Air Fryer Turkey Breast
A bone-in turkey crown cooked in the air fryer with garlic, rosemary and lemon butter under the skin. It's juicy, golden and ready in about 80 minutes.
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.