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This easy Air Fryer turkey breast recipe is the easiest way to make a small turkey! It comes out juicy, moist, and golden brown every single time, and is SO much easier to make than the classic roast turkey.
I love making this as a simple weeknight meal when I’m looking for a change from my classic Air Fryer chicken breast or Air Fryer salmon, but you can tweak it a bit to make it for your holiday dinner too!
“I’m always impressed by how quick and easy the Air Fryer makes this turkey breast!”
-Becky
This recipe has been a complete game-changer for me when it comes to holiday cooking. Every time I’m entertaining a small crowd and don’t feel the need to cook a whole bird, I turn to using my trusty Air Fryer.
I love teaming them up with my other holiday favorites like Air Fryer Steak, Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin, Air Fryer Cornish Hens, or Air Fryer Frozen Pork Chops.
Quick Look At This Recipe
✨ Flavor: Crispy outside, juicy inside.
⏱️ Prep time: 5 minutes.
🔥 Cook time: 45 minutes.
⏲️ Total time: 1 hour.
👥 Servings: 4 servings.
🥄 Tools: Air Fryer, bowls, and spoons.
❄️ Freezer friendly: Yes.
👩🏻🍳 Tip: Add some cayenne or red pepper flakes for a kick of heat, or slather on some peach preserves (like I did for my Air Fryer peach glazed chicken recipe) for a different flavor.
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Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It frees up precious oven space, making it perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a simple weeknight meal.
- You can tweak and play around with the seasonings and customize the flavors to your liking.
- The turkey breasts turn out perfect every single time! No dry patches and no overcooked, chewy meat- just tender and succulent deliciousness.
Recipe Ingredients
- Bone-in or boneless turkey breast: Make sure it fits in your air fryer; I used a nearly 5-pound breast.
- Olive oil: Helps achieve a crispy, flavorful skin. You can also use melted butter if you want- I used it for my Air Fryer turkey legs recipe and it turned out incredible!
- Seasonings: The classic pantry staples- garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper and kosher salt.
- Optional: Substitute 2 tablespoons of poultry seasoning for a quicker prep.
OPTIONAL: If you don’t have some of these seasonings, or just want to save a little time, you can substitute 2 tablespoons of poultry seasoning, like this McCormick’s seasoning. Serve this turkey along side this simple Cranberry Orange Sauce for a complete meal!
Variations
- Use fresh herbs: Use herbs like rosemary, thyme, or sage to enhance the flavor of these air fried turkey breasts.
- Sauce it up: Brush the turkey breast with a maple glaze or BBQ sauce in the last few minutes to get that glossy shine and extra flavor.
- Seasoning swap: I like to use my homemade BBQ rub sometimes when I have it at hand. You can also try using other seasonings of your choice to bring a bit of flavor variation.
How to Make Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees F (182 degrees C). Remove the turkey breast from its packaging, pat it dry with a paper towel, and trim any excess fat. In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
- Coat the turkey breast with olive oil or melted butter, then rub the seasoning mix evenly over the surface.
- Place the turkey breast in the air fryer basket, breast side down. Cook at 360 degrees F (182 degrees C) for 15-20 minutes, then flip and continue cooking for another 20-25 minutes.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Let the turkey rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Looking for Air Fryer Christmas recipes? Try Air Fryer reindeer chow, Air Fryer cranberry brie bites, or these Air Fryer Christmas brownie mix cookies.
Expert Tips
- Use a meat thermometer: To ensure that the meat is cooked, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature in the thickest part. It should be 165 degrees or more..
- Let it rest: Allow the turkey to rest for a few minutes before you slice and serve. This retains the juices and keeps the meat soft and tender.
- Don’t skip the fat: Brushing the turkey with oil or butter ensures that the seasonings stick to it, and also improves browning and flavor.
- Work in batches: If you’re making a large batch, work in batches. Never overcrowd the Air Fryer basket. I did this when I made my Air Fryer chicken thighs, and they turned out SO crispy and delicious!
- Brine it: If you want to brine your turkey breast, place it in a large pot of cold water- enough to fully cover it, add seasonings like sliced garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, fresh herbs (like rosemary, thyme, sage), and lemon or orange slices. Cover and refrigerate overnight, remove from the brine and air fry it as you would!
- Carve it right: Secure your cutting board by placing a damp kitchen towel underneath the board- this will help prevent the board from sliding or moving. Start your first cut parallel to the center of the breast, along the breast bone on each side. Slice in a straight line downwards, cutting across the grain of the meat for the best cut. As you continue slicing, make angled slices across the breast, until you get to the bottom.
How to Serve Air Fryer Turkey Breast
I love making this Air Fryer turkey breast for a quick weeknight dinner! It’s so easy to make and comes together super quick. I like to slice it up and serve it on a platter with some small potatoes, fresh rosemary or thyme and some sliced lemons.
If you’re making this for Thanksgiving or a holiday dinner that you’re hosting, pair it with some Air Fryer green bean casserole or Air Fryer bacon wrapped asparagus, my classic Air Fryer cornbread and finish up with some Air Fryer pumpkin cheesecake or Air Fryer apple pie.
Recipe FAQ’s
Refrigerate leftover turkey breast in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3-4 months in a freezer-safe bag. Just be sure to remove as much air as possible so the meat doesn’t dry out.
When you are ready to reheat, air fry at 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) for 3-5 minutes.
Figure about 1 1/2 pounds of turkey breast per person. If the turkey breast is boneless then figure 1/2 pound per person. As an idea for size, I have a 5.8 quart basket, and can easily fit a 5 pound turkey, with ribs removed.
You can cut it into smaller pieces or choose a turkey breast that fits comfortably in your Air Fryer basket. I used kitchen scissors to cut and remove the ribs from my turkey breast. This helped it open up an lay flat, to fit in the basket.
More Easy Air Fryer Dinners
If you tried this Air Fryer turkey breast or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 turkey breast, bone-in or boneless, 3-5 pounds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, or melted butter
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or 1 fresh garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 360 degrees F.
- While the air fryer is preheating, remove the turkey breast from the packaging. Gently pat breast dry with a paper towel, then remove any unwanted fat or small trimmings on the turkey breast.
- In a small bowl, add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika, then stir them together.
- Use your hands or a pastry brush and coat the entire turkey breast with olive oil or melted butter. Then rub the seasonings all over the breast, pressing it into the breast firmly.
- Place the seasoned turkey breast in air fryer, breast side down. Cook turkey breast at 360 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Then, turn the turkey over, and continue air frying for an additional 20-25 minutes. Use an instant read meat thermometer to confirm the internal temperature is 165 degrees F.
- Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the meat to check doneness.
- Let the turkey rest for 5–10 minutes before carving for juicier slices.
- If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil, tucking it in to prevent it from flying in the air fryer.
- If using butter, lower the temp to 350°F to avoid smoking—this may add 10–15 minutes to the cook time.
- Cooking time will depend on the air fryer wattage, and weight of the turkey. Here’s a suggested guide:
- 2–2.5 pounds: 30-40 minutes
- 3–4 pounds: 40-50 minutes
- 4.5–5 pounds: 50-60 minutes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If using a rotisserie basket, should the time be cut back or is an hour about right?
Hi Anthony. I have not made this turkey breast using a rotisserie, but it looks like the time would be similar, depending on the weight and thickness. I would check the internal temperature about five minutes earlier. Thanks!