Air fryer turkey breast comes out tender, juicy, and succulent in less than an hour. A split turkey breast is just the right size for most air fryers and smaller gatherings, and it's a quick and easy way to ensure a golden, crispy skin.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Turkey breast in air fryer produces a delicious, juicy split turkey breast without having to heat up the conventional oven, in less than an hour! Now you can enjoy 'roasted' air fryer turkey breast at more than Holidays!
One of the best things about this turkey air fryer method is that it frees up premium oven space during Holiday meal preparations. It also lets you prepare extra tender, juicy white meat!
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- What Is A Split Turkey Breast?
- How to Air Fry Turkey Breast
- How To Carve A Split Turkey Breast
- Serving Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- Additional Sides To Serve With Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- Related Recipes
- Substitutions
- Variations
- Equipment
- Storage
- Tips for Success
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Food Safety
- Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
- 📖 Recipe
- Connect with Smells Like Delish!
Ingredients
Look for a split turkey breast 3 to 4 lbs, it should fit in most family air fryer baskets.
- Split Turkey breast - Look for about 3 to 4 lb split turkey breast. That will easily fit in most air fryer baskets.
- Olive oil - Brush the split turkey breast with olive oil so the skin roasts up beautifully.
- Sage - Fresh whole leaves.
- Rosemary - Fresh sprigs of rosemary.
- Thyme - Fresh sprigs.
- Salt
- Pepper
PRO TIP: Many grocery product departments have small packages of roasting herb blends. The selection includes Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme, and are perfect for this turkey air fryer recipe.
You can also use our Smoked Turkey Rub seasoning!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
What Is A Split Turkey Breast?
A split turkey breast is a half portion of a full size turkey breast. It has been vertically split down the center of the breast bone. It lays flat in the air fryer basket and roasts up evenly, with even better crispy skin than your conventional oven.
An average split turkey breast weighs in between 3 and 4 lbs, and feeds 4 to 8 people easily.
How to Air Fry Turkey Breast
Brush olive oil or butter on the skin side of the split turkey breast. Season with your favorite herbs and spices and roast it in the air fryer. In about one hour, you'll have a tender, juicy air fryer turkey breast that's perfect for a smaller family gathering.
Air fry time will vary slightly due to size of turkey breast and size of air fryer. Use a ThermoPro or instant read thermometer to check when it's time to take the split turkey breast out of the air fryer.
Remove when the thickest part of the turkey breast reaches 160 F, as it will continue to cook while it is resting.
Season the Split Turkey Breast
- Brush a light coating of olive oil or melted butter on the split turkey breast. Lift the skin up and lightly coat underneath also.
- Season with sea salt and cracked pepper or other seasonings. Add minced sage or herbs and set the split turkey breast in the air fryer basket skin side up.
Air Fry Turkey Breast
- Cook at 370 F for 20 minutes. Then, flip the split turkey breast and cook another 20 minutes.
- Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. When it registers 140 F, flip it once more, so it's skin side up again. Cook another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 F.
PRO TIP: Using a ThermoPro thermometer takes the guess work out of knowing when your split turkey breast is done. The split turkey breast will continue to cook for a few minutes after removed. By removing at 160 F, you will not overcook or dry out the turkey breast.
Rest and Carve
- Transfer the air fryer turkey breast out of the air fryer basket onto a platter. Cover with aluminum foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.
How To Carve A Split Turkey Breast
Tackling a half turkey breast is much less awkward than a three dimensional full turkey breast. Take care though, as it's both hot and slippery work.
- Place the cooked split turkey breast on a large cutting board that won’t slide around as you work.
- Find the breast bone side of the split turkey breast. It will be the thicker side.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully cut from one end of the turkey breast to the other, keeping your knife as close to the underlying rib bones as possible.
- Place the large piece of removed boneless breast meat on a cutting board.
- Cut across the grain into slices place on a serving platter.
Serving Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Roasted air fryer turkey breast goes perfectly for any major Holiday, but is also an easy any-time entree when air frying a split turkey breast.
Our Ocean Spray Cranberry Orange Relish, Baked Sweet Potato Slices, and Sauteed Spinach and Onions are easy to make, and make for a perfect turkey dinner!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Additional Sides To Serve With Air Fryer Turkey Breast
A few more side fixings for any turkey dinner are some of our favorite recipes:
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Jiffy Cornbread Dressing
- Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Duchess Potatoes
- Longhorns Rice Pilaf
- Gouda Potatoes Au Gratin
- IP Bob Evans Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Rainbow Carrots
- English Pea Salad
Related Recipes
Substitutions
You can use butter instead of the olive oil if you prefer. Keep the butter to a light coating so you don't have a mess at the bottom of the air fryer basket.
Variations
You can change the seasoning when roasting turkey breast in the air fryer. Here are a few delicious air fryer turkey breast seasoning ideas:
- Cajun Turkey Breast - Mix some olive oil with some Cajun or Creole seasoning blend. Baste the turkey breast under the skin and on top of the skin before setting to air fry.
