin. The dish can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before you reheat it.
With dry skin, coarse salt and a meat thermometer, you really have everything you need. The air fryer takes care of the rest while you set the table, and the reward is a turkey leg that looks impressive and tastes even better.
FAQ
No. The leg stays skin-side up all the way through, so the fat melts out of the skin and it turns crispy. Only the potatoes are turned once along the way with tongs.
Measure with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the leg, without touching the bone. The meat should be at least 75 °C. If it is lower, keep cooking at 180 °C for 5 minutes at a time, and measure again.
Cut the leg in two at the joint between the thigh and the drumstick with a sharp knife, and check the internal temperature a little earlier, since the smaller pieces are done faster. If there is no room for the potatoes, you can cook them in an extra batch at 200 °C for 20-25 minutes.
Recipe
Turkey leg in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
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Cost of the dish
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Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Sharp knife
- Paper towel
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 Tongs
- 1 Meat thermometer
Shopping list
Ingredients
How to make it
Preparation
- Pat 1 pcs turkey leg thoroughly dry with kitchen paper on all sides – especially the skin, because the drier it is, the crispier it gets.
- Rinse 600 g small potatoes, and cut them in half. Leave the skins on.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C fan.
- Place the leg in the basket skin-side up, and cook it at 180 °C for 30 minutes. Do not turn the leg – with the skin side up all the way through, the skin gets crispy.
- Pull out the basket when the 30 minutes are up, and place the potatoes next to the leg, so they turn tender and golden in the meat juices. Continue cooking at 180 °C for 25 minutes, and turn the potatoes once along the way with tongs.
- Turn the temperature up to 200 °C and cook for 5 more minutes, so the skin gets extra crispy and the potatoes get a nice colour.
- Measure the internal temperature with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the leg, without touching the bone. It should be at least 75 °C. If it is lower, keep cooking at 180 °C for 5 minutes at a time, and measure again.
Serving
- Lift the leg onto a cutting board with tongs, and let it rest for 10 minutes without covering it, so the juices can settle and the skin stays crispy. Meanwhile, leave the potatoes in the switched-off air fryer so they stay warm.
- Cut the meat away from the bone with a sharp knife, and cut it into slices.
- Serve the meat with the potatoes, and drizzle over a little of the meat juices from the bottom of the air fryer, if you like.
Our notes for the recipe
Pat the skin completely dry before you season – moisture makes the skin tough instead of crispy. Keep the leg skin-side up all the way through, so the fat melts out of the skin and keeps the meat juicy. Turkey legs vary a lot in size, so trust the meat thermometer rather than the clock: 75 °C is enough, but leg meat becomes even more tender and comes away from the bone more easily at about 80 °C. Variations:
Rub the leg with smoked paprika, garlic powder or grated lemon zest together with the salt, or swap the thyme for rosemary. A few whole, unpeeled garlic cloves among the potatoes add extra flavour. Serving:
Serve with a green salad, cucumber salad or red cabbage, and a quick sauce made from the meat juices at the bottom of the air fryer. Portion size:
The dish suits an air fryer of about 5.5 litres or more. If the leg is too long for the basket, cut it at the joint between the thigh and the drumstick with a sharp knife, and check the internal temperature a little earlier, since the smaller pieces are done faster. If there is no room for the potatoes next to the leg, you can cook them in an extra batch at 200 °C for 20-25 minutes.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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