This Air Fryer Turkey Breast cooks up tender, juicy, and succulent with crispy turkey skin in less than an hour, for a flawlessly roasted turkey entree. Indulge in the succulent flavors of this simple herb-roasted turkey breast.
Experiment with marinades, our turkey rub recipe, and sauces for new flavor possibilities.
Why You'll Love This Air Fryer Turkey Breast Recipe
An air fryer turkey gets roasted into a delicious, juicy turkey breast without having to heat up the conventional oven, in less than an hour! Now you can enjoy 'roasted' turkey at more than Holidays!!
One of the best things about this air fryer turkey method is that it frees up premium oven space during Holiday meal preparations. It also lets you prepare extra tender, juicy white meat!
- Perfect size. If you're part of a small family unit, or planning on other meats at the feast, then a smaller turkey portion is idea.
- White meat lover. It's handy to have extra white meat for those that prefer white over dark turkey meat.
- Easy and convenient. Not only does the cooking the turkey in an air fryer free up your main oven, it produces less heat in the kitchen, and the turkey breast cooks faster!
Ingredients Overview
Look for a bone-in split turkey breast 3 to 4 lbs, it should fit in most family air fryer baskets. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a novice in the kitchen, this split turkey breast recipe guarantees a quick and easy way to ensure a golden, crispy skin.
- 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 Dry Rub seasoning!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Air Fry Turkey Breast
Brush olive oil or butter on the skin side of the 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 fried 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.
- 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.
- 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 half breast of turkey out of the air fryer basket onto a platter. Cover with aluminum foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.
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 half or boneless turkey breast on a large cutting board that won't slide around as you work.
- Cut across the grain into slices place on a serving platter.
Air Fryer Turkey Breast Serving Suggestions
Carve the juicy turkey breast into slices, letting the golden skin glisten on the platter. Arrange slices alongside roasted root vegetables for vibrant color and contrasting textures. Scatter fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme for a pop of fragrance.
Whether you're serving sliced turkey with roasted veggies or whipping up quick sandwiches, air fryer boneless turkey breast is your new go-to for nutritious, low fat, satisfying meals.
Our Ocean Spray Cranberry Orange Relish, Baked Sweet Potato Slices, Smoked Turkey Stuffing, and Bob Evan's Mashed Potatoes are easy to make, and make for a perfect turkey dinner!
Substitutions and Variations
You can change the seasoning when roasting turkey breast in the air fryer. Here are a few delicious turkey seasoning ideas.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Tips for Success
- Defrost the 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.
More Delish Recipes
- Dutch Oven Turkey Breast
- Convection Roast Turkey
- Smoked Turkey Stuffing
- Lemon Cast Iron Chicken Breast
- Chicken Salad Sandwich without Celery
Storage Options
- 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.
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.
More Delish Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Equipment
- Nuwave Brio Air Fryer
- Nuwave Air Fryer 15 quart
- Gourmia Digital Air Fryer 6 quart
- Nuwave 6 quart Air Fryer
- ThermoPro Thermometer
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 cooked turkey 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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