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Imagine a perfectly seasoned, tender, juicy turkey breast that is ready in just 20 minutes! Follow this easy recipe to make the perfect Air Fryer Boneless Turkey Breast that is ready in a flash!
If you’re a beginner cook looking for an easy and delicious way to impress your guests, look no further than an air fryer! Not only is it a healthier alternative to traditional frying, but it’s also a great way to cook a tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned boneless turkey breast.
First things first, you’ll need to choose a boneless turkey breast that’s the right size for your air fryer. Most air fryers can accommodate a turkey breast that’s about 2-3 pounds. You’ll also need to season the turkey breast with your favorite spices and herbs. I recommend a blend of garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and thyme, but feel free to get creative with your seasoning!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Lean Protein: Turkey breast is an excellent source of lean protein, which is essential for building and repairing tissues in the body. Protein also helps to maintain muscle mass, support a healthy immune system, and keep you feeling full and satisfied, which can aid in weight management.
- Healthy: Turkey breast is a good source of several essential vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, selenium, phosphorus, and zinc. These nutrients play various roles in maintaining overall health, including supporting energy metabolism, a healthy nervous system, and immune function.
- Easy: There is no need to brine, marinate, or other preparation methods. Simply season and place in the air fryer! About 20 minutes later, you will enjoy a lovely, well-seasoned turkey breast that pairs well with vegetables or can be thinly sliced for salads, wraps, sandwiches, and more.
What You’ll Need
As always, this is a quick overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. For the complete, printable recipe scroll to the recipe card below.
- Turkey Breast: this recipe reflects the cooking time for a boneless turkey breast. This method will still work with a bone in turkey breast, but the cooking time will be increased, and the spice blend may need to be doubled depending on the size of the turkey breast.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: another natural oil such as avocado oil will also work.
- Herbs and Spices: for this recipe, I recommend poultry seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper. You will also need a mixture of chopped fresh herbs; this can be any variety you prefer, but I use rosemary, thyme, and sage.
How to cook a Boneless Turkey Breast
In addition to the ingredients listed above you will also need an air fryer. Since turkey breasts can vary in size, I find you will need at least a 4-quart air fryer to cook a turkey breast properly, but a 6-8 quart will make this even easier. And if you don’t have an air fryer yet, don’t worry; I have included oven instructions as well. Follow these simple steps for the most tender turkey breast!
- MIX: In a small mixing bowl, combine the poultry seasoning, fresh herbs, salt, paprika, and black pepper.
- SEASON: Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. Rub both sides of the turkey with olive oil, then sprinkle each side with spices.
- COOK: Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F for 3 minutes. Place the seasoned turkey in the air fryer, skin side down, and cook for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. After ten minutes, flip the turkey and cook an additional 10-15 minutes until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F.
- REST: Allow the turkey to rest for at least five minutes before slicing.
Serve
Serve your boneless turkey breast with your favorite sides and enjoy a delicious and healthy meal that’s sure to impress your guests. And the best part? You can enjoy all the flavor and texture of a traditional turkey without all the work! Some of my favorite side dishes include:
- Mom’s Mashed Potatoes: nobody makes potatoes like Mom, right? With this easy mashed potato recipe you will impress all of your guests!
- Garlic Butter Green Beans: quick, easy, and delicious!
- Instant Pot Collard Greens: savory greens with bacon and ham that seem like they took hours to prepare!
- Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes: these slow cooker potatoes are a cinch to make. Simply throw the ingredients in a crock pot and allow it to work it’s magic!
Tips for a Juicy Boneless Turkey Breast
- Pat Dry: Before seasoning or cooking, pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. This helps to ensure crispy skin during roasting.
- Preheat Your Air Fryer: Air Fryer’s are no different than ovens, ensuring it is preheated to the correct temperature before placing the turkey breast inside is very important. Consistent heat is crucial for even cooking.
- Use a Meat Thermometer: Invest in a good-quality meat thermometer to monitor the turkey’s internal temperature. Turkey breast is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, avoiding contact with the bone.
- Rest Before Carving: After removing the turkey breast from heat, let it rest for at least 5 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in juicier meat when you carve it.
Recipe FAQ
This recipe uses a 1.5 pound boneless turkey breast. It will work with a larger piece of turkey, the cooking time will just be increased.
Use an instant-read thermometor to determine when the turkey is done. When it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F remove it from heat and allow it to rest 5 minutes before slicing.
If you find the turkey is browning too quickly simply cover it with foil for the remaining cooking time. However, I have cooked this dish many times and I haven’t needed to take this extra step.
You will need at least a 4 quart air fryer. This is the model I have.
I have the perfect oven roasted turkey breast recipe here. You can find a step by step tutorial that walks you through the entire process, including a homemade rosemary orange rub.
Other Turkey Recipes
- Greek Turkey Wrap: Sliced turkey is paired with fresh cucumber, refreshing tzatziki and crumbly feta cheese! This easy recipe comes together in less than 10 minutes!
- Turkey Casserole: The best way to use leftover roast turkey!
- Mini Turkey Pot Pies: These delightful Mini Turkey Pot Pies are the perfect way to use leftover turkey.
- Crockpot Turkey Breast: Super simple and always a crowd pleaser!
Air Fryer Boneless Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 1 boneless turkey breast, about 1.5 pounds
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs chopped, a mix of rosemary, thyme and sage
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon EACH kosher salt, paprika, and garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the poultry seasoning, fresh herbs, salt, paprika, and black pepper.
- Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. Rub both sides of the turkey with olive oil then sprinkle each side with spices.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F for 3 minutes.
- Place the seasoned turkey in the air fryer skin side down and cook for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. After ten minutes, flip the turkey and cook an additional 10-15 minutes until the internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Allow the turkey to rest at least five minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
