Maple Mustard Roasted Turkey Thighs
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This Maple Mustard Roasted Turkey Thighs recipe is a game-changer, combining the sweetness of maple with the tang of mustard to create a glaze that’s simply divine. Perfect not just for Thanksgiving dinner but for any weekend supper.
Roasted Turkey Thighs
This Maple Mustard Roasted Turkey Thighs recipe is a holiday game-changer, especially for a cozy party of two. Imagine effortlessly creating a festive feast with these succulent thighs, beautifully glazed in a sweet and tangy maple mustard mix, complemented by the aromatic whispers of rosemary and thyme. It’s not only delectably easy but also perfectly portioned, ensuring a memorable holiday meal without the usual stress or overwhelming leftovers.
Why You’ll Love These Roasted Turkey Thighs
- Perfect for Intimate Gatherings: This recipe is ideal for small, intimate holiday celebrations or dinners.This recipe is great for two people and makes enjoying a holiday meal easy without having to cook a big turkey.
- Flavorful and Unique: The maple syrup and Dijon mustard mix together to make a sweet and tangy glaze that tastes great on the turkey.
- Ease of Preparation: This recipe is perfect for anyone who wants delicious food without complex cooking. It’s easy to make with simple steps and common ingredients, which is great for busy times like the holidays.
- Turkey – I used turkey thighs today as I wanted something nice and juicy! Bone in with skin washed and patted dry.
- Herbs – Fresh rosemary and thyme, chop some of it up but hold off and leave some whole.
- Smoked paprika – I love a little bit of smoked paprika, we get some of that sweet, tangy, smokey flavor. You can sub this for regular paprika if that’s what you have on hand.
- Veggies – Onion, celery, and carrots all cut up in 2 to 3 inch pieces.
- Sauces – Dijon mustard and maple syrup.
- Butter – Unsalted so as to control the sodium content of our dish.
- Seasoning – Salt and pepper.
Making these turkey thighs is super easy and the result is absolutely delicious!
First up, grab a small saucepan and melt some unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Then, just toss in the fresh rosemary, thyme, smoked paprika, Dijon mustard, and maple syrup. Stir it all together and bring it to a boil, then take it off the heat.
Now, score the skin of the turkey thighs and season them with salt and pepper.
Next, add a cup of water to your roasting pan. Chop up a large onion, some celery, and carrots, and throw them in there with a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Place a roasting rack right in the pan.
Place your turkey thighs on the rack, skin side up, and brush them with half the glaze. Pop them in the oven preheated to 350℉. Roast for about 2 hours, and remember to baste the thighs every 30 minutes with the remaining glaze. You’re aiming for an internal temperature of 175℉ to 180℉.
Finally, take the thighs out of the oven and cover them with aluminum foil. Let them rest for about 10 minutes. This is the secret to really juicy turkey. After that, they’re ready to slice and serve!
Serve Turkey Thighs With
Mashed Potatoes
Harvest Rice
Sweet Potato Casserole
World’s Best Cranberry Sauce
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this recipe with other cuts of turkey?
Absolutely! You can easily adapt the recipe for turkey breasts or drumsticks. Just keep in mind that cooking times may vary based on the size and type of cut, so it’s important to check the internal temperature to ensure it’s cooked through.
How can I ensure the turkey skin gets crispy?
The key to crispy skin is making sure your turkey thighs are dry before seasoning and scoring the skin. Also, roasting them skin-side up allows the heat to directly crisp up the skin. Basting with the maple-mustard mixture also helps, as the sugars caramelize and contribute to a crispier texture.
Can this dish be prepped ahead of time?
Yes, you can prep this dish in advance. You can prepare the maple mustard glaze and season the turkey thighs the night before. Just store them separately in the refrigerator and bring them to room temperature before roasting.
Is it possible to make this recipe gluten-free?
This recipe is naturally gluten-free, as it doesn’t contain any ingredients with gluten. However, always check the labels on your mustard and other ingredients to make sure they’re certified gluten-free if you’re catering to someone with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
Expert Tips
- Use a Meat Thermometer: To ensure perfect doneness, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey thighs. They should reach 175℉ to 180℉. This is more reliable than just timing.
- Let the Meat Rest: Always let the turkey rest for about 10 minutes after removing it from the oven. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in more tender and juicy turkey.
- Score the Skin: Scoring the skin of the turkey thighs helps the glaze penetrate deeper and also helps the skin to crisp up better while roasting.
- Baste Regularly: Basting the turkey with its juices every 30 minutes during roasting not only adds flavor but also keeps the meat moist and tender.
- Add Aromatic Vegetables to the Pan: Roasting the turkey over a bed of aromatic vegetables like onions, carrots, and celery not only adds flavor to the turkey but also creates a delicious base for gravy or a side dish.
Storage
Let any leftovers cool to room temperature before storing them. Place the turkey in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the cooked turkey thighs. Wrap them tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, and then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Discover More Delicious Turkey Recipes
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Roast Turkey Breast with Saucy Cranberry Sauce
- How to Roast a Turkey
- Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Air Fryer Turkey Wings
- Turkey Meatballs
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Maple Mustard Roasted Turkey Thighs
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter (unsalted)
- 1 teaspoon rosemary (fresh, chopped)
- 1 teaspoon thyme (fresh, chopped)
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 turkey thighs (bone in w/ skin, washed and dried (about 2-3 lb))
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup water
- 1 large onion (roughly chopped)
- 5 stalks celery (cut into 2 inch pieces)
- 5 carrots (cut into 2 inch pieces)
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- In a small saucepan add the butter and melt over medium high heat. Add the rosemary, thyme, smoked paprika, dijon mustard, maple syrup and stir. Bring to a boil then remove from heat.
