Free: Healthy 5-Ingredient Meals Ebook
Get It Now- Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Air Fry Turkey Breast
- How Long To Cook Turkey Breast In The Air Fryer?
- Storage Instructions
- What To Serve With Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- More Easy Turkey Recipes
- Tools I Use For This Recipe
- Air Fryer Turkey Breast (Juicy & Easy!) Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
Last year I made a Crock Pot turkey breast on repeat, but this fall I wanted something a little quicker. Since I’ve been making a lot of air fryer recipes lately, I decided to try turkey breast in the air fryer — and it’s awesome! This air fryer turkey breast recipe is tender and juicy, just like Instant Pot turkey breast, but with the added bonus of golden, crispy skin. Best of all, it’s easy to make and needs just 5 simple ingredients!
Cooking a turkey breast in an air fryer sure is a great option for a smaller piece of turkey, but if you’re cooking for a bigger crowd, try a whole roasted turkey with herb butter, a crispy skin spatchcock turkey, or for an easier method turkey in a bag instead.
Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- Tender, juicy turkey breast with crispy skin
- Savory flavor with garlic and fresh herbs
- Just 5 simple ingredients (plus salt and pepper)
- Takes only 1 hour, including prep time
- Saves precious oven space
- Faster than a roasted turkey breast
- Perfect for smaller Thanksgiving dinner
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for turkey breast in the air fryer, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Turkey breast – The best air fryer turkey breast is made with bone-in whole turkey breast, which will be the most flavorful. But, boneless turkey breast (which usually has a net around it) will also work. If your turkey breast is frozen, thaw it in a bag submerged in a bowl of cold water or in the fridge overnight.
- Olive Oil – This adds flavor and helps the seasonings stick. You can also use avocado oil.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
- Fresh Herbs – I used fresh rosemary and thyme. Chopped sage leaves would also be delicious! If all you have is dried herbs, you can use those, but use 1 teaspoon of the dried seasonings for each tablespoon of fresh.
- Garlic – We’re using whole cloves, so use fresh garlic. I don’t recommend substituting garlic powder or jarred garlic here.
VARIATION: Try different seasonings!
Add a couple teaspoons of poultry seasoning or Italian seasoning instead of the fresh herbs.
How To Air Fry Turkey Breast
This section shows how to cook turkey breast in the air fryer, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Season. Pat the skin dry with paper towels. Rub all sides of the turkey breast with olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper, rosemary, and thyme. Place the garlic cloves under the skin and on top.
- Cook. Air fry turkey breast skin side down in the preheated air fryer. Flip and cook until the skin is golden and crispy, and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F with an instant read thermometer.
- Rest. Remove the turkey breast from air fryer basket and let it rest before carving. (This ensures that it will stay juicy.) Use a sharp knife to slice and enjoy! I serve mine drizzled with low carb gravy.
How Long To Cook Turkey Breast In The Air Fryer?
As a rule of thumb, air fry turkey breast for about 10-12 minutes per pound for boneless or 11-13 minutes per pound for bone-in. For a 5-pound turkey breast, that is approximately an hour. The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees F.
The best way to check that it’s done is by inserting a probe thermometer before you place the basket in the air fryer. Cooking time will vary depending on the weight and shape of the meat.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftover turkey breast in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: You can reheat turkey in the air fryer or the oven at 350 degrees F. To keep it juicy, add some broth to the bottom of the basket (or baking dish if using the oven).
- Freeze: You can freeze cooked turkey meat for up to 3 months. (Take the meat off the bone before freezing.)
What To Serve With Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Serve up your air fryer turkey breast with your favorite Thanksgiving sides — or other simple side dishes for an easy dinner anytime:
- Potatoes – Mashed potatoes are a classic for holidays, or try mashed cauliflower. You can also try some garlic parmesan fries for a weeknight dinner.
- Green Beans – Green beans almondine is my go-to dish for a quick side that feels special, but you can’t go wrong with oven roasted green beans, either.
- Other Veggies – If you make this turkey as an everyday dinner, pair it with roasted asparagus or sauteed broccoli. If you’re looking for a Thanksgiving veggie side, you can’t go wrong with a stunning creamy spinach recipe.
- Casseroles – For a filling Thanksgiving meal, make a cheesy zucchini casserole or a gluten-free green bean casserole.
- Salad – My favorite salad to serve with turkey recipes is a sweet kale salad, but feel free to pair it with any of my easy salad recipes.
- Thanksgiving Desserts – This meal would be unforgettable with a crustless pumpkin pie!
More Easy Turkey Recipes
If you love this air fryer turkey breast recipe, you might also love some of my other easy turkey recipes:
Tools I Use For This Recipe
- Air Fryer – You can’t make turkey breast in the air fryer without the air fryer. I love this one because it’s large and heats evenly.
- Thermometer – I like to use a probe thermometer, because it’s hands-off and I don’t have to keep checking the temperature (it beeps when ready!). But, this is my favorite regular meat thermometer if that’s your preferred method.
