In past years, I’ve cooked a whole turkey for just hubby and I for Thanksgiving. The leftovers resulted in turkey sliders, turkey casserole and turkey soup. All good, but a bit boring three or four days in a row! So this year I decided to try turkey thighs, mainly because hubby and I prefer dark meat and it seemed like a great one-meal option.
These babies looked smaller in the packaging! At just over a pound each, they were more than enough for a meal for the two of us and presented beautifully with all the traditional side dishes. I chose green beans sauteed in balsamic vinegar, an oyster-pancetta stuffing and gravy (made a day earlier with chicken wings for the stock) and buttered rolls.
Tips: Take the thighs out of the fridge about 30 minutes before putting in the oven so they aren’t ice cold and will cook more evenly. If you don’t have, or aren’t a fan of, poultry seasoning, simple salt and pepper works fine.
Ingredients:
- 1 Medium yellow onion, cut into thin rings
- 6 Garlic cloves, smashed and skins removed
- 3 Rosemary sprigs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Turkey thighs
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped fine
- 2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped fine
- 3 Garlic cloves, chopped fine
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 Teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons butter, cut into small squares
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Brush bottom of a baking pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Layer onion rings, 6 smashed garlic cloves and 3 rosemary springs.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over onion and garlic.
- Pat dry the turkey thighs and loosen the skin on the top of each thigh.
- Mix the finely chopped thyme, rosemary and garlic with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Spoon herb/oil mixture under skin of thighs.
- Place thighs on top of onion/garlic/rosemary layers, skin side up.
- Sprinkle thighs very lightly with poultry seasoning.
- Place tiny squares of butter over each thigh.
- Roast for 50 minutes or until internal thermometer in thickest part of thigh reads 165 degrees. (Note: Take a peek at 40 minutes; if skin is browned, tent loosely with foil.)
- Remove from oven, tent loosely with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Technically, this serves 2. But these were HUGE thighs and hubby was hard pressed to finish his, but did. LOL. I was full after only half of mine, and the other half made great sliders for lunch the next day!
