Reheat a turkey leg in an air fryer 8–12 min at 350°F, flipping once, until the thickest part reaches 165°F.
Turkey legs reheat in an air fryer because the hot air crisps the skin while warming the meat through. The trick is simple: start with the right temperature, protect the meat from drying, and stop at the right internal temperature.
Reheating Turkey Legs In An Air Fryer Time Chart
Use this chart as your starting point, then adjust a minute or two based on thickness and how cold the leg is. Times assume a preheated air fryer and one turkey leg with space around it.
| Turkey Leg Starting Point | Air Fryer Temp | Target Reheat Time |
|---|---|---|
| Small leg (8–10 oz), fridge-cold | 350°F / 175°C | 7–9 min |
| Medium leg (10–14 oz), fridge-cold | 350°F / 175°C | 8–12 min |
| Large leg (14–18 oz), fridge-cold | 350°F / 175°C | 12–16 min |
| Extra-large leg (18–22 oz), fridge-cold | 340°F / 170°C | 16–20 min |
| Any size, room-temp 10–15 min | 350°F / 175°C | Reduce 2–4 min |
| Any size, cooked then frozen | 320°F / 160°C | 25–35 min |
| Sauced or glazed leg, fridge-cold | 330°F / 165°C | Add 2–4 min |
| Two legs (not touching) | 350°F / 175°C | Add 3–6 min |
| Extra crisp finish, once hot | 400°F / 205°C | 1–3 min |
What Changes The Time Most
Thickness beats weight. The thick “meaty bulb” near the joint is the last part to heat. If you’re between times, follow the thicker leg.
Starting temperature matters. A leg straight from the fridge needs more time than one that sat out for 10–15 minutes. Keep that counter time short.
Basket space matters. When the leg is crowded, airflow drops and reheating slows. Leave a gap so the fan can do its job.
How Long To Reheat A Turkey Leg In An Air Fryer?
If you’re asking “how long to reheat a turkey leg in an air fryer?” and you want a repeatable method, use this five-step flow. It works for roasted, smoked, and store-bought cooked turkey legs.
Step 1: Preheat And Set Up
Preheat to 350°F (175°C) for 3–5 minutes. A warm fryer starts browning right away, so the skin doesn’t go limp.
Lightly oil the basket or tray if your model sticks. A thin film is enough.
Step 2: Protect Exposed Meat
The cut ends dry first. Cap them with a small piece of foil or brush them with melted butter. Keep foil off the skin side so hot air can crisp it.
Step 3: Reheat In Two Bursts
Place the leg in the basket with room around it. Cook 4–6 minutes, flip, then cook 3–10 minutes based on size.
Flip at the halfway mark even if the skin already looks done. It evens out hot spots and keeps one side from getting tough.
Step 4: Hit 165°F In The Thickest Part
Probe the thickest part without touching bone. For cooked poultry, the safe target is 165°F (74°C). The USDA FSIS safe temperature chart lists 165°F for poultry.
No thermometer? Slice into the thick end near the bone. You want steaming-hot meat with no cold pocket. A thermometer still saves guesswork.
Step 5: Crisp The Skin Only At The End
Once the center is hot, raise the heat to 400°F (205°C) for 1–3 minutes for extra crisp skin. Stay close; it can jump from golden to dark fast.
Best Temperature For Reheating Turkey Legs
Most turkey legs reheat best at 350°F (175°C). It’s hot enough to wake up the skin, gentle enough to keep the meat tender.
Use 340°F (170°C) when the leg is extra-large or your air fryer runs hot. Use 320–330°F (160–165°C) for sticky glazes so sugars don’t scorch.
Ways To Keep A Turkey Leg Juicy
Air fryers push dry, fast-moving heat. That’s great for crisp skin. It also means exposed meat can lose moisture. These small steps help.
Save A Spoon Of Drippings
When you store leftovers, add a spoon of drippings or gravy on the meat side, not the skin. It reheats closer to the original texture.
