Air Fryer Turkey Breast is incredibly moist, juicy and so easy to make! This Turkey dinner is perfect for both busy midweek meals and holiday celebrations.
Suitable for gluten free, low carb, keto and paleo diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.
Air fryer turkey breast is about to become your new favorite air fryer recipe. Just in time for the holidays, I have discovered that making turkey breast in air fryer is more affordable, quicker, and easier than using the traditional oven method. Follow this simple 4 ingredient recipe for a delicious meal everyone will love.
4 simple ingredients are all that’s needed for making moist, juicy and tender,and totally delectable crispy skin bone-in or boneless turkey breast in air fryer. And it’ll be done in far less time than roasting turkey in the oven.
So, if you’re in the mood for roasted turkey, with juicy meat but don’t want an all-day cooking affair, simply pop a turkey breast in the air fryer and you’ll be carving in no time. You can also make an Instant Pot Turkey Breast with gravy version.
Best of all, boneless turkey breast in air fryer isn’t just for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It’s simple enough that you can make this tasty recipe anytime of the year. Plus it’s perfect for smaller gatherings.
Cooking for just 2 or 3 people? You will not only save time, but you can save energy by using the air fryer instead of firing up your oven.
It’s Fast – Turkey breast tenderloin air fryer will be ready to serve in about an hour! Great cook time.
Saves Space – When preparing Thanksgiving or Christmas meals, cooking a turkey in air fryer will free up that precious oven space for all your other dishes.
Ideal for Meal Prep – Make this as part of your weekly prep to use in sandwiches, wraps, salads, stews and soups, casseroles, and pasta dishes.
Turkey Breast – Look for raw turkey breast. This recipe shows you how to air fry both boneless breast with the skin on and bone-in breast. Using bone in breast will yield less meat per pound.
Oil – Use your favorite olive oil or other oil as this helps crisp up the skin. Butter can work too.
Seasoning – Season the turkey with your favorite dry rub or seasoning blend and salt and pepper. Keep an eye on the amount of salt you add if your dry rub contains salt.
Ready to learn just how easy it is to air fry turkey breast? Gather up your ingredients and I will show you…..
Handy Tip: Use Good Kitchen Tools!
For the best tools to help make your recipe even easier and more successful, check out my collection of the Best Air Fryer Tools on Amazon.
How To Cook A Turkey Breast In An Air Fryer
Don’t forget to check out my best air fryer tips to get better results with every recipe.
Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.Â
Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C.
Rub oil all over the turkey breast, followed by the dry rub and kosher salt.
Place turkey skin side down inside the air fryer basket and cook for 25 minutes.
Flip the turkey so the skin side is facing up, cover with foil, and cook until the internal temperature of the turkey reads 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C with a digital meat thermometer, about 35-45 minutes, depending on the thickness of turkey breast).
If preferred, remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking to brown the exterior.
Place your air fryer turkey breast on a cutting board and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Note: Always check for doneness with a meat thermometer. The temperature should be 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C when inserted into the thickest part of the turkey.
Top Pick Accessory
Photo Credit:
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How To Cook Bone In Turkey Breast In The Air Fryer
This recipe is for a 4 pound bone-in turkey breast. Be sure to check the size of your air fryer to be sure it will fit before purchasing.
Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C.
Rub oil all over turkey breast, followed by the dry rub and kosher salt.
Place turkey skin side down inside the air fryer basket and cook for 25 minutes.
Flip the turkey skin side up, cover with foil, and cook for 25-35 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.
Rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing.
Air Fryer Turkey Breast Expert Tips
To reduce calories, remove the turkey skin before you air fry it.
The size of the turkey breast you can cook depends on the size of your air fryer basket. Larger baskets will take more pounds of turkey breasts.
If using frozen turkey breast, make sure it is completely defrosted (and totally dry) before cooking.
Make sure the meat is completely dry before rubbing on the oil and seasoning. Pat dry with paper towels.
For maximum flavor make sure the entire turkey breast is coated in the dry rub.
And when cooking meat, always check the internal temperature using an instant read thermometer to ensure it has reached a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.
You don’t need to cover with foil, but the turkey breast may turn out really crispy without it. So if you happen to prefer a crispy finish, go ahead and skip the foil.
Air fryer temperatures can vary depending on the make and model, so it is important to always check your food for doneness with a thermometer.
Delicious Variations on Turkey Breast Air Fryer
This air fryer turkey in the air fryer recipe is delicious as is, but you can easily change up the flavors to suit your taste. The easiest way?
Swap the Dry Rub – Both homemade rubs or store-bought versions work, so have fun experimenting with different blends. Thyme, sage, and rosemary are commonly used with poultry, along with garlic powder and paprika. Other flavorful options include Tuscan Seasoning and Fajita Seasoning.
Use Mayonnaise – Mayo can be used instead of oil and adds a lot of flavor. You could also use butter instead of oil.
Add Heat –  Crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, chipotle and black pepper all add a touch of heat. Bear in mind that your dry rub might already have some spice so adjust accordingly to your preferences.
