Just in time for Thanksgiving, I want to bring back this popular post from 2011 with updated images. And if you’re like me and love to build out meal plans on Pinterest, pin this recipe’s step-by-step image to your recipe board.
The original post is below:
This year, before spending a more hectic Thanksgiving with family, I decided to create a quiet feast fit for two. I loosely adapted this recipe from an article in the NY Times. I love the flavor and juiciness of roast chicken thighs, so I was thrilled to try turkey thighs for the first time. During the final half hour of roasting, I added potatoes, garlic cloves, pearl onions and whole sprigs of herbs to create a wonderful one-pot meal.
I used a nice free-range turkey from a local farm. A great way of keeping the turkey moist is to roast everything in broth, which I then made into a quick gravy. As an additional side dish I made mashed sweet potatoes topped with homemade herbed garlic butter.
Click for recipe…
Finely chop some parsley, rosemary and sage. Add salt & pepper and chopped herbs to both sides of the turkey.
In a large deep pan, place turkey thighs skin side down and bake for about 30 minutes.
Prepare all your vegetables. Flip the turkey thighs skin side up and arrange the vegetables, herbs and broth in the dish.
For the gravy, simply strain the leftover broth into a small pan. On high heat, whisk in some flour to thicken gravy.
Herb Roasted Turkey Thighs Recipe
- 2 turkey thighs
- a handful of garlic, peeled
- a handful of pearl onions, peeled
- 4 small potatoes, cut into chunks
- 2 cups unsalted chicken broth
- 2 sprigs of sage
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 2 sprigs of parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- a sprinkle of olive oil
- salt & pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 400°F. Let turkey thighs sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking.
Gather a few leaves from each herb sprig and finely chop to make about 2 teaspoons each. Rub chopped herbs onto each side of the turkey thighs along with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place thighs skin side down in a deep roasting pan. Bake for about 30 minutes.
Turn thighs over, then add potatoes, pearl onions, garlic, bay leaves and herb sprigs. Pour in broth and sprinkle all with a little more salt & pepper, then drizzle some olive oil on top. Roast for another 30-40 minutes, until thighs are done and potatoes are tender. Stir the potatoes once during roasting. Remove pan from oven, let thighs and potatoes sit covered with foil for about 20 minutes before serving. Place turkey and vegetables on a serving platter.
Turkey Gravy Recipe
- strained leftover broth
- flour
- salt & pepper, to taste
Strain leftover broth into a small pan. Turn heat on high and whisk in flour a little at a time for desired thickness. If needed, season with salt and pepper. Pour into gravy vessel.
Total Time: 80 minutes
Yield: Makes 2 large servings
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[if you have leftovers, be sure to check out my turkey noodle soup]
This recipe looks awesome….I can’t wait to try it today. Thanks
Thanks for stopping by 🙂 Let me know how it turns out.
We loved it. Today I’ll try some turkey soup with the leftovers. :o)
Excellent, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thinking of making this too so I could have the turkey soup 🙂
Hi, I wanted to know when you roast the thighs in the pan initially for 30 minutes, you’re putting them in with no broth, correct? Then when you flip them over you add the broth?
Just wanted to make sure.
Thx
Hi CJ – Yes, that’s correct. You want to roast the tops of the thighs first and then add the broth after flipping. Enjoy!
thanks for the recipe, I am going to make my first ever turkey breast and this sounded so good. Tommorow we are going to have this for Thanksgiving dinner, we are tired of a whole turkey for the two of us, so we just got the thighs. Cant wait, I can taste it already. Thanks again will let you know how it turns out.
Hi Marianne, thanks so much for your comment! Yes, I totally agree that whole turkey can be tiring and a bit much for just two people. Roasting turkey thighs are much more flavorful and juicier. Can’t wait to hear how it turns out!
Barb I just put our thighs in, cant wait. Thanks again, will let you know later how our dinner was. I am sure it is going to be great.
Oooh exciting! Hope you’ll enjoy your meal 🙂
Barb, My dinner was excellent. The thighs were awesome, moist and tender. Now we are getting ready to have apple pie. I hope your dinner was wonderful too. Thank you again and this is not going to be just a Thnksgiving dinner.
