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Our Air Fryer Turkey Breast comes out perfectly cooked every time! Moist and juicy on the inside with golden crisp skin and so tasty. Bonus, roasting it in the Air Fryer takes less time and frees up space in the oven.
Do you want a juicy, crispy turkey cooked in half the time? Look no further! This tender and juicy air-fried turkey breast is perfect for a smaller Thanksgiving dinner or as an additional breast for a bigger group. It’s so easy to make even if you are a beginner in the kitchen and comes out perfect every time!
It’s a real time-saver that gives you more time to enjoy the holidays! You can use a bone-in or boneless turkey breast and depending on the size of the breast it can be done in less than an hour. Check out my tips below to make the best, juicy turkey breast!
Looking for another turkey recipe? Check out my Smoked Turkey and my Stuffed Turkey breast!
Why make this recipe
- Perfect for a smaller family!
- Juicy meat, crispy skin
- Frees up oven space
- No brining necessary
- Takes less time than using the oven
Ingredient Notes
Here is an overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom for quantities.
- Turkey Breast – This recipe uses a whole bone-in, skin-on turkey breast. Depending on the size of your Air Fryer basket you can use a 3-5 lbs breast. You can also use a boneless breast, check out the instructions in the recipe card.
- Olive Oil – Rubbing the turkey breast with olive oil helps the seasoning to stick, crisps up the skin, and gives it a golden color. You can also use avocado oil.
- Garlic – This recipe uses one head of garlic but depending on the size of the breast and your personal taste you might want to use less
- Rosemary – Chopped fresh rosemary adds so much flavor! If you want to use dried rosemary use 1 1/2 tsp of dried needles.
How to make this recipe
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found at the bottom of the page on the printable recipe card.
- Prep: Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil all over the turkey breast, focusing on the skin. Season turkey breast with salt and pepper from all sides. Combine minced garlic, chopped rosemary, and remaining olive oil and spread half over the meat under the skin. Spread the remaining garlic mixture all over the breast. Squeeze lemon juice over the meat and put the lemon half in the cavity together with 1 whole garlic head (optional)
- Cook: Preheat the Air Fryer to 350 degrees F. Cook turkey breast skin side down for 20 minutes, then flip it skin-side up and cook 30 to 35 minutes more until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the skin is golden and crispy, cooking time depends on the size of the breast.
- Rest and serve: Take the breast out and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
Expert Tips
- The size of the breast you can make depends on the size of your Air Fryer, I used a Ninja Foodie which has a big capacity for the breast shown in the pictures. The meat should be below the top of the basket. A 5 quart or bigger Air Fryer should easily fit a 4-5 pound breast.
- In the Ninja Foodie, you can remove the basket if your breast is too big but I don’t recommend removing the basket of other Air Fryers
- This recipe also works with boneless turkey breasts
- Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the breast. I recommend using an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature
- Avoid touching the bone when you measure the temperature
- If your turkey breast is frozen, you need to thaw it first
- You can also make a compound butter with herbs, garlic, and butter, and spread it under the skin of the turkey
Recipe FAQs
The USDA recommends that the internal temperature of the turkey breast reach at least 165°F (74°C) for safety. But I recommend pulling it from the Air Fryer when it reaches 160°F (71°C) because it will continue to cook after you take it out.
The Air Fryer is often faster than a traditional oven, frees up oven space, and crisps up the skin perfectly. It’s a great way to cook meat that has skin on like turkey breast, chicken wings, or a whole chicken.
This can happen if you overcook it. If you wait until the internal temperature is 165°F (74°C), the breast will be overcooked and dry because it continues to cook after you take it out. I also recommend letting the meat rest for 15 minutes after taking it out because it allows the juices to redistribute throughout the breast.
The exact cooking time depends on the size of the breast and your Air Fryer. But in general, the cooking time will be less than an hour. A smaller 2-3 lbs breast will take about 45-50 minutes and a larger 4-5 lbs breast will take 50-55 minutes until it is cooked and the internal temperature is at 160 degrees F.
Tips for making juicy Turkey Breast
- Check the turkey breast early during cooking to avoid overcooking
- Take it out when the internal temperature is 160 degrees F
- Let the meat rest for 15 minutes before carving
How to carve a bone-in Turkey Breast
Let the turkey breast rest for about 15 minutes before carving it. There are two ways to carve a turkey breast, I prefer to remove the breast and cut it into thicker pieces because everyone gets a good piece of crispy skin and it is easier.
To make thick pieces: Use a chef’s knife and cut each half of the breast out by running the knife down one side of the breast bone. Repeat on the other side. Slice each breast into thick pieces.
To make thin slices: Leave the breast attached to the breast bone and run down the knife on each side to make thin slices. This works especially well when you use an electric knife.
Leftovers
If you’re lucky enough to have some leftovers, they will keep up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Use leftovers to make sandwiches, Creamy Leftover Turkey soup, Instant Pot Turkey Soup, or to top a salad!
What to serve with Air Fried Turkey Breast
More Air Fryer Recipes to try
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Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4-5 lb turkey breast, skin-on and bone-in
- 1.5 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- ½ lemon
- 1 whole garlic head, top cut off (optional)
Instructions
- Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil all over the turkey breast, focusing on the skin. Season turkey breast with salt and pepper from all sides. Combine minced garlic, chopped rosemary, and remaining olive oil and spread half over the meat under skin. Spread remaining garlic mixture all over the breast. Squeeze lemon juice over the meat and put the lemon half in the cavity together with 1 whole garlic head (optional)
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 350 degrees F. Cook turkey breast skin side down for 20 minutes, then flip it skin-side up and cook 30 to 35 minutes more until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the skin is golden and crispy, cooking time depends on the size of the breast.
- Take the breast out and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
Notes
- The size of breast you can make depends on the size of your Air Fryer, I used a Ninja Foodie which has a big capacity for the breast shown in the pictures. The meat should be below the top of the basket. A 5 quart or bigger Air Fryer should easily fit a 4-5 pound breast.
- This recipe also works with boneless turkey breasts
- Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the breast. I recommend using an Instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature
- A smaller breast takes about 45-50 min in total, a larger breast 50-55 min
- Avoid touching the bone when you measure the temperature
- If your turkey breast is frozen, you need to thaw it first
- You can also make a compound butter with herbs, garlic, and butter, and spread it under the skin of the turkey
- If you don’t have an Air Fryer but still want to save time or make something different from a traditional turkey check out my Stuffed Turkey Breast
- Leftovers keep up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge
