Air Fryer Turkey Thighs

Turkey thighs in air fryer or Ninja Foodi comes out so crispy! This is the best way to cook them to fork tender inside with a dry rub on the skin in about 20 minutes, a healthy meal everyone loves.

Turkey thighs are incredible. If you’ve always been all about white meat, or cooking a whole turkey you really are missing out. I deconstructed raw turkey the other day so I could share how to cook each one perfectly. If you already loved our air fryer turkey legs, this one should be next!

Ok so amongst them all this is our favorite method. I will go over the others below though too. Think of them like you were cooking chicken thighs in air fryer except they are just larger. That means the cook time has to increase a bit and bone-in with skin is by far the best. That is how you’d typically find them anyway.

I will say that you can’t always find it deconstructed at the store. If you are like us though and cut a raw turkey ourselves each year, you might want to know how to cook each piece perfectly. These and air fryer turkey wings are probably the easiest. NO flipping over required and because it’s dark meat it stays moist.

Ninja Foodi Turkey Thighs

If you are going to use this multi cooker you are going to want to use the lid that is attached with the air crisp button. As you can see I used my Ninja air fryer with 2 drawers but you will get the same crispy result in either machine.

Ingredient Notes

You can fit about 3 defrosted turkey thighs inside your basket at a time. If you needed a larger batch you would need to work in batches and keep those done warm under some foil. Keep in mind as they sit the skin will not be as crispy though.

To get crunchy skin on the outside you will need a few paper towels to absorb the moisture first before rubbing or spraying some Olive oil on the outside. This will help you achieve the golden brown texture you want.

You will want a meat thermometer handy to ensure the internal temperature reaches a safe 165F. before serving.

Turkey Thighs with Dry Rub

You can go for super simple like we did here with just salt and pepper or use our smoked turkey rub mixture here. It is a quick mixture of sweet and savory ingredients we use on more meats than just this one because it is so good.

Can you brine turkey thighs?

Now let’s talk about seasonings and/or soaking in a simple turkey brine. No matter which method you choose you want a great flavor on the outside. I mean without anything yes the meat is flavorful but not nearly as good.

Frozen Turkey Thighs in Air Fryer

What if you had a forgetful moment or thought it was ready to cook but you feel them and they’re still rock hard. NO worries. Cooking Frozen Chicken Thighs and these isn’t much different. You’ll just need to add about 5 minutes on to the cook time. Another difference is you’ll want to add oil at the beginning, then open half way thru, add some more and sprinkle your seasoning on at that time. That will get it to stick nicely because it will have defrosted enough at that point.

Can you cook turkey leg quarters in air fryer?

Yes, this is when the drumstick and thigh are separated. If you have them together follow how to cook turkey legs and thighs temp and timing. Either way you want to allow meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing to keep all the juices in there. You can enjoy as is or with some herb butter melted over the top of the skin of the turkey.

If you wanted to add sauce on the top though like our baked teriyaki chicken thighs, a baking sheet would work better. I used boneless for those and yes they turn out great smothered in that tangy creation.

I mean everything is relative right. If you are referring to just the meat with seasonings then these are also low carb and low in calories as well. It is the sauce and sides that will get to you in regards to whether this would be considered healthy or not.

What to make with leftovers

Just know you don’t have to cook the whole thing if you are only feeding a few of you. Use our leftover turkey recipes if you have meat not eaten.

If you wanted to use your Traeger or Green Mountain outside for these I would just use our smoked chicken thighs recipe for that. Increase the timing by 10 minutes or until the internal meat temp reaches a safe 170 F. Timing always varies slightly depending on how large your pieces are always so keep an eye on them the last 30 minutes.