Air Fryer Turkey Breast comes out so moist and juicy and perfectly cooked with a beautiful deep golden brown skin. And bonus, it cooks in a fraction of the time it would in the oven!
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
I typically make this Dry Brine Turkey when I host a large Thanksgiving, but when I want to make a smaller turkey breast for any night of the week, I love how easy this air fryer turkey breast recipe is. I’ve been making my turkey breast in the air fryer a few years, it’s the fastest and easiest way to make it! When I want a turkey breast with gravy, I also love making this easy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy. Serve this with homemade stuffing or Baked Sweet Potatoes and my go-to Cranberry Sauce for a complete turkey dinner!
I love my air fryer, and have been sharing tons of air fryer recipes with you for quite some time. You may even know I even came out with the Skinnytaste Air Fryer Cookbook (affil link) this past May!
A friend recently asked if you can make turkey breast in the air fryer, so of course I ran out to the store, and looked for a small enough breast that would fit in the basket. It wasn’t hard to find, this was made with a 4 pound bone-in breast which was pretty average in size.
Tips:
- Depending on the size of your air fryer, a 4 to 5 pound breast should fit fine in a 5 quart or larger air fryer. Just be sure the height of the meat is below the top of basket before you start.
- Time will vary depending on the size of your breast, to be sure it’s cooked perfect I recommend using an Instant read thermometer to test the internal temperature.
- If your breast is frozen, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
How To Carve a Turkey Breast
- Allow the cooked breast to rest on a carving board for at least 15 minutes under foil loosely tented to allow the juices to redistribute.
- With a large sharp knife, run the knife along side of the breast bone using long even strokes. Â If you are using a serrated knife use a sawing motion.
- Follow the bone all the way toward the bottom of the board.
- Bring your knife around to the front and connect where you started carving at the top of the breast bone.
- Cut down the ribs. Follow it around and down to the bottom to connect to the bottom of the first breast bone cut.
- Pull the meat away from the bone and slice. Repeat the same on the other side.
How To Make a Turkey Breast in the Air Fryer
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer
- Asian Chicken Thighs Air Fryer version
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
- Chicken Chimichangas in the Air Fryer
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 4 pound turkey breast on the bone with skin (ribs removed)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher
- 1/2 tablespoon dry turkey or poultry seasoning I used Bell’s which has not salt
Instructions
- Rub 1/2 tablespoon of oil all over the turkey breast. Season both sides with salt and turkey seasoning then rub in the remaining half tablespoon of oil over the skin side.
- Preheat the air fryer 350F and cook skin side down 20 minutes, turn over and cook until the internal temperature is 160F using an instant-read thermometer about 30 to 40 minutes more depending on the size of your breast. Let is rest 10 minutes before carving.
SO Yummy!! Â Will make many, many more times!
Hi
If the turkey is not brined, do you recommend brining it ahead of time?
Had 2 lb boneless, skin on. Â Air fryer for 20 minutes skin down, then 10 minutes until 160 F internal temp.
Very juicy, great flavor! Â Easy, would make again!
Thanks for this. I have a 2.5 boneless to cook!
Fabulous!Â
Pardon my ignorance, but the recipe I see lists 2 tsp kosher. May I assume this is referring to kosher salt? I enjoy your recipes very much.
Really simple and so delicious. I had one piece and had to have another. Just awesome taste and texture.
This is the best turkey breast recipe I have ever had and made. It is absolutely delicious!!! I highly recommend it.
This was OUTRAGEOUSLY good. I didn’t have poultry seasoning, so I used salt, coarse-ground pepper, and Old Bay. For those of you asking about the 3-lb Butterball breast roasts, that is what I used. I took the cook temp up to 375 and did 40 minutes on each side. It got golden and crispy (that skin…WOW) on the outside, and the inside was sooooo moist. This was easily the best turkey I’ve ever had.  The Old Bay was a really good move. I’ll try other seasonings in the future. Definitely making turkey more often from now on.  This is a great way to do it.Â
I made a 3# breast turkey in the air fryer 20 and 25 minutes, it came out a little dry, next time I will do it in less time each side, before I made a bigger size and it came very moist, which I liked it, and also I made a whole turkey in the toaster oven and I follow somebody’s instructions to make a crispy turkey at 450* fir the first 30 minutes and also came very dry, I don’t advice to do it.
Gena, I have a 3 # Butterball breast. Did you cook yours 40 minutes total, or did you really cook it 40 minutes on each side? Seems like 80 minutes would overcook it?!
Made this for Thanksgiving. 5.29 lbs. Completely thawed. Came out beautifully! Prettiest one I’ve ever cooked. HOWEVER, it was very tough. Followed the directions exactly. Had the same problems with some large chicken wings I cooked a few weeks ago. I will save my air fryer for simple things from now on!
Thanks! I was given a small turkey this year. I hadn’t planned on cooking and didn’t want to even with a turkey. Then I thought, hmmm air-fryer. It came out great. I’m still shocked at how moist it is.
Thank goodness I’m not at my mom’s. She prefers dry turkey. Lol I like it moist. This article really helped.
I also have a breville smart oven and am wondering the same thing. I’m thinking of putting it in a shallow pan to get the juices for gravy and not mess up the oven.
Can I use this method in a normal oven?Â
I bought a 7 3/4 pound turkey breast? I checked it out to see if it would fit in my NUWAVE AIR FRYER and it fits snug. Should I use the air fryer or should I cook it in conventional oven?
I bought a 6 lb and wonder if it’s too big? I have your air fryer.
Hi Gina………………. What brand of air fryer do you use? I want one but have no idea which one to buy!
Thank you!
I have the Skinnytaste Air Fryer by Vremi, it’s available on Amazon. 🙂
I have a mini air fryer which, for on or two people is incredible! Â I cooked a 1.5 lb breast and it was wonderful. Â
Going to make this today. Two quick questions:
Why are the blue SP lower than green or purple?Â
If I only eat the meat, no skin, would it be 0 SP on the purple plan?
I was looking for a low sodium method to cook turkey breast in my air fryer
I do not have an air fryer, but my toaster oven has a convection bake setting (which from what I read is the same heating mechanism as an air fryer). Would instructions need to be altered for using the toaster oven?
Not sure?
I know the process would be the same. My concern would be the size of your toaster oven. Since it’s small, you’ll need to watch it carefully. Seems like the toaster oven can burn the tops of items faster than the air fryer. I think it has to do with the location and intensity of the heating element.
I have a 3 pound butterball boneless breast, how long should I air fryer it for and do I leave the webbing on like some other sites suggest?
This was the best turkey ever. I did however brine the turkey for two hours before cooking. Thanks!
How did you brine yours?
By far the best thing to come out of my Ninja Foodi