Prep And Storage
This Air Fryer Turkey Recipe was practically made for meal prep and prepping ahead.Â
Prep Ahead – The turkey can be cooked several days in advance and used when needed.Â
Store – Store your air fryer boneless turkey breast in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.Â
Freeze – You can freeze cooked turkey. Follow the handy tips below on how to freeze this. Transfer cooked turkey breast into convenient Ziploc freezer bags. Squeeze out all the extra air and seal the bags. Label the bags and then store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To make defrosting and reheating easier, freeze in the right portion sizes that you need for the future.
Turkey Breast in Air Fryer FAQs
How Much Boneless Turkey Breast Per Person?
When cooking boneless turkey breast in air fryer, plan on 1/2 to 3/4 pound of turkey breast per person. Buying a bone-in turkey breast instead? Then allow for 1 1/4 pound turkey breast per person.
How Long To Cook Turkey Breast In Air Fryer?
The length of time needed to cook a turkey in air fryer depends on the thickness of the turkey breast. This recipe calls for 25 minutes with the skin side down, and about 45 minutes skin side up and tented with foil.
If you are cooking a thinner turkey breast, it will take less time. And if the turkey breast is thicker or squashed up will take a little longer. I’ve found that the key to making sure you get perfectly-cooked, juicy turkey is not so much the time, but rather the temperature of the meat.
How Much Turkey Breast Do You Need Per Person?
This depends on the type of breast you get and what other things you are serving with the meat. And how generous you want to be with seconds especially when celebrating festive occasions like Christmas and Thanksgiving.
if it is bone-in turkey breast I would aim for about 1 1/4 pound of meat per person (uncooked), and for boneless breast, I would aim for about a half a pound of meat per person (uncooked).
If you like your leftover Thanksgiving sandwiches and soups, then bump it up to 1 1/2 pounds uncooked meat per person.
How To Slice Carve Your Turkey
After all that Air Frying then comes the carving before you tuck right in. And the great thing is that learning how to crave a turkey breast is a skill that can be used on any poultry for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or your weeknight dinners and Sunday lunches.
Firstly, let the cooked meat rest on a carving board or serving platter, breast side up for at least 15 minutes before slicing, loosely tented under foil so as to allow all those juices to redistribute and keep your meat juicy.
Make sure to select a very sharp chefs knife or serrated knife. If using the chef knife cut with good even strokes and if using a serrated knife then do so in a sawing motion.
Run knife alongside the breast bone, slice (or saw) downward and as close to the breast bone as possible to try and get as much meat of the bone as possible.
Then move the knife around to the front of the bird to the ribs connecting to where you started your carving at right at the top of the breast bone and cut down along the ribs. Pull away as much meat as you can (in a chunk if possible) and repeat on the other side.
Then cut the turkey breast meat into slices before serving. Feel free to use a craving fork or some tongs to hold it in place whilst carving.
How to Cook Turkey Breast in Oven?
To cook turkey breast in oven, follow these steps:
First, preheat oven to 325 degrees F / 175 degrees C. Then place turkey breast in a roasting pan and cover with oil, followed by the dry rub and salt.
Put the roasting pan in oven on the bottom rack and cook for approximately 1 1/2 – 2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the turkey breast reaches 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C. Remove your turkey breast from the oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.
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Serve Air Fryer Turkey Breast With:
Weight Watchers Points
There are 9 Blue Plan SmartPoints Points in one serving of Air Fryer Turkey Breast with the skin on. But if you remove the skin, there is just 1 Blue Plan SmartPoint in a serving.
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Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Cooking turkey breast in air fryer is affordble, quick and so easy!
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Western
Servings: 8
Calories: 410kcal
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C.
Rub oil all over turkey breast, followed by the dry rub and salt.
Place turkey skin side down inside the air fryer basket and cook for 25 minutes.
Then turn over so skin side is facing up, cover with foil, and cook till the internal temperature of the turkey reads 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C (will take about 35-45 minutes, depending on thickness of turkey breast).
If preferred, remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking to brown the exterior.
Remove your air fryer turkey breast and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.
Turkey Breast In The Oven
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F / 175 degrees C.
Place turkey breast in a roasting pan and cover with oil, followed by the dry rub and salt.
Place roasting pan in oven on the bottom rack and cook for approximately 1 1/2 – 2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the turkey breast reaches 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.
Remove your turkey breast from the oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.
To reduce calories, remove the turkey skin before you air fry it.
The size of the turkey breast you can cook depends on the size of your air fryer basket. Larger baskets will take more pounds of turkey breast.
If using frozen turkey breast, make sure it is completely defrosted (and totally dry) before cooking.
Make sure the meat is completely dry before rubbing on the oil and seasoning. Pat dry with paper towels.
For maximum flavor make sure the entire turkey breast is coated in the dry rub.
And when cooking meat, always check the internal temperature using an instant read thermometer to ensure it has reached a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.
You don’t need to cover with foil, but the turkey breast may turn out really crispy without it. So if you happen to prefer a crispy finish, go ahead and skip the foil.
Air fryer temperatures can vary depending on the make and model, so it is important to always check your food for doneness with a thermometer.
Storage – keep in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to 5 days.
There are 9 WW Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of Air Fryer Turkey Breast with the skin on. But if you remove the skin, there is just 1 WW Blue Plan SmartPoint in a serving.
