Air Fryer Turkey Breast

This Air Fryer Turkey Breast recipe is a great way to cook a smaller amount of turkey that turns out perfectly tender and moist in just 35 minutes without the hassle of the oven.

» You might also like these 28 Air Fryer Thanksgiving Recipes.

 

The air fryer is a great way to make a turkey breast for any occasion, when you don’t need to make an entire turkey for a crowd. A 2.5 to 5 pound turkey can feed 5-10 people and it’s a much easier way to cook it.

If you’re looking for a way to make turkey for the holidays without having to get the whole bird into the oven in the morning, this is the best way to do it. You can fit a 2.5-pound turkey breast (that’s one half of a full breast bone – just one side) in a 3.5-quart or larger air fryer. A 5-pound turkey breast (the whole breast bone with bone in or removed) can fit in a 5-quart air fryer or a toaster style air fryer.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Turkey breasts – I used a Jennie O 2.5-pound skinless boneless turkey breast. This will feed around 5-6 people. You cook a larger turkey if it fits inside your air fryer. The time will vary slightly (see instructions below). It’s also an option to cook either a bone-in or boneless, skin on or skinless turkey breast. You can do them all in the air fryer.
• Seasonings – I use a blend of paprika, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, chili powder, and rosemary to season the turkey.
• Cooking oil spray– use a neutral oil – like vegetable or avocado oil – so that the oil doesn’t change the flavor of the meat. You could also brush on oil if you don’t have a cooking spray.

How to Make Air Fryer Turkey Breast

Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 30 minutes before beginning, so it can come up in temperature.

First, mix together the seasonings in a small bowl. Sprinkle it onto your turkey evenly and rub it in to make sure the whole turkey is well coated.

Place the turkey into the air fryer basket. Spray it with cooking oil.

Cook the turkey at 350 degrees F for about 35 minutes, turning the turkey over at the halfway point. If you’re cooking a larger than 2.5-pound turkey, it will need more time than this. For a 5-pound turkey, cook for 50 minutes.

I don’t recommend cooking the turkey frozen. Thaw it first in the refrigerator for 2 days or until fully thawed before cooking. If you must cook it from frozen, you’ll need to cook it for at least 1 hour, maybe longer.

The turkey is done when a meat thermometer inserted in the center reads 160 degrees F. Be sure to test the meat to make sure it reaches this point. If it hasn’t yet, leave it in a bit longer.

At 160 degrees, transfer the turkey to a plate to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. This will allow the turkey to come up to the ideal 165 degrees.

How to Serve Air Fryer Turkey

The great thing about turkey is that it’s quite versatile. You can serve it with your typical Thanksgiving meal sides, like air fryer green beans or brussels sprouts or stuffing.

You can also just serve it alongside a green salad for an easy weeknight meal. Or serve it with different types of potatoes for a homey feel to the dish. Try these crispy smashed potatoes, or use sweet potatoes to off-set the savory turkey.

These are also great for a one-person holiday meal. If you need something easy to make yourself that still feels like a holiday dinner, this is a good choice. Cook with an herb rub with garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary and thyme for a classic holiday flavor. Serve with mashed potatoes and gravy, or dinner rolls on the side for a festive meal.

How To Carve the Turkey

It’s obviously much easier to carve a turkey breast than it is to carve a whole turkey. Nonetheless, there are a few tips to make it effortless:

• Allow the turkey breast to on a cutting board or plate for 10 minutes to allow the internal temp to climb to 165 degrees and to redistribute the juices.
• Use a really sharp and long knife, like a chef’s knife to make long even strokes through the meat.
• I like to start cutting at the smallest end, lengthwise. Make a long slice. Then continue to slice 1/4″ slices until you’ve reached the end.

Notes & Suggestions

The cook time will vary depending on the size of the turkey breast. It’s a general rule of thumb that turkey will take about 12 minutes per pound in the air fryer at 350 degrees F. Use that as a guide to determine how long to cook yours. Bone-in will cook slightly slower too. The best things is to use a meat thermometer to test it near the end to determine how long to go.

Don’t use frozen turkey if at all possible. It’s best to use thawed turkey that has come up to room temperature first. This will result in a turkey that is evenly cooked and take the amount of time to cook that I’ve mentioned above.

Why Use an Air Fryer

An air fryer is an incredibly easy way to cook just about anything. You place the food in a fryer-style basket and hot air rapidly circulates all around the food, making the food crisp – much like deep-frying, but without the oil. You can cook anything you’d make in the oven.

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