Air Fryer Turkey Breast

This recipe for air fryer turkey breast is a great alternative to roasting an entire turkey in the oven. Try this super simple recipe for a tender, flavorful turkey roast in a fraction of the time it usually takes!

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Why you’ll love this recipe

• It’s healthy – with minimal oil and no frying, you can enjoy all the taste without the guilt.
• It’s versatile – serve it as a main dish for Thanksgiving or slice it up for sandwiches and salads throughout the week.
• It’s a time-saver – no more waiting for hours for the oven to preheat or basting every 30 minutes. This turkey breast cooks up in just 30 minutes in the air fryer.

Thanksgiving just got a whole lot easier (and a whole lot more delicious) with our recipe for air fryer turkey breast! Not only is this air fryer turkey breast juicy and flavorful, but it’s also quick and easy to make.

For some other air fryer roasts you can whip up for a holiday feast, try Air Fryer Ham, Air Fryer Roast Pork, Air Fryer Roast Beef, or Air Fryer Rack of Lamb.

Scroll down for the printable card for this air fryer turkey breast recipe, or read on for all the details!

What do you need?

Quantities for all ingredients are given in the recipe card below.

Turkey breast

The recipe below uses a single split boneless turkey breast. You can air fry skin-on or skinless turkey breast, though skin-on is best, as it helps to keep the meat moist, and the crispy skin is delicious.

If you have a big air fryer you could roast the whole bone-in breast, though expect it to take quite a bit longer than the times for the boneless breast in the recipe below. Use an instant read thermometer to check to see when it is done (more details on this below).

You could substitute turkey breast tenderloin or thighs, but again, be sure to check the internal temperature during cooking. The cook time for either of these cuts should be shorter than for a turkey breast, so monitor the temperature and adjust the time as necessary.

Note: this recipe is for cooking fresh (thawed) turkey breast. If you have frozen turkey breast ensure you thaw it in the refrigerator before air frying.

Seasoning

When it comes to seasoning turkey breast I usually keep things simple, and just traditional flavors of rosemary, thyme, garlic and salt.

Use fresh herbs and garlic if you have them, though you can substitute dried herbs and garlic powder if you have it (see the recipe card below for details of substitutions).

You can use any other poultry seasoning that you like. Some other flavors that also work really well with roast turkey are:

• Dried sage and onion powder
• Black pepper and paprika
• Lemon or other citrus
• Italian seasoning

You will need approximately 1 teaspoon of seasoning per lb of turkey breast.

Oil

I normally use light olive oil in my air fryer, but you can substitute any other cooking oil with a high smoke point. Vegetable oil, avocado oil and corn oil are all good options.

How to cook turkey breast in an air fryer

This recipe is very simple to make, there are just a few key steps to getting it just right:

1. Season the turkey breast. Mix the oil, herbs and salt together on a plate. Pat the turkey breast dry with a paper towel, then pres it into the herb-oil mix, turning and pressing again until it is well coated in the oil-herb mix. Preheat air fryer 320°F/ 160°C.
2. Place turkey breast in the air fryer basket skin side down. Make sure it is spread open so that it will cook quickly and evenly.
3. Air fry turkey breast at 320°F/ 160°C for 30 minutes.
4. Flip the turkey breast. Remove the basket from the air fryer, turn the turkey breast over. Return turkey breast to the air fryer to cook for another 20-30 minutes until cooked through. More details on cooking times/ temp in section below.
5. Rest the turkey breast. Remove turkey breast from the air fryer basket to a plate or cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving and serving.

How long to cook turkey in an air fryer

The exact length of time that you will need to cook turkey breast in the air fryer depends on a number of factors including how large and how thick the turkey breast is, and how powerful your air fryer model is.

The only way to be sure that your turkey breast is cooked is by using a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached 165°F/ 74°C in the center of the thickest part.

If the turkey breast needs more cooking time cook for additional 5-10 minute intervals until it has reached the safe temperature.

Serving

Turkey breast is very versatile, and you can serve it in many different styles and with different sides. It is great topped with herb butter and served with a side salad and fries.

For a holiday, I generally serve it as a traditional roast dinner with sides of roasted potatoes, steamed vegetables, and stuffing balls. Here are some options you can serve with it:

• Air fryer roast potatoes – roast them for 15 minutes before cooking the turkey, then pop them back in the air fryer to finish them off for 10 minutes while the turkey is resting.
• Microwave steamed vegetables – start them steaming while the turkey is resting.
• Air fryer stuffing – you can add these around the turkey breast in the air fryer for the last ten minutes of cooking and then let them finish air frying while the turkey breast is resting.

No turkey roast would be complete without gravy! Try this quick and easy recipe for gravy to serve with turkey: How to Make Gravy from Stock.

Storing and reheating

Store any leftover turkey in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, and use within 3 days.

You can reheat the turkey breast in the air fryer, air fry for 3-4 minute intervals until it has reached 165°F/ 74°C in the center of the thickest part.

The exact reheating time will depend on how much turkey breast you have left and whether it is slices or a single piece, so adjust times if needed.