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Air Fryer Turkey Breast is golden brown, super juicy, and on the table in 40 minutes! This foolproof method is so easy even beginner home cooks will effortlessly serve an impressive turkey dinner.
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Why you'll love turkey breast in the air fryer
Turkey breast in the air fryer is the quickest, hands-free way to make a satisfying entree the whole family loves! It only takes 5 minutes of active prep and cooks in half the time of roast turkey breast, which is handy for Thanksgiving for two, but also for busy family dinners anytime.
Cooking turkey breast in your air fryer also frees up your oven and hands. So there's time to make cranberry sauce, classic bread stuffing, ultra creamy mashed potatoes, silky gravy, or a savory green bean casserole and Brussels sprout salad.
This turkey breast entree is perfectly sized for family dinners and smaller holiday meals.
Only five ingredients are needed!
- Turkey breast - These are available as a 3-pound bone-in turkey breast half or 3-pound boneless breast. These are usually sold frozen and need to be entirely thawed for this air fryer method.
- Olive oil - Feel free to use your cooking oil of choice or softened butter.
- Salt and pepper - Sea salt and fresh cracked peppercorns are my go-to.
- Poultry seasoning - I love this for turkey, especially during holidays. You are welcome to customize the seasoning to your liking.
Get the right size turkey breast for your air fryer
- Bone-in breast half (as seen in my photos) is roughly 9 inches by 4 inches. You can see how nicely it fits in my pod-style air fryer. I can cook two breast halves in my larger air fryer oven with nearly 4 inches of clearance from the heating element.
- Boneless turkey breast can be much thicker than the breast half, so know your measurements before your cook date to ensure it clears your air fryer's heating element.
- Whole bone-in turkey breast should be halved in order to fit into most air fryer ovens. This requires cutting it in half, a job for your local butcher. Or you could keep it whole and make oven roasted turkey breast.
How to cook turkey breast in the air fryer
(Recommended) Let the turkey breast rest at room temperature for 20 minutes to remove the chill. This allows the heat to distribute evenly, which results in evenly cooked, juicy turkey.
First, preheat the fryer to 370 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat all sides of the turkey breast with oil and seasonings. Oiling under the skin is optional.
Next, place the piece breast side down if using bone-in, or any side for boneless. Air fry the turkey breast for 20 minutes. Then, use tongs to flip over so it's breast-side-up.
Now, you'll need to air fry your turkey breast for another 10 to 20 minutes for bone-in breast or 40 minutes for boneless breast. It must register a minimum of 160 degrees Fahrenheit at this point on an instant-read thermometer.
Next, transfer the breast out of the air fryer. Loosely cover it and let carryover cooking bring it to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit in about 5 minutes. Look how tender and juicy this turkey breast is!
Serving, storage, and leftovers
Slice the turkey breast against the grain and to your preferred thickness. Serve warm. To store, cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 90 days. Save the leftover bones, make a delicious turkey stock, and turn your turkey meat leftovers into a delightful turkey salad.
Recipe tips
- Always thaw completely before air frying. Do not compromise this because frozen meat won't reach the safe internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the given time frame. This applies to bone-in and boneless turkey breasts.
- Seasonings - Use any herbs you like for this turkey recipe. I kept the recipe super simple for you to customize the flavors if desired.
- Don't overcook - I recommend checking the turkey breast for doneness earlier than the recipe states, especially if it's smaller. Even the best turkey gravy won't reverse overdone protein.
- Cooking boneless turkey breast - A large, boneless turkey breast can take closer to an hour and may require additional flipping to promote an evenly browned surface.
- Flip as needed - The closer the breast sits to the heating element, the more it must be flipped to prevent overcooking.
More air fryer recipes
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
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Note about scaling
When scaling (2x or 3x), the light gray ingredient amount doesn’t scale. Please adjust those accordingly.
Ingredients
- 3 pound Uncooked Turkey Breast Half (Bone-in or Boneless), fully thawed
- 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
Instructions
- (Recommended) Allow TURKEY BREAST to rest at room temperature about 20 minutes to remove the chill for even heat distribution.
- Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove all excess moisture from the turkey breast with paper towels and, if needed, trim loose skin.
- Lightly coat the surface with OLIVE OIL, SALT, PEPPER, and POULTRY SEASONING. It's not necessary to lift the skin to do this.
