This Air Fryer Turkey Breast is so simple and easy to prep while being super flavorful. It's a great option for a smaller Thanksgiving meal. Don't have an air fryer? There are oven directions too!
Cooking a boneless turkey breast is way quicker than cooking a whole turkey and it's much smaller so perfect for a smaller family gathering or Friendsgiving. Serve with your favorite sides (lots of ideas below in the post!). For the adults I love to include a batch of Slow Cooker Mulled Wine in the holiday spread.
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How to Make a Turkey Breast in the Air Fryer
Cooking turkey in the air fryer is so easy!! Just pat dry the turkey (this helps get the skin nice and crispy) then rub with oil, spices, and herbs. Pop in your air fryer and cook away! You need to make sure your turkey breast fits in your air fryer - which is why I used a boneless breast as they are smaller.
Ingredients You'll Need:
- Boneless, Turkey Breast - I used a 3 pound breast
- Olive Oil - You can swap in another cooking oil, if you'd like.
- Fresh Herbs - Sage, Thyme, and Rosemary. You can swap in dried herbs for the fresh, if you need.
- Spices - Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Salt, and Pepper
Should you leave the netting on?
Yes, I recommend leaving the netting on the turkey breast when cooking. The netting helps hold the breast together so it keeps its shape. You can rub the spice mixture through the netting or even slide your fingers underneath to really get it covered. After cooking, you can cut the netting off the turkey.
Can you prep the turkey ahead of time?
Yes! You can rub the turkey breast with the olive and herb mixture and store the breast, covered, in the fridge for up to 1 day.
Can you cook the turkey breast in the oven?
Yes! If you don't have an air fryer, you can cook this turkey recipe in the oven. Place the herb rubbed turkey breast on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degrees F preheated oven for about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, depending on breast size.
Other Thanksgiving Recipes
- Roasted Pancetta Brussels Sprouts - Roasting Brussels Sprouts lets them get perfectly caramelized and flavorful.
- Oven Roasted Honey Carrots - Sticky and sweet and made with just a few ingredients.
- Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce - Festive and made from scratch. Free up a stovetop burner and let your Instant Pot do the work.
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes - Creamy and so easy to make. Much faster than making on the stove.
- Fall Harvest Vegan Pasta Salad - Roasted Butternut Squash, apples, cranberries, and pecans! It’s all tossed in an easy homemade Apple Cider Vinaigrette that will become your new favorite dressing!
- Brown Sugar Honey Glazed Carrots - I love roasting the glazed carrots in the oven because they get nice and caramelized. Just toss baby carrots or sliced whole carrots with a few simple ingredients then pop in the oven to roast.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Prep in Advance - After rubbing the turkey breast with the herb and oil mixture, you can cover and keep in the fridge for up to 1 day before cooking.
- Bring Turkey to Room Temp Before Cooking - For best results, I recommend bringing the turkey breast to closer to room temperature before cooking. Take it out of the fridge about 30-45 minutes before cooking.
- Adjust Cook Time - Depending on your turkey breast size and oven temp, the cook time will vary. The best way to have a perfectly cooked turkey breast is to use an instant read meat thermometer.
- Allow to Rest before Cutting - After air frying, cover the breast with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting. This lets the juices redistribute so the turkey stays moist.
Leftovers, Storage, and Reheating
Turkey is great for leftovers!
Leftovers and Storage: Leftover turkey can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Try using the leftover turkey to make Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup or Leftover Turkey Sliders.
Reheating: I recommend reheating slices of turkey in the air fryer or the oven at 350 degrees F until warmed.
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PrintRecipe
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
This Air Fryer Turkey Breast is so simple and easy to prep while being super flavorful. It's a great option for a smaller Thanksgiving meal. Don't have an air fryer? There are oven directions too.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 3 pound boneless turkey breast, with netting on
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage, or 1 teaspoon ground
- 1 tablespoons minced fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, or ½ teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prep Turkey Breast - Remove the turkey breast from the fridge, pat dry, and leave the netting on. Set aside.
- Mix Rub - In a small bowl, mix together the oil and spices until combined. I like to let it sit for 10-15 minutes so the oil can absorb the herb flavors.
- Rub Turkey - Rub the oil-herb mixture on all sides of the turkey - you can slide a hand under the netting to really get it everywhere.
- Air Fry - Add the rubbed turkey to your air fryer and cook for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F. Carefully flip the turkey over and cook for another 25 minutes at 350 degrees F. Check the temperature and continue cooking in 5 minute intervals until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F.
- Rest and Slice - Remove the turkey breast and place on a cutting board then cover with foil. Allow the breast to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Oven Directions: Place the herb rubbed turkey breast on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degrees F preheated oven for about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, depending on breast size. Cook until internal temp reads 165 degrees F. Rest for 10 minutes, covered, before carving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙ of Turkey Breast
- Calories: 282
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 318.8 mg
- Fat: 9.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.5 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 45.2 g
- Cholesterol: 108.3 mg
Keywords: Air Fryer Turkey Breast, Small Thanksgiving Recipes, Turkey Breast in Air Fryer
Katie says
Perfect when you don't want a full turkey. Love the spice rub too.
★★★★★