Air Fryer Turkey Breast
This Air Fryer Turkey Breast has juicy, tender meat and crispy golden skin. It’s the easiest way to cook turkey for a smaller Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, without roasting a whole bird.
A bone-in turkey crown fits in most large air fryers, and it’s ready in about 80 minutes. You can keep the oven free for the potatoes, stuffing and the rest of the dinner.
Please continue scrolling down to find the recipe card below, which contains the complete list of ingredients with measurements, detailed recipe instructions, additional notes, and nutritional information.
You don’t need to brine it the night before, and it’s much easier to carve than a whole turkey. Even people who usually prefer dark meat will like this one. A 3½ lb crown will give you 6 portions, with some left for sandwiches the next day.
What Is a Turkey Crown
A turkey crown is the whole turkey breast on the bone, with the legs and wings taken off. In the US, the same cut is usually sold as a bone-in turkey breast. It’s all white meat, and it cooks much faster than a whole bird.
Why This Recipe Works
- With garlic and rosemary butter under the skin, the breast meat stays soft and juicy.
- Turkey on the bone stays juicier than a boneless roast, and it has more flavor.
- The skin comes out crispy and deep golden from just a little smoked paprika and olive oil.
- You only turn it once halfway through, with no basting every half hour.
- Apart from the turkey, all you need is butter, garlic, a lemon, fresh rosemary and a few spices.
- It’s naturally gluten free and low in carbs.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Turkey crown – A bone-in turkey breast with the legs and wings removed. Choose one around 3½ lb (1.6 kg) so it fits in your basket, and make sure it’s fully thawed. For a boneless cut, try my Air Fryer Turkey Tenderloin.
- Butter – Unsalted butter, soft enough to mix with a spoon. If you only have salted butter, leave out the salt in the herb butter.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves, grated or chopped very finely.
- Fresh rosemary – Fresh sprigs, with the needles picked off and chopped very finely. You can use fresh thyme or sage instead.
- Lemon – An unwaxed lemon if you can find one, as you use the zest in the butter. Cut the rest into wedges for serving.
- Seasoning – Smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt and black pepper, mixed with olive oil. Sweet paprika works fine if you don’t like the smoky taste.
- Parsley – Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to sprinkle over the sliced turkey.
How to Make Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Important Note
Before you start cooking, note that times may differ among air fryers. I develop my recipes using a Cosori 6.8 air fryer. If you’re using a different air fryer, view my recipes as a general guide and tweak the cooking time—add a bit more or cook slightly less as needed.
Make the Herb Butter
Take the turkey crown out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start. Put the soft butter in a small bowl with the grated garlic, chopped rosemary, lemon zest and salt. Mix it with a spoon until everything is evenly combined.
Season the Turkey
Pat the turkey dry all over with paper towels. Slide your fingers under the skin to loosen it from the meat on both sides of the breast, taking care not to tear it.
Push the herb butter under the skin, then press on the outside of the skin to spread it over the meat.
Stir the olive oil, smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt and pepper together in a small jug. Brush it all over the skin.
Air Fry the Turkey
Place the turkey in the air fryer basket breast side down, with the crisper plate in. Dab any rub left in the jug over the underside. You don’t need to preheat the air fryer.
Air fry at 350° F (180° C) for 30 minutes. Turn the turkey breast side up with tongs and a carving fork. Pour the juices from the bottom of the drawer into a small bowl and keep them for the gravy.
Cook for about 50 minutes more, until a thermometer in the thickest part reads 160° F (71° C). If the skin gets too dark before then, cover it loosely with foil.
Rest and Carve
Lift the turkey onto a board and cover it loosely with foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes, and the temperature will rise to 165° F (74° C).
Cut down one side of the breastbone, following the bone, to take off a whole breast. Repeat on the other side, then slice the meat across. Squeeze over a little lemon juice and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
How Long to Cook Turkey Breast in the Air Fryer
The cooking time depends on the size of the turkey and on your air fryer. Turn it halfway through whatever the size, and go by the thermometer more than the clock.
| Turkey Breast | Cooking Time at 350° F (180° C) |
|---|---|
| 3 lb (1.4 kg) bone-in crown | About 70 minutes |
| 3½ lb (1.6 kg) bone-in crown | 80 minutes |
| 4 to 4½ lb (1.8 to 2 kg) bone-in crown | 90 to 100 minutes |
| 3 lb (1.4 kg) boneless turkey breast roast | 60 to 70 minutes |
How to Cook a Boneless Turkey Breast in the Air Fryer
A boneless turkey breast roast cooks the same way, at the same temperature. Leave the netting on until it’s cooked. It holds the roast together in the basket.
Rub the herb butter under the skin, or all over if the roast has no skin. Turn it after 30 minutes, then cook until the middle reads 160° F (71° C). A 3 lb (1.4 kg) roast takes about 60 to 70 minutes.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Use a meat thermometer. It’s the only way to know the middle is cooked without cutting into the turkey.
- Pat the skin dry before you start, as wet skin won’t crisp up in the air fryer.
- Keep the fresh rosemary inside the butter. Fresh herbs on top of the skin burn in the air fryer.
- Don’t skip the resting time. If you carve it straight away, the juices run out onto the board.
