Life

This Thanksgiving Turkey Is COVERED in Flamin’ Hot Cheetos & No, This Is Not A Drill

by Kaitlyn Wylde
Reynolds Kitchens

We've all seen our fair share of weird and whacky recipes on the internet — you know, the kinds of things that look like jokes, but aren't. From sushi burritos to pumpkin spice bagels, it's hard to be fazed by any food combinations these days. Like, we've seen it all, haven't we? Wrong. On Thursday morning, a local Memphis, Tennessee news station published a Flamin' Hot Cheetos turkey recipe first posted on the Reynolds Kitchens website, and it doubled as an official mic drop on all internet food mashups to date. And yeah, it made a lot of jaws drop.

That's right, aside from a few other more traditional sounding recipes (ranch and onion isn't that nutty), Reynolds Kitchens is literally spicing things up this Thanksgiving. And instead of suggesting ingredients you'd find in a spice rack, it's suggesting ingredients you'd find in a vending machine. And while your first thought might be that this is kinda bizarre, upon second thought you might start to warm up to the idea (sorry, not sorry).

Think about it, if you love Flamin' Hot Cheetos, and you love a flavorful turkey, you're probably going to love this combo. Baking a turkey with a dusting of breadcrumbs or other spices is not that outrageous; it adds texture and wider flavor profile. So if your favorite color is Flamin' Hot Cheetos red and you're not scared to experiment on Thanksgiving, you might want to give this a go. According to Reynolds Kitchens' recipe, here's how to turn up the heat on your Thanksgiving dinner table this year:

1. Work Up The Nerve

You have to commit, because once you cover that expensive turkey in Cheeto dust, there is no turning back. So make sure that when you start this spicy culinary journey, you are ready to follow through. Once you're ready to roll, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Get Some Cheetos

Reynolds Kitchens

Honestly, if you're reading this far you must be a Flamin' Hot Cheeto fan, so I'm sure you've already got a bag in your kitchen. Dump the spicy puffs into a food processor, or put them in a zipped baggie and crush them. You'll know you're done crushing when they basically look like sand.

3. Oil Her Up And Dress Her Up

Reynolds Kitchens

Cover your turkey in oil or butter, whatever you prefer. Make sure you coat it evenly. Once it's covered, pat the spicy dust onto the skin — it should stick. You might want to wear kitchen-friendly gloves, unless you don't mind having flamin' red fingertips for the rest of the day. Either way, be careful not to touch your face, because even a speck of spicy dust to the eye could cause some serious irritation.

4. Pack It Up

Reynolds Kitchens

Take out an oven-safe baking bag, and put a pinch of flour inside of it to coat the walls. Then, careful not to lose your turkey's spicy coat, slide the bird into the bag and close it. Place the bird into a roasting pan that's at least two inches deep and that fits your bird perfectly. Cut at least six half-inch slits into the top of the bag for circulation. You want the skin toasted, but not burnt.

5. Enjoy

Reynolds Kitchens

Once the internal temperature of the bird reaches 180 degrees, it's done! Let it cool down for at least 15 minutes before cutting it out of the bag, because you don't want to burn yourself. Then, it's time to eat. It may definitely be the spiciest addition to your Thanksgiving table, but it's about time you mixed up your old holiday traditions, anyway. And, this seems like a delicious way to do just that.