Use Foil Like A Shield
A tight foil cap on the cut end traps steam where drying is worst while leaving the skin bare for browning.
Warm Gravy Separately
If you’ve got gravy, warm it in a pan or microwave while the leg reheats. Pour it over sliced meat after the skin is crisp. Putting gravy on the skin before reheating traps moisture and turns it soft. If you want a glazed finish, brush a layer on during the last minute, then serve on the side. It tastes better and keeps texture.
Rest Two Minutes
After reheating, rest the leg for 2 minutes. Heat evens out, juices settle, and the center catches up.
Reheating Smoked Turkey Legs Without Drying Them
Smoked legs tend to be firmer and saltier. Start at 330–340°F (165–170°C) and lean toward the longer end of the time ranges.
If the skin darkens early, drop the temperature and add minutes. You’ll get better texture than pushing high heat.
Reheating A Frozen Cooked Turkey Leg
A cooked turkey leg can go from freezer to air fryer. Use 320°F (160°C) so the outside doesn’t overbrown while the center warms.
Cook 15 minutes, flip, then cook 10–20 minutes more. Start temperature checks after 25 minutes. If the skin gets too dark, tent the skin with foil and keep heating until the center reaches 165°F.
Signs You’re On Track
- Skin: looks dry and slightly blistered, not wet or pale.
- Meat: pulls from the bone with a firm tug, not a tear-and-chew fight.
- Center heat: thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest section.
Time gets you close. Temperature tells you when to stop. That’s the real answer to “how long to reheat a turkey leg in an air fryer?”
Mistakes That Make Turkey Legs Tough
Starting At 400°F
High heat from the start can brown the skin fast while the center stays cool. The outer layer keeps cooking and turns chewy.
Skipping The Flip
Many air fryers have a hotter zone. Flipping and rotating keeps the thick end from sitting in the same hot stream.
Overcrowding
When legs touch, airflow drops. Skin steams instead of browns, and timing stretches. Reheat in batches if you need space.
Trusting Color
Spice rubs and sauce can darken early. Use temperature, not color, as the finish line.
Storage And Reheat Safety Checks
Reheating is only part of safe leftovers. Storage time and cooling speed matter too. If a cooked turkey leg sat out for a long stretch, it may not be worth reheating.
For storage windows, use the FoodSafety.gov leftovers storage chart as a quick reference.
If you can’t confirm how it was stored, skip it. A new meal costs less than a ruined weekend.
Printable Reheat Checklist
- Preheat air fryer to 350°F for 3–5 minutes.
- Blot the leg dry; keep sauce off the skin if you want crisp.
- Cap exposed meat ends with foil or brush with a thin layer of butter.
- Reheat 4–6 minutes, flip, then reheat 3–10 minutes based on size.
- Probe the thickest part; stop at 165°F.
- Optional: crisp skin 1–3 minutes at 400°F.
- Rest 2 minutes, then serve.
Troubleshooting Table For Better Results
Use this table when your turkey leg is close, yet not quite right.
| What You See | What’s Going On | What To Do Next |
|---|---|---|
| Skin is dark, center is cool | Heat too high for thickness | Drop to 330–340°F and add 4–8 min; tent skin if needed |
| Meat is dry at the cut end | Exposed surface lost moisture | Foil the end and brush with butter; rest 2 min |
| Skin is soft | Too much surface moisture | Blot dry, then finish 2 min at 400°F |
| One side hotter | Hot spot in fryer | Flip and rotate; aim the thick end toward the hottest zone |
| Smoke or burning smell | Drippings on hot plate | Clean tray; add a splash of water under basket if allowed |
| Sauce is scorching | Sugar browns fast | Reheat at 320–330°F; add sauce after warming |
| Bone area still cool | Probe hit bone or thick joint | Probe next to bone; add 2–5 min and recheck |
Start with the time chart, reheat in short bursts, and let the thermometer call the finish. You’ll get a turkey leg that’s hot to the bone with skin that still has bite.