This Air Fryer Turkey Breast is a simple recipe that takes just 5 minutes to prep! Fresh turkey breast is slathered in a simple yet flavorful blend of seasonings, then air fried until fall-apart tender in the middle and golden-brown on the outside!
Table of Contents
- Ingredients for Air Fryer Turkey Breast:
- How to cook turkey breast in the air fryer
- Turkey breast cooking time
- Should you brine the turkey?
- Can you use frozen turkey?
- What if I don’t have an air fryer?
- What to serve with turkey breast
- How to store
- More air fryer recipes you’ll love
- Air Fryer Turkey Breast Recipe
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Can we just take a moment to appreciate how very versatile turkey is?
It’s the perfect healthy and lean protein for meal planning but it also makes a fabulous main course for a holiday feast.
It can be baked, roasted, fried, grilled, slow-cooked, pressure-cooked, or smoked. It can also be incorporated into so many different comfort food meals: turkey chili mac and cheese, turkey pot pie, air fryer turkey nuggets, turkey noodle soup, and so much more!
Whether you’re enjoying turkey as a healthy, everyday meal or serving it up for the holidays, it’s a guaranteed hit for the whole family!
This air fryer turkey breast recipe is another delicious way to enjoy turkey. It’s seasoned to perfection with a simple blend of spices, then air fried until juicy in the middle and crispy on the outside!
For more quick and easy fall turkey recipes, visit ThinkTurkey.ca.
Ingredients for Air Fryer Turkey Breast:
- Seasoned Salt, Garlic Powder, Dried Parsley, Dried Thyme, Paprika, and Black Pepper: a simple and versatile seasoning blend that gives the turkey just the right amount of flavor.
- Turkey Breast: I use boneless, skin-on turkey breast.
- Oil: you just need a little bit of oil to grease the air fryer basket so the turkey doesn’t stick.
How to cook turkey breast in the air fryer
- Season the turkey: Combine the seasonings and rub over the turkey breast on all sides.
- Air fry: I like to air fry my turkey breast at 350°F for 15-20 minutes per side — this way it doesn’t get too browned on either side.
- Rest and serve: allowing the turkey breast to rest before slicing ensures it stays juicy!
Turkey breast cooking time
You’ll air fry the turkey breast for an initial 20 minutes, flip it, and then air fry for another 15-25 minutes. The total time will depend on your air fryer and the size of the turkey breast you’re using.
The key is to make sure it doesn’t over-cook. Since turkey is lean meat, it tends to dry out more quickly than fattier types of meat. I recommend using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the thickest part of the turkey. Once it reads 165ºF, it’s done cooking!
Should you brine the turkey?
It isn’t necessary, but you can if you want! Soaking the turkey in a brine helps it absorb more moisture and flavor and reduces the risk of it drying out if it overcooks slightly.
This air fryer turkey breast is plenty flavorful on its own, but if you want to brine it, check out my turkey brine recipe!
You will only need a small portion of this brine (about ¼ or 1/3), and I don’t recommend brining longer than 10 hours.
Can you use frozen turkey?
Technically, yes, but I recommend fresh or thawed turkey for the best results. Frozen turkey breast won’t hold the seasonings as well and will take much longer to cook all the way through.
If all you have is frozen turkey, you can thaw it overnight in the fridge or follow these simple steps to thaw it quickly:
- Place the turkey into a large sealable storage bag, then set the bag into a bowl filled with cold water.
- Let the turkey sit in the water until it has fully thawed. Change the water out every 20 minutes so it doesn’t get too warm.
What if I don’t have an air fryer?
Check out my Crockpot Turkey, Sous Vide Turkey Breast & Apple Cider Gravy or Roast Turkey Breast with Cranberry Marinade.
What to serve with turkey breast
Whether you’re cooking for the holidays or simply putting together a healthy and well-balanced meal for the family, this air fryer turkey breast is the perfect entree to serve next to a couple of simple side dishes. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Garlic Herb Instant Pot Potatoes
- Mom’s Homemade Buns
- Honey Glazed Carrots
- Homemade Creamed Corn
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes
How to store
Leftover cooked turkey will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to reheat, first thaw in the fridge if frozen, then warm one of the following ways:
- Oven: Wrap in foil or place into a covered oven-safe baking dish with a couple splashes of poultry broth and bake at 300ºF for 30 minutes.
- Stovetop: Add a little bit of poultry broth to a skillet, top with turkey, and simmer until the turkey is cooked through.
- Microwave: Cut the turkey into smaller pieces and place into a microwave-safe dish with some poultry broth to moisten. Microwave until warmed all the way through.
More air fryer recipes you’ll love
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 boneless, skin on turkey breast (split or one breast, roughly 800 grams)
- oil for bottom of air fryer
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 350°F according to manufacturer directions.
- Combine seasoning salt, garlic powder, parsley, thyme, paprika and pepper. Rub over turkey breast on all sides.
- Open air fryer and brush a small amount of oil on the inside rack of the basket to prevent sticking. Place the turkey breast, skin side down in the air fryer basket.
- Cook at 350°F for 20 minutes, then carefully flip and continue cooking for 15-25 minutes, until the internal temperature in the thickest part reaches minimum 165 degrees F. (If you notice the skin is getting too dark for your liking during the cook time, you can cover with foil to prevent further browning. )
- Remove from the air fryer, cover and let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Sandy K says
Can you do this in a reg oven? I don’t have a air fryer.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Sandy, you could. Here are my instructions on how to make a turkey breast in the oven. https://www.thereciperebel.com/roast-turkey-breast-with-cranberry-marinade/
Ian says
I have never had the courage to use my air fryer as I tend to dessicate what I am cooking on one hand or drown it in too much oil on the other. So I abandoned my air fryer. Your recipe is going to give me courage to try again over Christmas and the New Year. Thank you! Can you make a video of one of your air fryer recipes, please?
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Ian! I will definitely keep that in mind! I do try to include step by step photos when I can but I unfortunately don’t have any air fryer videos yet
Mozelle Blakely says
I’m determined to cook a delicious turkey this year for Thanksgiving. The last few years have been a real disappointment. No one likes a dry and tough turkey on turkey day! I’ve got a good feeling about this one.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks! I hope you enjoyed it!
Lillian says
Can you use butter to rub on a chicken Breast or butter to brush in the air fryer?Also when do you use the rack to bake with? Thank you for your response?
Ashley Fehr says
I would use oil because the air fryer does brown things very quickly and butter can burn. My air fryer is a basket-style, so there is no rack. You would probably want to put the chicken on a rack so it cooks evenly.