This Air Fryer Turkey Breast recipe will save you tons of time in the kitchen on Thanksgiving! Learn how to cook a perfectly golden turkey for your family minus the oven with less money and effort than ever. Naturally gluten-free, keto, dairy-free, paleo and Whole30 compliant.
PIN HERE for later and follow my boards for more recipe ideas
Updated October 2021
Easy Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Having a smaller gathering this year and need a scaled down and easy alternative to our Whole Thanksgiving turkey for the holidays? Sometimes, roasting a whole turkey can be a little too much, especially if you can’t go home for the holidays or have a small family. With this easy Air Fryer Turkey Breast, you’ll never have to worry about having too many leftovers again. Plus, you’ll make the best-tasting roasted turkey you’ve ever had!
The turkey only takes about 30 minutes to cook up in your air fryer. If you’ve been looking for an alternative to the classic Thanksgiving turkey recipe, you’ve found the perfect one! And it makes a healthy and delicious main dish all year long.
Looking for an alternative to turkey this year? Try my Instant Pot Ham, Slow Cooker Ham, Honey Mustard Ham or Instant Pot Pot Roast.
Recipe Ingredients
Served with roasted veggies on the side, a bone-in turkey breast and a few savory spices, this turkey recipe has it all. Here’s what you’ll need to make a juicy and flavorful turkey breast:
- Skin-On Turkey Breast: Remove the ribs and pat your bone-in turkey breast dry. It should weigh about 3-4 pounds.
- Vegan Butter: You could also use butter-flavored coconut oil, ghee or butter if you’re not dairy-free.
- Kosher salt: or fine grain sea salt
- Black Pepper: you’ll need 1/4 teaspoon, or to taste.
- Dried Spices: we used thyme, rosemary and sage.
- Fresh rosemary: you can sub with fresh thyme, for garnish
- Roasted vegetables: use your favorites, for serving
How to Make Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Your Air Fryer really does all the work for this recipe, with a little help from the oven. All you have to do is give your turkey a spice rub and then wait for it to finish cooking! Be sure to follow the step-step instructions and watch the video!
- Preheat air fryer: If your air fryer requires preheating, preheat the air fryer to 350F.
- Pat: Use a paper towel to pat the turkey dry.
- Make the butter compound and brush on turkey: In a small bowl, combine the seasonings with the melted butter. Brush the butter mixture generously on the turkey, making sure to coat the turkey on all sides.
- Add the turkey to air fryer: Place the turkey in the air fryer basket, skin side down.
- Cook: Roast for 25 minutes.
- Flip the turkey: Open the basket then use tongs to turn the turkey over to the other side. Cook until the internal temperature is 165 degrees (using an instant-read / meat thermometer), about 30-40 minutes (depending on the size of your turkey and air fryer brand).
- Let Cool: Allow the turkey to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh herbs and roasted vegetables.
How Long to Cook the Turkey
You should cook your turkey breast for about 9 minutes per pound of meat. If your turkey weighs 3 pounds, your cook time should be 27 minutes, and if it’s closer to 4 pounds, you’ll want to cook it for about 36 minutes.
It’s better to underestimate the cook time, as you can always cook your turkey more if you need to. Its internal temperature should register at 165°F once it’s removed from the pressure cooker.
Tips for Success
- Don’t Use Frozen Turkey: The fresher your turkey breast is, the better it will end up tasting. You can still make some insanely yummy turkey with a frozen breast, but you have to let it thaw out first.
- Watch Carefully: The crispy, golden-brown skin is probably my favorite part of the turkey. Keep a close eye on your bird near the end to avoid burning the skin.
- Flip the turkey: If you want that crispy skin to cover every inch of your turkey, you just have to flip the turkey halfway through. Use tongs to avoid burning yourself.
- Remove Gravy Packet From Turkey: Sometimes, turkey breasts come with a plastic packet of gravy inside. Check for this and remove it before you cook your turkey – you don’t want to ingest any plastic!
Serving Suggestions
The great thing about making a smaller turkey dinner for two or four is that you can serve it with any of your favorite Thanksgiving recipes and Thanksgiving sides here:
- Make Gravy: You can make a super tasty gravy with the leftover liquid. Just measure out 2 cups through a sieve, whisk them with well 2 tbsp of corn starch and 1/4 cup of water, and you’ll have an amazing homemade gravy for your turkey.
- Serve with Squash: This easy Air Fryer Butternut Squash is a delicious side dish for Thanksgiving or any other time of year.
- Make Turkey Sandwiches with leftover turkey: If you have leftovers or simply want to change up the way you serve your turkey, add a few slices into your favorite sandwich.
- Serve with Mashed Potatoes: You could make a basic mashed potatoes recipe, or you could try my creamy Sweet Potato Mash! It tastes like heaven and makes a beautiful addition to any dinner table.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Tightly wrap your turkey breast in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the fridge. It’ll stay fresh for about 3 days. You can reheat your turkey in the oven if you cover it with foil and in the microwave if you cut it into slices.
Can You Freeze Turkey Breast?
To store your leftovers in the freezer, place the tightly wrapped turkey into a freezer-safe bag. Make sure all the air is squeezed out of the bag when you store it. Before you reheat your turkey, you’ll need to let it thaw out completely in the fridge. Frozen turkey will last for 2-3 months!
Other Air Fryer Recipes to Try
More turkey recipes you’ll love:
This Air Fryer Turkey Breast recipe will save you tons of time in the kitchen on Thanksgiving! Learn how to cook a perfectly golden turkey for your family minus the oven with less money and effort than ever. Naturally gluten-free, keto, dairy-free, paleo and Whole30 compliant.
- 1 3-4 lbs bone-in turkey breast with skin , ribs removed
- 2 tbsp vegan butter , ghee or butter (if not dairy-free), melted
- 1 tsp kosher salt , or fine grain sea salt
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried rosemary
- ½ tsp dried sage
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Fresh rosemary or thyme . for garnish
- Roasted vegetables . for serving
If your air fryer requires preheating, preheat the air fryer to 350F.
Use a paper towel to pat the turkey dry.
In a small bowl, combine the seasonings with the melted butter.
Brush the butter mixture generously on the turkey, making sure to coat the turkey on all sides.
- Place the turkey in the air fryer basket, skin side down. Cook for 25 minutes.
- Open the basket then use tongs to turn the turkey over to the other side. Cook until the internal temperature is 165 degrees (using an instant-read / meat thermometer), about 30-40 minutes (depending on the size of your turkey and air fryer brand).
Allow the turkey to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Garnish with fresh herbs and roasted vegetables.
Leave a Comment