This Easy Air Fryer Turkey Breast recipe is perfect for the nights you are craving the flavors of Thanksgiving but don’t want all of the work to make the entire turkey! Turkey breast is easy to make in the air fryer and takes less than an hour! In 55 minutes, you will have a juicy and golden brown turkey breast, ready to serve to your hungry family!
Air Fryer Turkey Breast Recipe
Turkey is one of those comfort food type meals. Fall days call for filling up the house with the smells of turkey and mashed potatoes. While I usually on make turkey on Thanksgiving, it is a nice change of pace once in a while from a chicken dinner. For our family our four, we definitely don’t need the entire turkey, so a turkey breast is the perfect size for us. This is definitely one of my favorite air fryer recipes and makes for such an easy dinner.
Benefits of Using an Air Fryer
The most important benefit is that you can make a Thanksgiving style turkey in less than an hour! Here are a few other benefits of air fryer turkey breast:
- Extra oven space: Oven space is crucial on Thanksgiving. Free up your oven by doing the turkey In the air fryer! Use that precious oven space for the side dishes or desserts.
- Even cooking: Because air fryers circulate air around the food, all sides of the turkey are evenly heated as it cooks. So soggy turkey bottoms!
- Crispy and Golden Brown Skin : The hot temperature and circulation in the air fryer, plus the butter will create a super crispy brown skin!
How many does a turkey breast serve?
If you are having a small Thanksgiving gathering and you know that no one is looking forward to dark meat, you can definitely go this route! This air fryer turkey breast will serve 6-8 people if you buy a 5 lb breast. If you buy a different size other than a 3-5 lb bone in turkey breast, then you will need to adjust the cooking time. Make sure to buy a bone-in turkey breast to have a juicy turkey breast. Bone in turkey breast does not dry out as quickly as a boneless turkey breast would.
How to cook a turkey in the air fryer?
Just like an oven baked turkey, you want to rub the turkey under and on top of the skin with butter and then heavily season the skin side. The butter will help the skin get crispy and turn golden brown! You want to use a generous amount of seasoning so your turkey is tasty. The only ingredients you need are the turkey, butter, and the seasoning! I like to use salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, and poultry seasoning. Paprika also adds a nice smoky flavor to your turkey. You can use salted or unsalted butter, just make sure to adjust your salt! You could also use olive oil if you prefer.
The instructions are easy. You set the cooking time for about 55 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 16o degrees, using an instant read thermometer. Remove from the air fryer, let sit for 10 minutes, and then slice. Make sure to let the turkey rest before carving. You want the juices to redistribute so the turkey remains tender.
Check out my favorite air fryer from Amazon.
What to serve with turkey breast?
If you haven’t tried my Instant Pot Mashed Potato recipe yet, then you must, and serve them alongside this easy turkey breast recipe! It is seriously the best mashed potato recipe ever! To round out the meal, I love serving brussels sprouts with turkey. It is a good practice meal for the big day!
Looking for more delicious vegetable side dishes to serve alongside your easy air fryer turkey breast for Thanksgiving? I have so many good choices!
Easy Zucchini Stuffing Casserole
Roasted Sweet Potato and Brussels Sprout Salad
Apple Pie Stuffed Acorn Squash
Orzo Salad with Roasted Vegetables
Turkey Breast in the air fryer is perfect for a small Thanksgiving dinner gathering or whenever you want a turkey and mashed potato meal on a weeknight! You will love how easy this is to make and how it takes less than an hour from start to finish! Serve alongside your favorite gravy, mashed potato, and cranberry recipe, and you are set.
Don’t forget dessert!
Caramel Apple Pie Dessert Pizza
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
This easy Air Fryer Turkey Breast recipe is perfect for a small Thanksgiving dinner or a weeknight comfort food meal.
Ingredients
- 3 to 5- pound bone-in skin-on turkey breast, fully thawed
- 1 stick of butter softened
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
Instructions
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Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees.
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Once preheated, place the turkey breast in the air fryer basket.
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Mix together your seasonings.
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Rub the softened butter all over the turkey and the under the skin.
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Sprinkle the whole turkey with the seasoning.
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Cook for 55 minutes.
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Remove from the air fryer when an internal temperature of 160 degrees has been reached and the skin is golden brown and crisp.
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Let rest slightly before slicing.
