Description
This recipe for Smothered Cajun Turkey Thighs is a game-changer. We’re taking rich, dark meat turkey thighs, seasoning them with bold Cajun spices, roasting them to golden perfection, and then finishing them in a luscious, homemade roasted onion and garlic gravy. It’s a comforting Southern experience with fall-off-the-bone tender meat and a gravy so good you’ll want to drink it!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Turkey Thighs:
- 2 lbs Turkey Thighs, bone-in, skin-on
- 2 1/2 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
- 1/2 tbsp Kosher Salt (plus extra for dry brine)
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 1/2 tsp Chicken Bouillon
- 2 1/2 cups Water (for braising)
- Avocado Oil Spray
For the Roasted Onion & Garlic Gravy:
- 2 Onions (sweet or yellow), roughly chopped
- 1 Fresh Garlic Bulb, top sliced off
- 3 tbsp Reserved Turkey Pan Drippings/Oil
- 3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
- 4 tsp Roasted Chicken Base (Better Than Bouillon)
- 4 cups Water (for gravy stock)
- To taste Kosher Salt & Cajun Seasoning
Instructions
- Overnight Prep (Dry Brine): 24 hours before cooking, place turkey thighs on a wire rack over a tray. Season generously with salt. Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
- Initial High-Heat Roast: Preheat oven to 415°F (210°C). Pat turkey dry and season with Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. Roast in a greased pan for 1 hour 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown.
- Roast Aromatics: Meanwhile, roast the chopped onions and foil-wrapped garlic bulb (drizzled with oil) on a separate sheet for 45 minutes until caramelized/soft.
- Low and Slow Braise: Dissolve bouillon in 2 ½ cups water. Pour into the turkey pan. Cover tightly with foil. Reduce oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes until fork-tender.
- Prepare Gravy Base: Squeeze roasted garlic from skins. Blend garlic and roasted onions until smooth. Remove turkey from pan and reserve 3 tbsp of the drippings.
- Make Gravy: In a skillet, whisk flour into the reserved drippings over medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes until golden brown. Dissolve chicken base in 4 cups water; slowly whisk into the roux. Stir in onion/garlic puree. Simmer 10 minutes to thicken. Season.
- Smother and Serve: Pour gravy over turkey thighs and serve hot.
Notes
- Dry Brine: Don’t skip the overnight dry brine! It draws moisture from the skin for crispiness and seasons the meat to the bone.
- Roux Color: Cook the flour and fat roux for a full 10 minutes to get that golden brown color and nutty flavor essential for a Cajun gravy.
- Roasted Veggie Hack: Roasting the onions and garlic alongside the turkey builds incredible depth of flavor for the gravy base without extra work.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Dinner
- Method: Roasting, Braising
- Cuisine: Southern, Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 295 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 860 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
