Craving a little taste of the holidays without the hassle? Air fryer turkey breast is such a good option!
Made with simple spices and a bit of oil, this skinless, boneless turkey breast cooks to perfection and pairs well with potatoes, vegetable sides, and – of course – cranberry sauce!
Ingredients
To make this air fryer turkey breast, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Turkey Breast – We use a 1 pound boneless skinless turkey breast. You can use a larger turkey breast as well, but then the cook time will be longer.
- Garlic – Use minced garlic.
- Oil – We use avocado oil, but canola oil or vegetable oil also works. Alternatively use butter or mayonnaise.
- Paprika – To add some color and flavor; use regular not smoked paprika as the flavor could be overpowering.
- Italian seasoning – We use Italian seasoning since it’s easy. Alternatively use dried or fresh chopped rosmary and oregano.
- Salt – To add flavor; more or less to taste.
- Black Pepper – Also for flavor, add more or less as desired.
Recipe Tips
Before you tackle this turkey breast in the air fryer, here are some recipe tips and things to consider:
- This recipe is for a boneless and skinless breast. If you have one that has bone-in and skin-on, you cooking time will vary. The size of the breast will also affect the cooking time – ours was 1 pound and took roughly 25 minutes.
- We keep it simple with Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper. Alternatively you can also use poultry seasoning – just check the ingredients to see whether it contains salt or not and adjust your spices accordingly.
- This is one of those air fryer recipe where it’s important to flip during the cooking time. This is because it will help to evenly cook the meat – especially if the thick part of your turkey breast is very thick. Use silicone-tipped tongs for this.
- Use a meat thermometer to check whether the turkey breast is done. You don’t want to overcook it since that can make it dry. The turkey breast is done when the thickest piece of the turkey breast reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Allow the turkey breast to rest after cooking so that it can reabsorb some of the juices and make it very juicy.
We use this air fryer for our recipes and it has been great.
Step by Step Instructions
For the complete steps for how to air fry turkey breast, you can stay in this section and follow along with the recipe process photos!
If you just want the summary without visuals, you can scroll to the bottom of this post where you’ll find the recipe card!
Start by preheating your air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In the meantime, add the minced garlic, oil, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to a small bowl and mix all these spices together.
Next, lace the fresh turkey breast on a large plate. Brush it with the oil and spice mix on both sides.
When the air fryer is hot, add the turkey breast. It should fit into your air fryer without being squished.
Air fry the turkey breast at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for roughly 25 to 30 minutes until fully cooked. Flip it after 15 minutes in the air fryer (the halfway mark).
The turkey breast is done when the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit – it’s best to check with a meat thermometer.
If your turkey breast is bigger than one pound, the cook time will be longer, likely between 30 and 40 minutes.
Every air fryer cooks different so these cook times are guidelines only and can vary.
When the turkey breast is done, remove it from the air fryer and place it on a plate.
Cover it with tin foil and let it rest for 7-10 minutes. This is important as it allows the juices to reabsorb (don’t skip this step).
Then serve the turkey breast with side dishes of your choice. Enjoy!
Storage + Reheating Tips
After you’ve made your air fried turkey breast, you might have some leftovers.
This turkey breast stores nicely in some foil or in a sealed container in the fridge so it doesn’t dry out.
Properly stored, it’ll keep for 3-4 days but we would recommend eating it sooner rather than later.
You can reheat turkey breast in the air fryer – but not not too long or else you can dry it out and it’ll be tough not tender.
We use our reheat setting at 280 degrees Fahrenheit for just a few minutes (around 3-5) until the turkey breast is hot again.
What to Serve Air Fryer Turkey Breast With
With turkey breast as the meat portion, there are so many great sides that go with it – and it doesn’t just have to be around the Holidays!
- A potato side always goes well. We love these fingerling potatoes, roasted baby potatoes, or these red potatoes in the air fryer.
- Delicious veggie sides that we like to pair with turkey are butternut squash, green beans, or even roasted brussels sprouts (yum!).
- Even a few of our combi recipes like potatoes and carrots (cooked together) pair nicely!
- Of course, you cannot forget the cranberry sauce if you like a bit of sweet with your turkey meat!
FAQ
It depends on the size of the turkey breast and whether there is a bone in. Our1 pound boneless, skinless turkey breast took around 25-30 minutes to cook in the air fryer, turning once, at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
For a boneless and skinless turkey breast in the air fryer, simply apply some spices and air fry at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes until fully cooked. Be sure to turn the breast halfway through. The meat is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Related Recipes
For more tasty turkey recipes, have a browse through these other ideas and try out the ones that you like!
- Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs (Homemade)
- Turkey Thighs – Air Fryer Style
- Turkey Burgers (Homemade) in the Air Fryer
- Frozen Turkey Burger in the Air Fryer
- Air Fried Turkey Bacon
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 1 1 pound turkey breast, boneless skinless
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, alternatively rosemary and oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Meanwhile, add the minced garlic, oil, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to a small bowl and mix all these spices together.1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Place the fresh turkey breast on a large plate. Brush the turkey breast with the oil and spice mix on both sides.1 1 pound turkey breast
- When the air fryer is hot, add the turkey breast into the air fryer basket.
- Air fry the turkey breast at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 30 minutes until fully cooked. Flip after 15 minutes in the air fryer. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit – it's best to check with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the turkey breast. If your turkey breast is bigger than one pound, the cook time will be longer, likely between 30 and 40 minutes. Every air fryer cooks different so these times are guidelines only and can vary.
- When the turkey breast is done, remove it from the air fryer and place it on a plate. Cover it with tin foil and let it rest for 7-10 minutes. This is important as it allows the juices to reabsorb (don't skip this step). Then serve with side dishes of your choice. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is for boneless, skinless turkey breast. Cook time for bone-in skin-on turkey breasts can vary.
- If your turkey breast is larger than one pound, the cook time will be longer, approximately 30-40 minutes (although this can vary). It is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