- Score the skin of the turkey thighs. Season your turkey thighs with salt and pepper. Pour about ½ of the maple/mustard mixture over the thighs and toss.
- Add the water to a roasting pan, then add the onion, celery, carrots, rosemary, and thyme. Place a roasting rack in the pan.
- Place the turkey thighs, skin side up, on the rack and brush with remaining maple/mustard glaze.
- Roast for 2 hours or until the internal temperature reads 175℉-180℉, basting every 30 minutes with the juices from the pan.
- Remove from the oven and cover the thighs with aluminum foil. Let them rest for 10 minutes before slicing them.
Notes
- My turkey thighs were quite big, so one was big enough to feed 2 people. If thighs are smaller then check the internal temperature after about 1.5 hours.
- You can always cook more turkey thighs if looking to serve more people.
- You can strain the remaining liquid through a sieve and drizzle it over the turkey, or use it to make a gravy with it.
- Store leftover turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze this stored in airtight containers for up to 3 months!
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Outstanding! Next time I might roast some dried fruit along with the vegetables. The veggie/sauce mixture was wonderful over rice.
Made this today and it was delicious! The he vegetables roasted perfectly, and the turkey thighs were moist and loaded with flavor! Adding this into my dinner rotation!😋
Glad you’re enjoying the recipe!
I made this recipe and it turned out fabulous. Best Turkey I’ve ever had!
That’s fantastic to hear! So glad the maple mustard combination made for your best turkey experience.
Hello I ordered 2 turkey breasts for Thanksgiving and was going to use your brined turkey breast recipe but the turkey breasts have no skin
Do you think I can use this recipe – wondering if you would advise on whether this recipe would work or may end up dry due to no skin? Love your site ! Thanks
Using the brined turkey breast recipe for skinless turkey breasts can still work, but the lack of skin means you’ll need to take extra care to prevent dryness. Consider basting the turkey breasts frequently during cooking to keep them moist. You might also cover them with foil for part of the cooking time to retain moisture. Enjoy your Thanksgiving cooking, and I’m glad you love the site! 🦃👩🍳🍁
Thank you!!
I want to make this..but don’t know where I can find Turkey thighs. I’ve never seen them at any of our stores. I’m in Louisiana.
We usually find them here in all grocery stores around Thanksgiving. Try checking with local butchers or specialty grocery stores. If they don’t have them on hand, they might be able to order them for you.
Easy. Tasty. I used oil instead of butter, but that’s just us. This is one to use again.
What a terrific recipe. So easy and so tasty. Also added chunks of zucchini and fennel to the vegetables. Will definitely be making this dish again and again. Thanks for a great recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Made this for Christmas this year – absolutely perfect. Thank you! Didn’t even know you could get Turkey skin that crisp. The vegetables came out perfect, as well.
It being Christmas I added a little allspice to the sauce & a couple of (whole) cloves to the veg pan; worked well with it. I used celeriac instead of celery (that, also, worked very well – I’d imagine parsnips also would) and added some Cavolo nero – as my thighs were smaller (i.e. shorter cooking time), they didn’t get too crisp 🙂 Served it with slightly spicy sweet potato mash (spicy in this case was chipotle sauce) instead of rice.
Will definitely make again. I should think this would work well for, say, duck breasts as well…
Hi Jo
I just love this recipe. Ever since I found it 4 years ago, it has been our Thanksgiving and Christmas go to turkey recipe. It is a pretty easy and no fuss recipe and my family loves it! Thank you for sharing.
Bought a package of 2 turkey thighs (3 lbs. Did not realized it had 2 of them in the package). Tried this recipe on Thanksgiving Day on 1-1/2 lb. turkey thigh. It came out rubbery and dried because of the suggested time that was baked in the convention oven. Only ate part of the thighs.
Next day in the afternoon, I put the rubbery turkey in boiled beef broth for a few seconds. It came out moisten and enjoyable. Used the broth for gravy.
Had tried the recipe again with the other turkey thigh which was seasoned with salt and pepper the day before. This time I used the thermometer to 165-170 degree on the thickest part of the thigh instead of the time suggested. It came out prefect – delicious, moist and enjoyable. Really love the crispy skin.
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
This looks yummy. I plan to make this tonight but I’m confused about the vegetables used to bake the thighs. Are they meant to be eaten or discarded? If discarded, what purpose do they serve? Would just steaming over herbs and water work?
Oh you can definitely eat them!! I wouldn’t just throw them out. 🙂
Jo, thanks so much for your speedy reply and for sharing this recipe. This was absolutely delicious. Hubby raved about this and told me to make sure to keep the recipe.
Only substitutions I made were plain paprika for the smoked which I didn’t have and I just used a pound of baby carrots for the veggies,- very delicious drizzled with your killer sauce.
OMG 5 stars!
That sounds amazing! We are so happy you enjoyed it!
This has become a staple in our house – fantastic – thank you! We serve with roasted veggies and use the scraps from those (carrots, leeks, parsnips) as the base for the turkey thighs which works out beautifully. Thanks for a great recipe!
We are so glad you liked it!
I made this recipe and substitute olive oil for butter — the flavors were wonderful and complimented the rice nicely. Add a bit of powdered garlic as well — looked great and tasted even better. Thank you for the recipe.
Looks like I’ll be making this the rest of my life. I don’t usually cook (hubby does). I do try though. My husband loved. It was awesome and easy.
Made this yesterday for our household Thanksgiving celebration alongside Persian bejeweled rice, roasted veggies and scalloped potatoes. What a fantastic recipe! We all loved it.