- Save the juices from the drawer to make gravy or to spoon over the slices.
- If your crown is a tight fit, take out the crisper plate and cook it straight in the drawer. You can also cut off the backbone and rib bones with kitchen scissors so it sits lower.
Seasoning Variations
- Lemon pepper – Use lemon pepper instead of smoked paprika in the rub.
- Cajun – Swap the paprika and thyme for Cajun seasoning, and leave out the salt, as most blends are already salty.
- Honey mustard – Brush the skin with a little honey mixed with Dijon mustard for the last 10 minutes.
- Classic herb – Use fresh sage and thyme in the butter instead of rosemary.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this air fryer turkey breast with Crispy Air Fryer Baby (Mini) Potatoes, Crispy Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and plenty of gravy. For a bigger holiday dinner, add Air Fryer Butternut Squash Cubes and Air Fryer Mini Pigs in a Blanket.
If some of your guests prefer dark meat, cook a couple of Turkey Legs in Air Fryer to serve with it.
Storage Instructions
Keep leftover turkey in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can freeze the sliced turkey for up to 3 months, and thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.
To reheat, put the slices in the air fryer with a splash of stock and cover them with foil. Heat at 350° F (180° C) for 4 to 5 minutes, until hot all the way through.
Leftover turkey is great in sandwiches and salads. You can also use it instead of chicken in my Air Fryer Chicken Enchiladas with White Sauce.
Make Ahead
You can make the herb butter up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Let it soften before you use it.
You can also push the butter under the skin the night before. Keep the turkey covered in the fridge, and brush on the rub just before cooking.
FAQs
Start it breast side down for the first 30 minutes, then turn it breast side up for the rest of the time. The breast meat stays juicy, and the skin on top crisps up at the end.
Turkey is safe to eat at 165° F (74° C). Take it out of the air fryer at 160° F (71° C) in the thickest part, and the temperature rises to 165° F (74° C) as it rests.
No, thaw it fully first. A frozen crown cooks unevenly, and the outside is done long before the middle. Thaw it in the fridge, allowing about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb (1.8 to 2.3 kg).
Most basket air fryers of 5.5 quarts or more fit a 3 to 4 lb (1.4 to 1.8 kg) crown. Check there’s at least ½ inch (1 cm) of space between the top of the turkey and the heating element.
No. Put the turkey in the air fryer and start it straight away. If your model has a preheat step, the turkey may be ready a few minutes sooner, so check it with a thermometer.
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Ingredients
Turkey
- 3½ lb bone-in turkey crown (1.6 kg) fully thawed
Herb Butter
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (40 g)
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- ½ lemon, zest only cut the rest into wedges for serving
- 1½ tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- ½ tsp salt
Rub
- 1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
To Serve
- lemon wedges and chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Make the Herb Butter
- Take the turkey crown out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start.
- Mix the soft butter with the grated garlic, chopped rosemary, lemon zest and salt in a small bowl.
Season the Turkey
- Pat the turkey dry all over with paper towels. Slide your fingers under the skin to loosen it from the meat on both sides of the breast.
- Push the herb butter under the skin, then press on the outside of the skin to spread it over the meat.
- Stir the olive oil, smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt and pepper together. Brush it all over the skin.
Air Fry the Turkey
- Place the turkey in the air fryer basket breast side down, with the crisper plate in. Dab any leftover rub over the underside. You don’t need to preheat.
- Air fry at 350° F (180° C) for 30 minutes. Turn the turkey breast side up. Pour the juices from the drawer into a small bowl and keep them for the gravy.
- Cook for about 50 minutes more, until a thermometer in the thickest part reads 160° F (71° C).
Rest and Carve
- Cover the turkey loosely with foil and let it rest on a board for 15 minutes.
- Carve along each side of the breastbone, then slice the meat across. Squeeze over a little lemon juice and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Video
Notes
- Doneness: Take the turkey out at 160° F (71° C) in the thickest part. It rises to 165° F (74° C), the safe temperature, as it rests.
- Size: A 3 lb (1.4 kg) crown takes about 70 minutes, and a 4 to 4½ lb (1.8 to 2 kg) crown takes 90 to 100 minutes. Turn it halfway through whatever the size.
- Fit: Leave at least ½ inch (1 cm) of space between the top of the turkey and the heating element. If it’s a tight fit, take out the crisper plate and cook it straight in the drawer. You can also cut off the backbone and rib bones with kitchen scissors so it sits lower.
- Boneless turkey breast: Cook it the same way with the netting left on, turning it after 30 minutes. A 3 lb (1.4 kg) roast takes about 60 to 70 minutes.
- Browning: If the skin gets too dark before the turkey is cooked, cover it loosely with foil.
- Frozen turkey: Thaw it fully in the fridge first, allowing about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb (1.8 to 2.3 kg).
- Swaps: Use fresh thyme or sage instead of rosemary, or sweet paprika instead of smoked. With salted butter, leave out the salt in the herb butter.
- Make ahead: Make the herb butter up to 3 days ahead. You can push it under the skin the night before and keep the turkey covered in the fridge.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze the slices for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Put the slices in the air fryer with a splash of stock, cover them with foil and heat at 350° F (180° C) for 4 to 5 minutes.
