Air Fryer Turkey Breast comes out tender and juicy and so flavorful. Roasting a turkey in the air fryer keeps your oven free for cooking the sides or keeps it off so you can have turkey year round, even during the hot summer months.
There are tons of great sides to serve with turkey, but some of our favorites are Green Bean Casserole, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes and Cranberry Orange Sauce.
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Most grocery stores sell turkey breast year round, not just at the holidays, and if not fresh then frozen. If you’re having a smaller Thanksgiving this year, it’s great for feeding just a few people. It’s also the perfect size for a week’s worth of sandwiches or for adding a few people to the holiday dinner table without having to cook a second turkey.
Cooking in the air fryer is a great way to get a flavorful juicy turkey without heating up your kitchen or while keeping your oven free for mom’s Sweet Potato Casserole!
What size Turkey Breast Should I Buy?
When cooking a turkey breast in the air fryer, you can use either bone-in or boneless. Each will give you roughly the same amount of meat and take about the same amount of time to cook. If you want skin, go with bone-in.
For this recipe, I used a Butterball turkey breast that’s readily available at most grocery stores. It’s a boneless half breast that’s roughly 3 pounds and will feed approximately 4-6 people with a couple of sides, or up to 8 people with small portions and lots of side dishes.
How to Cook a Turkey Breast in an Air Fryer
This easy recipe makes the best, juiciest and most flavorful turkey breast. I was surprised by how much juicier the meat was compared to cooking it in the oven! There are 3 simple steps and your entree is done in less than an hour.
- Season. Rub olive oil all over the turkey this helps to keep it juicy and moist and also helps the seasonings stick. Rub in some salt and pepper, garlic powder, rosemary and paprika.
- Air fry. Preheat your air fryer if it needs it and roast for 20 minutes on each side, or until the internal temp is 160 degrees.
- Rest. Transfer the turkey breast to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
I tested this recipe with a boneless, skin-on breast, a bone-in skin-on breast, as well as a boneless and skinless breast. If you are leaving the skin on, be sure to rub the seasonings under the skin as well. Cooking times were roughly the same for each one.
What Temperature Should Turkey be Cooked to?
All meat should be cooked to its optimal temperature for food safety. The internal temperature of your air fryer turkey breast should come to at least 165 degrees. You can remove it at 155-160 and let it rest on a cutting board, covered with foil. As it sits it keeps cooking and the temp will rise to 165 degrees.
Air Fryer Turkey Breast Recipe Notes
- You will need to completely thaw your turkey breast before you cook it. Do this in the refrigerator for 48 hours. Do not thaw turkey in the sink!
- Use leftover turkey breast meat in turkey casserole, sandwiches and soups.
- Serve air fryer turkey breast with turkey gravy and your favorite side dishes. There won’t be a lot of liquid from the meat, so I recommend purchasing a package of turkey stock – most stores carry it in the soup aisle.
More Ways to Cook Turkey
- Roasted Turkey Breast – How to roast a turkey breast in the oven
- Thanksgiving turkey – how to roast a perfectly juicy and tender whole turkey in the oven with tons of tips and tricks.
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast – Make a tender and juicy turkey breast in your pressure cooker. This will give you a great turkey but won’t crisp the skin.
- Turkey Tetrazzini Casserole – a great way to use up leftover turkey.
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 3 pound boneless turkey breast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon rosemary
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Rub turkey breast with olive oil on all sides.
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, garlic powder, rosemary, paprika and pepper.
- Pat the seasonings into the turkey breast.
- Place the turkey breast in the basket of an air fryer.
- Cook at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Flip the turkey breast over and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165.
- Allow the turkey breast to rest 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Thaw your turkey in the fridge for 24-48 hours. Not in the sink!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Use for soups, casseroles, sandwiches and salads. Freeze for up to 6 months.
- To make turkey gravy, plan to purchase a package of turkey stock.
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