- Place breast-side down in the fryer basket (if using skin-on breast).
- Air fry the turkey breast for 20 minutes.
- Carefully flip the turkey over and air fry another 10 to 15 minutes, or until it registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit on a quick read thermometer inserted in the thickest part. *see footnote about boneless turkey
- Transfer turkey to a loosely covered dish and rest 5 minutes.
- To serve, slice turkey breast against the grain and serve warm with the best turkey gravy ladled over the top.
Recipe Notes
- Always thaw completely before air frying. Do not compromise this because frozen meat won't reach the safe internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the given time frame. This applies to bone-in and boneless turkey breasts.
- Seasonings - Use any herbs you like for this turkey recipe. I kept the recipe super simple for you to customize the flavors if desired.
- Don't overcook - Check the turkey breast for doneness earlier than the recipe states, especially if it's a smaller size.
- Cooking boneless turkey breast - A large, boneless turkey breast can take closer to an hour and may require additional flipping as needed to promote an evenly browned surface.
- Flip as needed - The closer the breast sits to the heating element, the more it must be flipped to prevent overcooking.
Equipment
- 5.8 quart basket air fryer (Cosori XL) or larger air fryer oven
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
Jeff says
10/10 recommend! It’s almost too good to be true that I can get a bone-in turkey breast on the table this quickly. But it really is true - and so juicy and tender. Thanks for all the tips. I'll be making this for Thanksgiving and beyond!
Traci says
Yesss! I'm with you!! The air fryer is game changer for holiday cooking. So glad you're enjoying the recipe. Thanks for the feedback!
Anjali says
This method is so much easier than making turkey in the oven! Ours turned out perfectly tender - I know I'm going to be making this all season long!
Traci says
!! So glad you're enjoying the recipe. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Sarah says
Who knew you could make turkey breast in the air fryer?! This is such a great time saver and leaves the oven free for the all important stuffing! Any anything that saves time in the rush of Thanksgiving is a good thing 🙂
Traci says
Indeed! I'm glad you're enjoying the recipe. Thanks for the feedback and have a great holiday!
Ann says
This is great portion size for me since I don't have a large crowd to feed in my home. Thanks!
Traci says
Yes!! It's a perfect size for two to four people. Or two people with leftovers. Thanks and enjoy!
Amanda says
What a great way to cook turkey. So economical and great for smaller gatherings too.
Traci says
Exactly! And if you have a larger gathering, you can double or tripe them but still keep the cook time significantly lower than a turkey. Thanks for the feedback!
Shashi says
Wow - the texture on this is incredible! Love that you perfected this recipe in the air fryer!
Traci says
Yay! So glad you're enjoying it. Thanks for the feedback!
Renee says
I am always amazed at how tender and moist meats cooked in an air fryer come out, and this is no exception! This is such an easy, dependable way to prepare turkey breast.
Traci says
Yes! I couldn't agree more! Thanks for the feedback. I really appreciate it!
Mahy says
I can't wait for the holiday, and so glad that season is upon us. This air fryer turkey breast recipe is an absolute must!!
Traci says
Yay!! It's really the easiest turkey you can make for holidays or any day! Enjoy!
JB says
Oh mannn, air fryer turkey breast is the easiest turkey we've ever made! It truly is hassle free. Tiny effort gets big flavor and I'm loving the air fryer even more! Another great recipe KG!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay! So glad you love it as much as I do!
Michelle says
Love how juicy this turkey turns out when using the air fryer!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay! I'm crazy about it too. Thanks!
Jennifer says
This dish turned out so well! I did a test run to make sure it'd be good for Thanksgiving and it was a hit!
The Kitchen Girl says
Perfect! So glad to hear it! Thanks
Sally Humeniuk says
I love how crisp and juicy the turkey breast is. Another reason to get an air fryer!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yes! I couldn't agree more! Thanks
Vanessa says
So in need of more airfryer recipes like this for Christmas - thank you so much!
The Kitchen Girl says
You're so welcome! They're so great for the holidays.
Andrea says
This Turkey is perfectly cooked and juicy. No more heating up the whole house to make a turkey breast.
The Kitchen Girl says
Yes! Air fryer turkey breast is our favorite way to make Thanksgiving turkey now. Thanks!