Air Fryer Turkey Breast (Juicy & Easy!)
Make the BEST turkey breast in the air fryer! This air fryer turkey breast recipe (bone-in or boneless) is juicy & tender, with crispy skin.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
-
Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
-
Use paper towels to pat the turkey dry. Rub the olive oil all over the turkey breast. Sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper, rosemary, and thyme.
-
Place the garlic pieces under the turkey skin and on top of the turkey.
-
Place the turkey breast in the air fryer, skin side down. Air fry, flipping halfway through, for about 55-60 minutes for a 5-pound turkey breast. If yours is a different size, cook for 10-12 minutes per pound for boneless turkey breast or 11-13 minutes per pound for bone-in turkey breast. It's done when the skin is golden brown and crispy, and the internal temperature in the thickest part of the meat reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). (I recommend using a probe thermometer for best results.)
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers, or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: ~6-8 oz cooked turkey, or 1/4 of entire recipe
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
35 Comments
Trish
2Fantastic! I buy only bone in breast usually five or 6 lol because EVERYONE loves the breast and when we have leftovers, it’s only dark meat. I actually tried this exact recipe last year and NOTHING I’ve ever cooked in my air fryer smells this heavenly! Thanks for making everyone’s Thanksgiving taste AH-MAZING! We are grateful for you!
Katie
2This is the first time I made a turkey breast in the Air Fryer. It turned out perfect! Thanks for the tips and recipe.
JB
1I cannot wait to try this recipe!!!!!
Heidi
1Hi, I’m a newbie to air fryers and a couple things are unclear to me. Do you preheat the air fryer to 350 on the “air fryer” or “roast” setting? Next question, does the bird go directly on the bottom of the fryer or on the basket-y thing? I can’t wait to try this, it looks so yummy!
Wholesome Yum D
1Hi Heidi, I am not sure what kind of air fryer you have but most require you to set the temperature and preheat before you place the food inside. If you have a basket and the turkey fits in it, I suggest using that so the turkey does not stick to the bottom.
Chandice
1This is a great turkey option especially for Thanksgiving because it frees up the oven for everything else. So juicy and delicious, thank you!
silvia
1This recipe is so easy and stress-free. I like the flavor combination and it’s so much faster than baking the whole bird!
Leslie Sawmiller
1This is on my Thanksgiving menu for this year!
Katie
1I love how quick this is! And the turkey turns out great and juicy every time!
Heather
1Perfect for when you don’t want to deal with a whole turkey and still want to enjoy the amazing flavours that the air fryer creates.
Amy
1So crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. So much flavor too. The airfryer just locks in the flavor.
Cathleen
1I had no idea that you could make turkey breast in the air fryer!! I know that this will be a staple over the holidays, thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
Colleen
1This is my new favorite way to cook a turkey breast. So juicy and we loved the crispy skin!
Patti
1This recipe is genius. I love the brown and crispy skin. Do you think this would also work for turkey thighs?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Patti, Yes, turkey thighs would work great!
Colleen
1The only way I will make turkey breast from now on! So moist and delicious!
Julia
1It never occured to me to cook turkey breast in my air fryer but the result is absolutely amazing! Another use for my beloved air fryer! Thank you!
Natalie
1The air fryer makes the best turkey!! I won’t make it any other way! The seasonings are perfect!
Kristyn
1Yum!! I am excited to make our turkey in the air fryer this year. It’s the easiest & turns out so good!
Toni
1I love how crispy it is!! So good and really flavorful!
Erin
1This turkey was so juicy and perfect, thank you! We all loved it.
Diane
1Cooked to perfection. I will only make it this way from now on!
Claire
0This air fryer turkey is so good! Juicy, tasty, and easy to make. I’m definitely keeping the recipe, thanks!
Krista
0Tried this air fryer turkey breast and seriously, it’s like Thanksgiving came early! Already planning to impress the family with this at the holiday table.
Denise
0The meat turned out juicy and tender, and the skin was really crispy. Love this!
Emily
0I made this for my work Thankgving potluck and it was a hit! It was nice not cooking a whole turkey or having a lot of cleanup like a do with the oven. I’ll be making this for my family soon, too!
Bea
0I just got an air fryer myself, and this was the first recipe I tried. So happy it came out perfectly! My family were impressed so I’m gonna make another one in our family gathering! Thinking of serving it with some mashed potatoes and salad.
Abby Johnson
0If using a boneless breast, will that alter the cooking time?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Abby, Yes, you would cook for less time if it is boneless.
Karl
1For bone in breast do you use air fry or roast setting? Emeril Legasse fryer
Wholesome Yum D
1Hi Karl, I use the air fryer setting.
Liz
0Love that you can make this in the air fryer!
Jessica
0So easy and delicious – really loved all the garlic and that it calls for fresh herbs.
Marta
0I love all the ways I can use my air fryer. This will make cooking less turkey this Thanksgiving a breeze. Thanks for sharing!
Maria
0It looks delicious. I’ll try it next Sunday. Thanks for sharing.