Air Fryer Turkey Breast allows you to feed your family a Thanksgiving dinner quality turkey in less than an hour. It’s crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.
Depending on the size of your air fryer will allow you to determine the size of the whole turkey breast that you can air fry.
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email below and we’ll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
If you have a smaller family, you may want to only make a turkey breast for Thanksgiving dinner. Cooking the turkey breast in your air fryer is a great alternative. This recipe uses a whole bone in breast and is the best recipe.
If you don’t feel like making an entire turkey, this is a great way, using an air fryer, to cook up the most coveted part of the turkey. Air frying ensures the turkey breast is perfectly cooked with the crispy skin you crave.
Find some great tips and tricks for your Air Fryer. It is such a handy devise for busy lives.
If you’re looking for more air fryer recipes, try these Air Fryer Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies, Glazed Air Fryer Ham and Homemade Toaster Strudel (Air Fryer).
Why We Love to Cook a Turkey Breast Recipe
Make the star of your holiday table with little fuss. There is no need to even turn on the oven to have an incredible turkey breast with a crispy skin.
- 50 Minute Meal: A Thanksgiving quality meal in less than an hour. It will be your favorite way to cook the turkey for smaller events.
- Easy Ingredients: Only 6 ingredient, you have on hand.
- Family Friendly: Everyone loves a delicious turkey dinner.
- Adaptable: Can make it and use for sandwiches in place of processed lunch meat.
- Makes Great Leftovers: Use for open faced hot sandwiches the next day or Turkey Rice Soup.
Ingredient Notes for Juicy Roast Air Fry Turkey Breast
- Skin on Turkey Breast: Clean and pat the turkey dry with paper towel. Turkey Tenderloin can be great to cook this way too. Make sure the breast you choose fits in the air fryer.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted butter can be used depending on your seasoning preference.
- Sea Salt and Fresh Black Pepper: Use fresh if possible, grinded well.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic or garlic powder.
- Thyme: 4 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme or use your favorite poultry seasoning.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions for Air Fryer Turkey Breast Recipe
Try using these suggestions when you are air frying. Remember this recipe is just a jumping off point for you to make your own special family meal.
- Chicken: Make air fryer chicken in place of the turkey.
- Seasoning: It is easy to adapt the seasoning you use in this turkey recipe. Try this Substitute for Poultry Seasoning or your favorite fresh herbs.
- Cooking: Stuff herbs and citrus fruit into the cavity of the turkey breast for even more flavor. You can also make a slow cooker turkey breast but you might have to place it under the broiler to get a crispy skin.
How to Make Bone-in Turkey Breast Air Fryer Recipe
These are the basic steps for making Bone-in or boneless turkey breast. Please refer to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions and nutrition information.
These are the basic steps for making air fryer bone-in whole turkey breast. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
STEP 1: Preheat the Air Fryer and Make Herb Butter
First, preheat your fryer and then melt your butter in the microwave or on a double broiler on the stove. Once melted, add in the sea salt, peppercorn, garlic powder, and thyme. Then mix.
Next, using a basting brush, brush your herb butter mix on the top and bottom of the turkey breast.
STEP 2: Air fryer and Cook/ Flip the Turkey
Next, place the turkey breast skin side down in the air fryer basket. Set your Air Fryer to 375 degrees F for 45 minutes. Then at the halfway mark of about 22/23 minutes, flip the breast with tongs. Next continue to cook. If the breast is getting too dark cover with aluminum foil. The temperature of the turkey breast should reach 165 degrees.
STEP 3: Rest the Air Fryer Bone-in Turkey Breast
Finally, remove the turkey breast and allow your turkey rest. Resting will allow all the juices to return to the bird before slicing.
Recipe FAQs to Cook Turkey Breast in an Air Fryer
Expert Tips for Making This Recipe
This turkey breast recipe will take about 50 minutes to make. These tips will help you make air fryer turkey breast that is tender and juicy.
- Preheat: It is important to run your air fryer to preheat before cooking for best results.
- Add Fresh: You can use dried herbs and ground pepper but the fresh herbs really improves the flavor of air fried turkey breast. Use your favorites onions or celery too add flavor too.
- Butter: Try different compound butters to really boost the flavor of your turkey. For example, fresh sage, rosemary and a little fresh lemon zest really can elevate the flavor.
- Gravy: Here is a great recipe to make your own.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- Easy Turkey Gravy
- Southern Cornbread Dressing
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Double Layer Pumpkin Pie
- Parmesan Green Beans
- Giblet and Turkey Neck Gravy
The Best Air Fryer Turkey Breast
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email and we’ll send this recipe to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Turkey breast, w/ skin
- 4 Tablespoons Butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon Sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh peppercorn, grinded well
- 2 Tablespoons Garlic, minced
- 4 sprigs Thyme, remove from stem
Instructions
- Melt your butter in the microwave or in a double broiler on the stove.
- Once melted, add in the sea salt, peppercorn, garlic, and thyme. Mix.
- Using a basting brush, brush your butter mix on the top and bottom of the turkey breast.
- Place the turkey breast in your air fryer.
- Set your Air Fryer to 375℉ for 45 minutes.
- At the halfway mark of about 22/23 minutes, flip the breast with tongs. Continue to cook.
- Once the air fryer has finished cooking, cut and serve!
- Top with cranberry sauce, gravy, or eat as is! Enjoy!
Christina’s Notes
- Preheat: It is important to run your air fryer to preheat before cooking for best results.
- Add Fresh: You can use dried herbs and ground pepper but the fresh herbs really improves the flavor. Use your favorites onions or celery too add flavor too.
- Butter: Try different compound butters to really boost the flavor of your turkey. For example, fresh Sage, rosemary and a little fresh lemon zest really can elevate the flavor.
- Gravy: Here is a great recipe to make your own.
- Dietary consideration tip: If you are lactose intolerant, you can use any type of oil you desire for this recipe. Olive oil, avocado oil etc are all good.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
We are having a smaller Thanksgiving this year and I am so excited to make this. I tested it out last week and it was so delicious!
Thanks a lot for this amazing and super easy to make turkey breast recipe! It’s really tasty and very flavorful! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!