How Long to Air Fry a Turkey Breast for Perfectly Juicy Results

Air frying a turkey breast is a quick and easy way to enjoy delicious turkey any time of year. With an air fryer, you can cook a juicy and flavorful turkey breast in under an hour without heating up the whole oven. But how long exactly should you air fry turkey to get ideal results? Follow this guide to learn the timing and temperature for air frying turkey breasts to tender, juicy perfection.

Why Air Fry Turkey?

Air frying is a great cooking method for turkey breasts for several reasons:

• It’s fast – Air frying cooks food quickly thanks to the hot air circulating around the food. A turkey breast will cook in 30-40 minutes instead of over an hour in the oven.

• Uses less oil – The air fryer requires little to no oil for crispy results, making it a healthier cooking method

• Easy cleanup – With no big roasting pan to wash, cleanup is simpler after air frying.

• Moist and juicy meat – The circulating hot air crisps up the skin while keeping the meat very moist inside.

• Adds flavor – Spices and herbs penetrate well when air frying for full-flavored turkey.

• Perfect portions – It’s easy to cook just what you need with boneless turkey breast cuts.

Picking the Right Turkey Breast

To start, choose the right cut of turkey breast:

• Bone-in split breast – This is the better choice for air frying. The bone helps the meat cook evenly and adds moisture and flavor.

• Boneless turkey breast – Opt for cuts about 1-2 lbs. Brine first for the most juicy meat when air frying boneless.

• Skin-on – Keeping the skin on helps keep the breast meat juicy and gives you crispy skin.

Seasoning and Preparing the Turkey

Proper seasoning and prep is key for the best flavor:

• Pat dry – Make sure the turkey is dried thoroughly before seasoning. This helps the seasoning stick better.

• Rub with oil or butter – Coat the turkey with a light layer of oil or butter. This promotes even browning.

• Season generously – Turkey benefits from assertive seasoning. Use lots of salt, pepper and hearty herbs like rosemary, thyme and sage.

• Season under the skin – Loosen the skin gently and rub seasoning directly onto the meat for added flavor.

• Let marinate – For extra juicy and tender turkey, let it marinate for 30 mins to an hour after seasoning.

What Temperature to Use

The right air fryer temperature for turkey breast is:

• 350°F – This temperature ensures even cooking throughout without drying out the breast meat.

• Do not exceed 400°F – Higher temperatures will cause the turkey to dry out quickly.

• Preheat properly – Allow the air fryer to fully preheat before adding the turkey. This ensures the air reaches the proper temp.

How Long to Cook Turkey Breast in an Air Fryer

Cooking times can vary a bit depending on the size and shape of your turkey breast. Follow these tips for perfect doneness:

• Cook bone-in breast for 38-45 minutes – A 2-3 lb. bone-in breast will take about 40 minutes, turning halfway.

• Cook boneless breast for 25-35 minutes – A 1-2 lb. boneless, skin-on breast will take 30 minutes or less.

• Check temperature – Use an instant read thermometer to check doneness. Turkey is done at 165°F.

• Let rest 5-10 minutes – Once cooked through, let the turkey breast rest before slicing for juicy meat.

Handy Time and Temperature Guidelines

For easy reference, here are air fryer times and temperatures for different sizes of turkey breast:

• 1 lb. boneless breast at 350°F: 25-30 minutes
• 2 lb. boneless breast at 350°F: 30-35 minutes
• 2 lb. bone-in breast at 350°F: 35-40 minutes
• 3 lb. bone-in breast at 350°F: 40-45 minutes

Always verify doneness with a thermometer before serving. If the turkey breast is thicker on one end, be sure to check the temperature in multiple spots.

Getting Crispy Skin

To get the crispiest possible turkey skin when air frying:

• Use skin-on turkey breasts – The skin needs to be present to get crispy.

• Pat skin very dry – Eliminate any moisture on the skin before cooking for optimal crispness.

• Rub with oil – Coating the skin with a thin layer of oil helps increase browning and crispness.

• Prop up skin side up – If needed, use foil balls or chopped veggies to prop up the breast skin-side up in the basket.

• Cook at 350-400°F – The higher air fryer temperature range leads to crisper skin.

• Cook skin-side down first – Starting skin-side down for half the time crisps the skin nicely.

Making Juicy Air Fryer Turkey Breast

Here are some tips for keeping your air fried turkey breast super moist and juicy:

• Brine first – Soaking the breast in a saltwater brine guarantees tender, juicy meat.

• Marinate – Letting the breast marinate in herbs, oil, citrus juice, etc. helps keep it juicy.

• Pat dry – Be sure to remove excess brine or marinade from the surface before cooking for crispy skin.

• Use bone-in – The bone adds moisture and flavor as the turkey cooks.

• Cook at lower temp – 350°F gives you juicy meat without overcooking the breast.

• Avoid overcooking – Use a meat thermometer and don’t cook past 165°F.

• Let rest before slicing – Letting it rest allows juices to redistribute for juicier meat.

Make a Complete Meal

Round out your air fried turkey breast dinner with flavorful sides:

• Roast vegetables – Cook veggies like Brussels sprouts, carrots, or broccoli right in the air fryer alongside the turkey.

• Mashed potatoes – Creamy mashed spuds are a perfect pairing for tender turkey.

• Stuffing or dressing – For a flavorful side, top stove-cooked stuffing with crispy turkey skin.

• Cranberry sauce – Sweet, tart cranberry sauce balances the savory turkey beautifully.

• Dinner rolls – Warm dinner rolls are ideal for sopping up turkey pan juices and gravy.

With the right technique, air frying allows you to enjoy deliciously juicy and flavorful turkey breast any night of the week. Follow the guidelines above for perfect results. Enjoy your easy air fried turkey dinner!