Nashville Hot Turkey Oven Roasted

This Oven Roasted Nashville Hot Turkey is spicy, hot, and just a little bit sweet. Enjoy as a main entrée, sandwich, and more!

Made with BBQ dry rub, paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and more, this one turkey recipe you are going to want to sink your teeth in.

Serve us this roasted turkey with tasty sides like Pellet Grill Smoked Baked Potatoes, Crispy Air Fryer Steak Fries, or Grilled Acorn Squash w/ Spicy Agave Glaze!

Nashville Hot Turkey Recipe

When it comes to turkey, there is a saying … “There is a reason we only eat turkey once a year.”

The reason … it’s bland, it’s dry, it’s lackluster, it’s boring, etc. and if you aren’t a fan of turkey, the list can go on.

However, turkey doesn’t have to be bland, boring, and a once-a-year meal.

This oven-roasted Nashville Hot Turkey recipe is a great way to make turkey fun, interesting, juicy, and packed with flavor.

Nashville Hot Turkey Ingredients

Meat: For this recipe, I recommend using 1 12-16 lb whole turkey. If turkey isn’t your favorite, you can also make this recipe with chicken.

Seasoning: Season with 2 tbsp of bbq dry rub, 2 tbsp of paprika, 2 tbsp of chili powder, 1 tbsp of cayenne, 2 tsp of granulated garlic, 2 tsp of granulated onion, ¼ cup of brown sugar, 1 tbsp of kosher salt, and 1 tbsp of black pepper.

Hot sauce: You can’t have Nashville hot turkey without some classic Nashville hot sauce!

For cooking. For cooking, you will need ¾ cup of canola oil.

How to Make Oven-Roasted Nashville Hot Turkey

Prep the turkey. Break down Turkey into eight pieces and let chill uncovered in the fridge overnight or for at least a few hours.

Prep the seasoning. Combine the seasonings in a heat-safe bowl.

Heat oil. Once the seasoning is combined, heat the oil to 275 degrees F.

Whisk together. Pour hot oil over the seasoning and whisk together

Inject the meat and cook. Inject each piece of turkey with Nashville sauce, then roast the breast at 350 degrees F. for about 90 minutes until they are 165 degrees F. Cook the dark meat for about 2 hours until the drumsticks and thighs reach an internal temperature of 195-200 degrees F.

Rest the meat and add sauce. Let rest for 5 minutes and brush on Nashville hot sauce.

Plate and Serve. When ready, plate the turkey, serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Tips, Tricks, and Variations

Cooking Method. You can cook this turkey in the oven, on the grill, or in your air fryer.

Injecting the meat. You don’t want to sleep on this method. Injecting the meat allows the incredible flavor to get into the thickest parts of the meat!

Seasoning. I love making my own rubs, but your favorite store-bought can be just as great!

Cutting the turkey. I recommend using a sharp knife. However, if you are looking to make things a bit easier on yourself, you can use a turkey carving electric knife.

Presentation. Looking to present your turkey in a fun, different, or exciting way? Spatch cock the turkey before preparing and lay it flat on the serving plate.

What Size Turkey Should I Use?

For this recipe, I used a 12-16 pound turkey. A turkey that size will serve about 10-14 people.

Depending on how many people you are serving, half or double accordingly.

What to Serve with Nashville Hot Turkey

Serve it up with all the fixings like Pellet Grill Smoked Baked Potatoes, Pellet Grill Smoked Baked Beans, Sheet Pan Green Beans Almondine with Bacon, French Onion Rice and Beans Casserole, Skillet Pumpkin Cornbread w/ Bourbon Maple Butter or keep it simple with a fresh green salad.