Thanks so much for reporting back. Our dinner was wonderful and we also had apple pie for dessert 🙂 I’m so happy the turkey thighs turned out well!
Amazing recipe! I loved the crispness of the skin and how juicy the turkey was. Perfect amount of spices. The only thing I did differently was add two slices of cut up bacon to the bottom of the pan. I will definitely do this recipe again!
Hi Jared – Thanks so much for your nice comment 🙂 I love the idea of adding bacon, I’m sure the flavor is great. I’ll have to try that next time I make it. Thanks for the tip!
This is my third time at making this recipe. I have enjoyed it thoroughly each and every time. It is somewhat different from the other recipes I’ve seen. Thanks for publishing it.
Hi Jeff – That’s great to hear! I love that it’s an ‘all-in-one’ meal. Thanks for your nice comment and hope to see you again.
I trying something a little different. I am using butternut squash instead of potatoes. I can’t wait to taste it.
Sounds great, Joe! Can’t wait to hear how it turns out 🙂
I just made this, it was soooo good!
Thank you! So happy you liked it 🙂
I am submitting this comment belatedly. I made a very small Thanksgiving dinner and used this recipe. It was for myself and someone who is a not a turkey lover and only likes dark meat. He loved it. I am making it again on Christmas Day but going a little easier on the rosemary. I like the herb but I’m not that good cooking with it!
Hi Hazel – Thanks for your comment! That’s great to hear he loved the turkey thighs! How did the recipe turn out on Christmas?
Hi Barb! I discovered your website by doing a google for a turkey recipe and I opened this one first and I just had to try it. I made it last night and it was sooooo good!! My husband loved it too. I will definitely make this again. I did the gravy with whole wheat flour instead and it turned out very tasty.
Now I’m hooked. I love finding great, healthy recipe blogs/website. I will subscribe to yours. Plus you are a New Yorker living in Brooklyn!!! Obsessed and so in love with New York!! Visiting again in two weeks. Last summer my husband and I stayed in Brooklyn. Ah, the Brownstones. I was breathless. My husband asked me what was my infatuation with New York. What a question!! It’s the greatest city in the world! I love the sounds, the smell of different foods made from around the world, the people are so nice, the vibe,mother excitement. Just being there makes my heart pound. Now I’m excited about new recipes made by you! This turkey meal was awesome!
Hi Celine – Thank you so so much for your very kind comment and thank you for subscribing! I’m thrilled you and your husband love this turkey recipe as much as we do, it’s great for a couple 😀
Let me know if you need help with your next Brooklyn, NYC vacation! We absolutely LOVE living here and I pinch myself everyday. It’s an amazing place to be!
Hi Barb! I’m surfing your site of yummy recipes. I love the pics you take and the details you put in to make it easier to achieve your recipes. There’s lots to try here. I will definitely try your recipes from the Philippines and Germany.
Yes, I can’t wait to be in New York again and I’m sure I’ll cross the bridge over to beautiful Brooklyn! I would love to find my Brownstone dream house! Yes, in my dreams I suppose. I would be pinching myself too everyday if I would live there. Lucky you!!
Now on to trying your recipes!
Take care.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Celine! Have a wonderful time on your next visit to NYC 🙂
I was looking for something new to do with turkey thighs and I came across your recipe last week. I made it last night and my husband and I loved it ! I am on an allergen elimination diet right now so I could not cook the potatoes or gravy but I made the turkey alone with the onions and it came out delicious. Fresh herbs I think really make such a difference. Thank you so much for sharing ! I especially like how it is for two people as it is just my husband and myself at home now.
Thanks again !
Laura
Grafton, Ontario, Canada
Hi Laura – I’m so happy you and your husband loved this turkey thighs recipe! Thank you for your lovely comment and hope to see you again very soon…take care 🙂
I bought 2 turkey legs if I wanted to add them into this meal how would I address cook timing?
Andy – Terribly sorry for the late response, I was away and couldn’t read comments… Hope the recipe turned out OK for you, but if you haven’t made it yet I would add maybe about 20-30 minutes of cooking time.
Ahh, great recipe. Note: place in a non glass roasting pan. My bad, I used a glass roasting pan and well you lnow what happened when I our the chicken broth into the hot glass roasting dish. But all was not losted, I rinsed off the thigh and changed pans.