- Smoked Turkey Breast - Season the split turkey breast with your seasonings of choice, then air fry it for 30 minutes at 350 F. Finish the turkey in your smoker for a smokey seasoned turkey breast.
- Maple Glazed Turkey Breast - Mix maple syrup with melted butter or oil, and baste the turkey with it. Each time you turn the turkey breast in the air fryer, baste with the maple syrup and butter basting mixture.
Equipment
To air fry turkey breast, even a split one (half a breast) you will need at least a 4 quart basket air fryer. A few good choices are below:
- Nuwave Brio Air Fryer - Rotisserie - Grill - This 15 quart countertop Smart Oven has three slide in trays, that all can be used at the same time. You can air fry rotisserie chickens, an SO mush more!
- Nuwave Air Fryer 15 quart - This large family size basket air fryer has room to air fry enough for a large family!
- Gourmia Digital Air Fryer 6 quart - This basket style air fryer will handle four frozen waffles in the air fryer.
- Ninja Foodie Pro Air Fryer - Folds up out of the way on your counter.
- Nuwave Air Fryer 3 quart - This compact basket air fryer is perfect for singles or a small family of 2 or 3. You can air fry two frozen waffles in 4 minutes.
- Oil Sprayer - This is a perfect sprayer for spritzing a light coating of oil on vegetables, meats, and other prepared frozen foods before air frying. The tiny amount of oil ensures you get as amazing results as deep frying and roasting, with a fraction of the calories and splatter!
Storage
Cover any leftover turkey in a covered container in your refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make sandwiches or casseroles with it. You can also freeze for up to three months.
To Reheat: Wrap turkey breast in aluminum foil and rewarm in the air fryer at 320 F, for 10 to 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can reheat in the microwave.
Tips for Success
- Defrost the split turkey breast the night before.
- Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels before brushing oil or melted butter on the skin and underneath the skin. This way it will stay put.
- If the turkey breast if browning faster than the meat is cooking, lay a piece of aluminum foil over the turkey breast during the final cooking time.
- The turkey will continue to cook for a few minutes after removed. By removing at 160 F, you will not overcook the turkey breast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Covering the turkey breast with foil, during the final cooking, will help prevent the turkey breast from over browning or drying out. This way you don't have to keep basting the turkey breast while it's cooking either.
Not only is roasting a turkey in an air fryer delicious, it cooks in a fraction of the time and saves you oven space. This is the perfect method for cooking extra white meat, or for a smaller Holiday meal.
Yes, you can air fry boneless turkey breast but leave the oven-safe netting on, trim it away after cooking. You will need to air fry boneless turkey breast about 15 to 20 minutes longer than a split turkey breast that has the rib bones.
A 3 lb split turkey breast is plenty for a family of 4 with few sides. For a Holiday meal like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter, where there are many more sides, a 3 lb split turkey breast will feed 6 people. Calculate 12 oz per person with bone in turkey breast for non Holiday meals, and 8 oz bone in weight for meals with lots of sides.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 lbs turkey breast thawed, split turkey breast
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 sprig sage fresh sprigs
- 1 sprig rosemary fresh sprigs
- 1 sprig thyme fresh sprigs
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Brush a light coating of olive oil or melted butter on the split turkey breast. Lift the skin up and lightly coat underneath also.3 lbs turkey breast, 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Season with sea salt and cracked pepper or other seasonings. Add minced sage or herbs and set the split turkey breast in the air fryer basket skin side up.1 sprig sage, 1 sprig rosemary, 1 sprig thyme, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Cook at 370 F for 20 minutes. Then, flip the split turkey breast and cook another 20 minutes.
- Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. When it registers 140 F, flip it once more, so it's skin side up again. Cook another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 F. PRO TIP: Using a ThermoPro thermometer takes the guess work out of knowing when your split turkey breast is done. The split turkey breast will continue to cook for a few minutes after removed. By removing at 160 F, you will not overcook or dry out the turkey breast.
- Transfer the air fryer turkey breast out of the air fryer basket onto a platter. Cover with aluminum foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.
How To Carve A Split Turkey Breast
- Place the cooked split turkey breast on a large cutting board that won’t slide around as you work.
- Find the breast bone side of the split turkey breast. It will be the thicker side.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully cut from one end of the turkey breast to the other, keeping your knife as close to the underlying rib bones as possible.
- Place the large piece of removed boneless breast meat on a cutting board. Cut across the grain into slices place on a serving platter.
Notes
- Defrost the split turkey breast the night before.
- Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels before brushing oil or melted butter on the skin and underneath the skin. This way it will stay put.
- If the turkey breast if browning faster than the meat is cooking, lay a piece of aluminum foil over the turkey breast during the final cooking time.
- The turkey will continue to cook for a few minutes after removed. By removing at 160 F, you will not overcook the turkey breast.
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