Buttery Roasted Turkey Thighs

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Instead of trying to cook a whole turkey for that holiday meal, make these buttery Roasted Turkey Thighs. Seasoned with honey and spicy harissa (spicy pepper) paste, these thighs are sure to be a hit for a family dinner!

So, I usually don't care for turkey. I know there are ways to cook a turkey that result in a juicier bird, but I personally haven't found one.

HOWEVER, when you cook the parts of the bird separately, the turkey is actually quite juicy and delicious. No more overdone breast and underdone thighs.

And you guys know I'm going to make thighs...because much like chicken thighs, I find turkey thighs to be the most juicy and flavorful part of the bird. And these turkey thighs are just so tender and juicy, with perfectly crisp skin, incredible seasoning, and they are SO EASY to make.

The combination of the sweet from the honey, the spice from the harissa paste and the rich butter all adds to the deliciousness of these thighs. Serve them up with these ultra easy to make cornbread pudding, air fryer biscuits, sous vide corn on the cob, air fryer acorn squash or sous vide potatoes!

You can also make sous vide turkey thighs, which is another one of my favorite ways to cook turkey!

Ingredients

The roasted turkey thighs are really quite simple with just a few ingredients. Good quality turkey thighs are a must. Try to find organic, free range thighs at your store if you can.

Harissa is a spicy chili paste originating from Northern Africa. It contains several types of roasted chilies, and spices such as caraway, coriander and cumin. It has an incredibly deep flavor and can be somewhat spicy. Buy harissa paste online.

The remaining ingredients can be found listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Step By Step Instructions

Season the thighs on both sides with salt and pepper and preheat the oven to 400F degrees.

Add the turkey thighs, skin side down, to a cold cast iron skillet and heat it slowly to medium low heat (this helps the fat to render and the skin get crispier). Cook them, undisturbed, for about 5-7 minutes.

The crust should start to turn a nice golden brown and get crispy.

Remove from heat and flip the thigh so they are skin side up.

Cover loosely with foil and place in the oven for 20 minutes.

While the thighs are roasting, heat the butter, harissa and honey in a small pot until it starts to bubble. Remove from heat.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350F degrees, uncover the turkey, pour on the harissa honey sauce and roast an additional 30-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature has reached 160F degrees.

**If the skin starts to brown too much, re-cover it to prevent burning. The honey in the glaze can burn easily.

What to Serve with Roasted Turkey Thighs

So you can serve these turkey thighs as your Thanksgiving dinner. I personally think these come out SO MUCH BETTER than regular old whole roasted turkey. Serve them with these awesome sides to make your best holiday meal ever!

• Spicy Instant Pot Creamed Corn or these Spicy Braised Green Beans are the perfect zesty accompaniment;
• Good old fashioned Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Sweet Potatoes are always good classics;
• And don't forget all your stuffings....Cajun Cornbread Dressing, Oyster Stuffing, Mexican Cornbread Stuffing and Bacon Stuffing;
• Cheesy Cauliflower Bake and Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower are both great for those cauliflower lovers;
• Instant Pot Acorn Squash, Roasted Acorn Squash or Baked Sweet Potato Slices are all great ways to get just that touch of sweet along with your dinner.

Head over and check out all the Thanksgiving Recipes for more fun ideas.

Expert Tips

1. Don't touch the thighs while they are browning - they will have a better crispy skin if left alone.
2. Add more or less harissa paste to adjust the spice level if desired.
3. If the skin starts to brown too much in the oven, re-cover the thighs with foil.
4. Turkey is safe to eat at 165F degrees. When you take it out at 160F degrees it will continue cooking. This keeps the turkey from drying out.
5. The recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, etc. for a larger crowd. Just move the turkey from the skillet (you'll probably have to cook them in batches) to a baking dish and follow the same roasting instructions.

Did you make these roasted turkey thighs? Rate it and leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out!