Our 41 Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes for Your Juiciest Holiday Yet
Choosing between Thanksgiving turkey recipes may feel like one of the highest-stakes moments of holiday planning, but we have good news. There are no dry turkeys in this collection of expert-tested recipes—only perfect roast turkeys, crispy fried turkeys, exceptionally juicy turkeys with crispy skin perfumed with fresh herbs, and smoke-kissed turkeys cooked outdoors while you relax, Thanksgiving cocktail in hand.
Whether it’s your first time making turkey or your 50th, and you’re hosting a big crowd or eating with only your nearest and dearest, we know you’ll find the best turkey recipe for your Thanksgiving celebration below. And once you’ve got that squared away, check out our best gravy recipes to find your turkey’s ultimate companion. Head this way to learn the basics of preparing a turkey—including defrosting, seasoning, and trussing. For more on temperatures, and how long to cook a turkey depending on its size, click on our guide.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson1/41The Simplest Roast Turkey
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton2/41Foolproof Spatchcocked Turkey With Garlic-Thyme Butter
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell3/41Turkey for Two With Pan-Sauce Gravy
This turkey breast recipe will comfortably feed four people, but if you’re the type to look forward to a post-feast sandwich, it’s the perfect amount for two. While the breast meat roasts, the juices mingle in the pan with aromatics and just enough cornstarch to add body, creating an expertly seasoned gravy that’s ready at the end of the cooking time.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Megan Hedgpeth, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich4/41Confit Turkey With Chiles and Garlic
Want to skip the big roast turkey recipe this year? Done with dry breast meat? Opt for turkey legs only and confit them with chiles and spice for extra-rich, deep flavor that’s closer to pork carnitas than your average Thanksgiving bird. You can do the braising a few days ahead, then reheat for an easy feast.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert5/41Herb-Butter Turkey
Flavored with rosemary, sage, tarragon, and thyme—and, yeah, lots of butter—this herb-roasted turkey recipe from chef Tom Colicchio is something special. Just add classic cranberry sauce and a mountain of mashed potatoes.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Anna Hampton6/41Brined and Barbecued Turkey
Here, a whole turkey is cooked in a roasting pan and basted with drippings on an outdoor barbecue, which frees up oven space for whatever you’ve got going on inside. (Pie, anyone?) Before pouring your turkey brine into a plastic bag, make sure the bag is unscented and otherwise food safe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Anna Surbatovich, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson7/41Thanksgiving Dinner for One
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Megan Hedgpeth, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich8/41My Favorite Roast Turkey
A honey-sweetened brine makes this Thanksgiving turkey recipe a stand-out. Pro-tip: Plan on 2 days and plenty of refrigerator space for wet brining and air drying the bird. Your reward? A crisp skin and moist texture you can’t get any other way.
Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee9/41Smoked Turkey Breast
This smoked turkey gets rubbed with a mix of kosher salt, ground rosemary, smoked paprika, granulated garlic, and coarsely ground black pepper, then cooked in a smoker for about 1½ hours. Cooking outdoors means your oven is free for sweet potato casserole and cornbread dressing.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich10/41Fried Turkey Wings With Cranberry Glaze
Make Thanksgiving more fun this year with these super-crispy and moist fried turkey wings, dressed in a tangy cranberry glaze. Just add green bean casserole and silky Instant Pot mashed potatoes and everyone’s happy.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini.11/41Garlic-Aioli Roasted Turkey with Lemon-Parsley Pan Sauce
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich12/41Roast Turkey With Country Ham Stuffing and Giblet Gravy
This golden-brown centerpiece from Gourmet is draped with butter-soaked cheesecloth as it roasts; and cubes of country ham enrich the stuffing inside the turkey cavity. It’s all part of a very ’90s Thanksgiving feast.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Anna Hampton13/41Roasted Turkey Legs With Ghee
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich14/41Roast Turkey With New England Stuffing and Cream Sauce
Enlist the help of some family members to thread the cranberries that show up on the top of this fun ’70s-era bird.
