Air Fryer Turkey Breast
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Cooking a juicy, flavorful boneless turkey breast has never been easier thanks to the air fryer! This Air Fryer Turkey Breast recipe delivers tender, juicy meat in under an hour! It’s the perfect option for a smaller Thanksgiving dinner, or an easy weeknight meal packed with flavor from the delicious herb rub.
Why you’ll love this turkey recipe
There’s not much an air fryer can’t do. It can make perfect baked potatoes, cook a juicy, tender steak, and make a moist turkey breast, with a crisp, flavorful herb crust. The later is my newest obsession. I love it, and for these reasons, I know you will too.
- It’s moist and juicy. I know I’ve already mentioned this 3 times, but it’s the most important part of cooking a turkey. No one wants a dry turkey! And if you follow my recipe and tips, you’ll be sure to end up with perfectly juicy turkey in your air fryer every time!
- It’s so flavorful. Using a simple herb rub on the outside adds so much flavor to this turkey breast recipe!
- It’s fast and foolproof! No need to babysit the oven. The air fryer cooks a whole turkey breast evenly and quickly, making it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or small holiday meal.
- You’ll get perfect portions with minimal cleanup! It’s ideal for smaller gatherings or meal prep, and cleanup is a breeze compared to roasting a full turkey.
Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for this air fryer turkey breast recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Boneless turkey breast – if you’re buying a frozen, packaged boneless turkey breast, you’ll usually find 2 turkey breasts in the package, bound together with netting. These packaged turkey breasts usually vary from 3-5 pounds in size. Turkey breast roasts can also be used in this recipe and these will also range from 3-5 pounds in size. The turkey breast used in this recipe is 3 pounds. During the month of November, these are quite easy to find at most grocery stores both fresh and frozen. During the rest of the year, you’ll find these frozen at most major grocery stores.
- Olive oil
- Herbs and spices – I used my poultry seasoning as a rub on the outside of the turkey breast. It’s a delicious combination of rosemary, thyme, marjoram, sage, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. This gives the turkey breast a wonderfully flavorful crust on the outside.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Season the turkey breast. If it’s wrapped in netting, I actually recommend leaving the netting on so that the turkey pieces stay together. If you’re worried about the netting taking off too much of the rub on the outside of the turkey after it’s cooked, you can remove the netting and use a couple pieces of butchers twine to tie it together. This way it’s easy to season, lift and flip, without falling apart. Next, combine olive oil with the herbs and spices. Rub it generously on all sides of the turkey breast. This is key to getting a really delicious, flavorful crust.
- Air fry the turkey breast. Place the seasoned turkey breast in a preheated air fryer and cook at 350°F for 20 minutes. Open the air fryer, flip the turkey breast and cook for an additional 20 minutes. After this time, check the internal temperature, using a meat thermometer, in the thickest part of the breast. You’ll want to remove the turkey breast when it reaches 160°F. The internal temperature will continue to rise 5 degrees as the turkey rests. For the 3 pound turkey breast pictured in this post, I had to go an extra 15 minutes to reach this desired temperature. After the initial 40 minute cook time, I recommend air frying the turkey in 5 minute intervals until it reaches the desired temperature.
Recipe notes
- I have tested this recipe with a bone-in turkey breast. Unfortunately it wouldn’t fit in my 6 quart air fryer. I ended up removing the bone between the breasts and I was able to flatten it enough to get it in there, but in my opinion it was more work than it’s worth. I would stick with a boneless turkey breast to keep this recipe super simple.
- Leaving the skin on, or taking it off, is up to you. If you’re not a fan of the skin, you’ll need to remove the turkey breast from any netting, then use a sharp knife to remove and discard the skin. Next you’ll tie up the turkey breast with kitchen twine, then rub it with the olive oil and seasoning. If you like crispy skin, then this is the perfect recipe for you because the skin gets super crispy in the air fryer!
- When planning how much turkey you’ll need for a meal, plan for a half pound of turkey per guest.
- You should not air fry a frozen turkey breast. The turkey breast should be fully defrosted before making this recipe. I recommend defrosting a turkey breast for 48 hours in the fridge before making this recipe. If you need a quicker method, you can use the defrost function on your microwave.
What to serve with it
This air fryer turkey breast is delicious paired with mushroom gravy or cranberry sauce and any of these simple, scrumptious side dishes!
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Make perfectly juicy, crispy-skinned turkey in under an hour with this Air Fryer Turkey Breast recipe, ideal for small holiday meals, easy weeknight dinners, or meal-prepping!
Ingredients
- 3 pound boneless turkey breast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- ½ tablespoon dried marjoram, or oregano
- ½ tablespoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat an air fryer to 350°F.
- Combine the olive oil and seasonings in a small bowl.
- Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels, then rub the seasoning mixture on all sides of the turkey breast. Place it in the air fryer basket, skin side down. Cook at 350°F for 20 minutes.
- Open the air fryer and flip the turkey breast. Cook for an additional 20 minutes, then check the internal temperature using an instant-read thermometer.
- Pull the turkey breast out when it reaches between 160-163°F. The internal temp will continue to rise as it rests. If this temperature is not achieved after the initial 40 minute cook time, continue to cook in 5 minute intervals until it reaches the desired internal temperature.
- Remove from turkey breast from the air fryer and place it on a cutting board. Rest for 5-10 minutes, then use scissors to remove the netting or butchers twine. Slice and serve.
Notes
- I recommend leaving the netting on the turkey breast, so that it stays together. Most turkey breasts purchased at the store are “roasts” which are made up of multiple pieces of turkey breasts pressed together, or it’s two breasts netted together. If you prefer to remove the netting, I still recommend using a couple pieces of kitchen twine to tie the breast up so that it cooks uniformly and doesn’t fall apart when you flip it.
- Store turkey leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. My favorite way to reheat the turkey is in the oven, wrapped in foil, at 350°F for 15 minutes. This will heat it up, and keep it juicy and tender. You can also reheat slices in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 276kcal (14%)Carbohydrates 1gProtein 49g (98%)Fat 9g (14%)Saturated Fat 1g (5%)Polyunsaturated Fat 2gMonounsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 122mg (41%)Sodium 856mg (36%)Potassium 567mg (16%)Fiber 1g (4%)Sugar 0.2gVitamin A 106mg (2%)Vitamin C 1mg (1%)Calcium 57mg (6%)Iron 2mg (11%)
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