Chicken fried turkey legs are crispy Thanksgiving drumsticks, double dredged in seasoned flour, pan fried and served over skillet milk gravy in 70 minutes. That makes them a fun holiday main for Friendsgiving or a big game day feast, since every guest gets a giant leg of their own.
Keep the oil at 325F and no hotter, because a pound-size drumstick needs 20 minutes or more in the pan to cook through. Hotter oil browns the crust before the meat near the bone reaches 165F, so clip a thermometer to the skillet and adjust the flame often.
The coating goes flour, egg wash, then flour again, and the baking powder in the flour puffs it into a craggy crust. The gravy is then built in the same skillet from the frying oil, the way a chicken fried steak gravy is made.
One thing the recipe never mentions is the tendons. Turkey drumsticks carry thin, bony tendons that stay hard no matter how long they cook, so warn your guests. Eat around them, or pull the meat off the bone before serving to the kids.
Chicken Fried Turkey Legs
Course: Main CourseCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Medium6
servings20
minutes50
minutes870
kcalWhole turkey drumsticks coated twice in spiced flour, shallow fried at 325F until golden and set on a skillet cream gravy made from the frying oil.
Ingredients
- For the Turkey:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs, beaten
A few dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 small to medium turkey drumsticks, about 1 pound each
Vegetable oil, for frying
- For the Gravy:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 to 4 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Hot sauce, optional
Sliced scallions, for garnish
Directions
- Set up: Heat the oven to 250F and set a cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Mix the milk, eggs and hot sauce in a shallow dish. In a second dish, stir the flour, baking powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, 2 teaspoons salt and plenty of black pepper.
- Double dredge: Pat the drumsticks dry and season with salt and pepper. Coat each one in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then the flour again, shaking off the excess.
- Fry at 325F: Heat about 3/4 inch oil in an extra-large skillet over medium heat to 325F, and keep it from going higher. Fry the legs in batches until golden and 165F in the thickest part, not touching bone, 10 to 12 minutes per side. Hold them on the rack in the oven.
- Make the gravy: Pour off the oil into a heatproof bowl without cleaning the skillet. Heat 1/4 cup of it over medium-low, whisk in the flour and cook until deep golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 3 cups milk, the garlic powder, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper, and cook until thick, 5 to 10 minutes, adding more milk if needed.
- Serve: Season the gravy with hot sauce if you like and spoon it onto a platter. Set the turkey legs on top, scatter with scallions and pass extra gravy.
FAQs
How do I know chicken fried turkey legs are done?
Push an instant read thermometer into the thickest meat, not touching bone, and look for the safe minimum for poultry of 165F. If the crust turns deep brown before the center gets there, move the leg to the rack and finish it in a 350F oven. Dark meat stays juicy well past 165F, so a few extra minutes will not dry it out.
Do I need to turn the drumsticks more than once?
Yes, because a drumstick is round and the oil is only 3/4 inch deep. Give each leg a quarter turn every 5 to 6 minutes instead of a single flip, so the crust browns evenly all the way around. Long tongs make this easier and keep your hands away from the hot oil.
How much oil do I need for this recipe?
About 6 cups of vegetable or peanut oil fills a 12 inch skillet to 3/4 inch, which is the depth the recipe calls for. Strain it after frying and keep 1/4 cup for the gravy. Let the rest cool completely before you pour it into a container to reuse or throw away.
What should I serve with chicken fried turkey legs?
Creamy potatoes are the natural match, since the milk gravy needs something to soak into. These buttermilk mashed potatoes have the same tang as the egg wash. Add a simple green vegetable or a crisp salad to cut through the fried crust.
Is the gravy the same as chicken fried steak gravy?
It is built the same way, with flour browned in the frying fat and then whisked with milk until thick. This version adds garlic powder and paprika, and a few dashes of hot sauce at the end. For the classic beef version with the same skillet gravy, try this chicken fried steak.
