Turkey season is upon us and many hunters leave behind the turkey legs. Instead of wasting that tasty healthy meat, try my delicious fried turkey thighs for dinner! If you have chickens, those savory thighs work as well!
Using The Whole Animal
Growing up in the city, and being from a family of all girls, we didn’t hunt or grow any livestock. So naturally, for us, meat came from a grocery store.
I smile at my naivety back then.
Fast forward to 2021 when my husband killed a beautiful, grand Elk. Instead of processing the meat alone, our entire family got involved learning where our meat was coming from.
It created gratitude in our kids as they gazed upon the lifeless majestic animal’s body.
During each mealtime when we would eat the elk, the kids were always extra grateful in their dinner prayer for the life that was given for us to eat.
So on opening day of hunting season, when my husband’s co-worker killed a turkey and planned to ditch the thighs and legs, we happily volunteered to take them!
Not only was it great to now have exciting new dinner plans, but what a treat to have my favorite part of a bird – the thighs! They are so flavorful and I prefer them over the breast of any meat bird. Now then, let’s dig in as to how I made this gifted meat into a memorable dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 12 oz box fettuccine or linguine noodles
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp cream or milk
- 1 cup einkorn all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 3½-4 lbs turkey thighs cut into strips
- My Homemade Alfredo Sauce recipe or a 16 oz jar of store bought sauce
Read our personal story about how we reversed tooth decay!
Preparing the meat
For this meal, I used 2 thighs and leg meat from the wild turkey that was hunted the day before. If using wild turkey or chicken from your own back yard be sure to soak the meat in a brine over night.
The next day we deboned the meat and I cut it into strips.
With wild turkey legs and thighs you have to be careful to get all the little bones and tendons out. Cutting the meat into strips will help you to better locate all the smaller tendons.
Also cutting off some of the thicker silver skin is advised since that can be difficult to chew.
How to Make Fried Turkey Thighs
First start by placing a large frying pan over medium heat and cover the bottom of the pan with grease, you can use oil if you prefer.
Then in a bowl, combine eggs and cream or milk. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, and pepper.
Using a fork, evenly coat your turkey thigh strips (or your chicken strips) in the egg wash. Once covered transfer to the flour mixture and evenly coat.
Next, place the flour coated thighs in the hot grease.
Then flip once the bottoms are browned.
You may need to flip every 5 minutes after both sides are browned until internal temperature reaches 165℉, this will vary depending on how thick you cut your thigh strips.
While the thighs are coming to temperature follow the instructions for your fettuccine or linguine noodles.
I like to add olive oil and salt to the water while it comes to a boil before adding the noodles. The oil helps the noodles from sticking to each other, while the salt helps the water come to boil quicker.
If you are making the alfredo sauce from scratch click HERE to get my favorite homemade recipe that I have perfected! Next, add the alfredo sauce to your cooked noodles.
After all your chicken thighs have reached an internal temperature of 165℉, they are ready to serve on top of your noodles. If you can wait, you can garnish with tomatoes and basil leaves if you’d like! Enjoy!!
If you try this dinner please let me know in the comments below if you used turkey or chicken and how you liked it!
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. Genesis 9:3
Fried Turkey Thighs with Alfredo Noodles
Ingredients
Frying the Meat
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp cream or milk
- 1 cup flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 3½-4 lbs turkey thighs cut into strips
Boiling the Noodles
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 12 oz box fettuccine or linguine noodles
My Homemade Alfredo or a 16 oz jar of Alfredo Sauce
Instructions
- Place a large frying pan over medium heat and cover the bottom of the pan with grease or oil.
- In a bowl, combine 2 eggs and 1 tbsp cream or milk
- In a separate bowl combine 1 cup flour, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper
- Using a fork, evenly coat 3½-4 lbs turkey thighs in egg wash
- Once covered transfer to the flour mixture and evenly coat
- Place the now flour coated thighs in the hot grease, then flip once the bottoms are browned. You may need to flip every 5 minutes after both sides are browned until internal temperature reaches 165℉, this will vary depending on how thick you cut your thigh strips.
- While the thighs are coming to temperature follow the instructions for your 12 oz box fettuccine or linguine noodles. I like to add 1 tbsp olive oil and ½ tsp salt to the water while it comes to a boil before adding the noodles.
- If you are making the alfredo sauce from scratch click HERE to get my favorite homemade recipe that I have perfected! If using a premade alfredo sauce you can add it to your noodles once they are finished cooking.
- After all your chicken thighs have reached an internal temperature of 165℉, they are ready to serve on top of your noodles.
- Garnish with tomatoes and basil leaves if you'd like! Enjoy!!
Notes
- This recipe can substitute any other meat. This is our families chicken alfredo recipe and I just replaced the chicken with the turkey thighs.
- Our homemade alfredo sauce is worth the time! My kids devour this meal and ask for extra sauce! But if you’re in a hurry the premade stuff is ok.
- If using meat that you have to debone yourself then save those bones and make bone broth with them. My favorite recipe will be coming soon! It is my family’s favorite recipe! My kids love this home made bone broth!
Looking for more dinner inspiration? Check out these yummy dishes below!
Would you like some weekly meal planning inspiration? See how I plan meals behind the scenes for my family of 6! I cover how to stock your pantry and how to plan meals that don’t overwhelm or take a lot of planning. You can read many recommendations and tips in the article: How to be Equipped for Family Dinner-Time!
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