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Home » Dinner » Air Fryer Turkey Breast

Air Fryer Turkey Breast

Published: Dec 9, 2020 · Modified: Dec 18, 2020 by Louisa Clements · This post may contain affiliate links

This post may contain affiliate links

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Make a delicious, juicy turkey breast in the air fryer for the perfect small holiday dinner! With a simple herb butter, the air fryer cooks the turkey quickly with a beautiful golden, crisp skin. This post is sponsored by Hamilton Beach.

Cooked turkey breast coming out of the Hamilton Beach Air Fryer

Making a turkey breast in the air fryer is an absolute game changer. I’ve been using the Hamilton Beach Air Fry Countertop Toaster Oven to make a succulent holiday main that’s perfect for a smaller crowd–forget about stressing about roasting a whole turkey in the oven, the air fryer makes making turkey simple and stress-free.  

Cooking for the holidays is a lot of work, so I like to keep my holiday recipes simple while being absolutely impressive. The key to delicious turkey? Start with an herb butter.

Closeup of sliced turkey breast on a white platter with green beans and fresh herb garnish.

That’s all this recipe takes; no overnight brining, no dry rub, just a simple mixture of room temperature butter with chopped fresh herbs and some salt and pepper. The air fryer does the rest! 

I love that when cooking with the air fryer, you don’t need to do any preheating, you can just add your turkey breast and set it to the “air fry” and cook for 45 minutes. 

An important tip is to make sure that you take note of the size of your air fryer before picking up the turkey as this will dictate the size you can cook. I typically opt for a 2 or 2 ½ lb bone-in turkey breast which fits perfectly in the Hamilton Beach air fryer. 

2 ½ lbs ends up being the perfect amount of turkey for a small holiday gathering of four people.

Closeup of cooked air fryer turkey breast on the oven rack of the air fryer.

Should I get a bone-in, skin-on turkey breast for cooking in the air fryer? 

Most definitely! Bone-in turkey breast will end up being juicier, plus the crispy skin may be the best part. Make sure you get the herb butter underneath the skin for optimal flavour.

Plus, you can save the bone to make homemade leftover turkey soup (if you have any leftovers!). 

When your turkey is finished cooking, make sure to let it rest for ten minutes before slicing to allow the juices to settle. 

Slices of turkey breast on a platter with fresh herbs, green beans and stuffing.

This method for cooking turkey doesn’t create all of the drippings as you would when you roast a turkey in the oven, so make some make-ahead gravy to serve alongside.

Closeup of sliced turkey breast on a white platter with green beans and fresh herb garnish.

Air Fryer Turkey Breast

Author: Louisa Clements
5 from 2 votes
Make a delicious, juicy turkey breast in the air fryer for the perfect small holiday dinner! With a simple herb butter, the air fryer cooks the turkey quickly with a beautiful golden, crisp skin. 
Pin Print
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
servings icon
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 2 ½ lb bone-in, skin-on turkey breast, at room temperature
  • 2 tbsp butter, softened
  • 1 tbsp minced mixed herbs, thyme, rosemary or sage
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, mix butter with herbs.
  • Loosen skin of turkey breast: slide fingers underneath, careful not to tear the skin. Rub butter mixture all over turkey, including under the skin. Sprinkle all over with salt.
  • Place turkey breast on the rack of the air fryer, skin side up and place in the middle of air fryer. Place the bake pan underneath and fill with 2 cups of water. Cook at 350F for 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160°. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. 
Did you try this recipe?Leave a comment + rating and let me know what you think!
Filed Under: Dinner, Dinner Recipes, gluten free, Holidays
Nutrition Facts
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Amount Per Serving
Calories 51 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 633mg28%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 204IU4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided for informational purposes only. If you have any specific dietary concerns, please consult with your healthcare practitioner.

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Comments

  1. Dustin

    December 17, 2020 at 3:37 am

    This was the best turkey ever. Fantastic recipe! I️ have made it several times with different seasonings. Always a hit with my family. Thanks

    5 stars

    Reply
  2. Fiori

    December 11, 2020 at 6:42 pm

    Soooo incredibly tasty!

    5 stars

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Louisa Clements & welcome to Living Lou. I've been creating simple, fresh & flavorful recipes for the modern kitchen for 12 years.
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