Who's ready for Thanksgiving all year long? We are. This air fryer turkey breast gives you juicy, tender meat with crisp, golden skin, without babysitting the oven or dealing with a vat of oil.
It's everything you love about the holiday table, made weeknight-easy for meal prep. The butter-and-herb rub locks in moisture and brings that cozy, Thanksgiving aroma to your kitchen. Serve it with simple sides and gravy, or slice it for salads, sandwiches, and bowls. For more ideas, browse our High Protein Recipes and Air Fryer Recipes categories.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Big Thanksgiving flavor in a small, weeknight-friendly package
- Faster and cleaner than oven roasting or deep-frying
- Meal-prep ready: slices reheat beautifully and stay juicy
- Flexible seasoning... swap in your favorite herbs and spices
- Protein-packed centerpiece that works with any side
Air Fryer Turkey Breast Ingredients:
- 5 lb. turkey breast, thawed
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
How to make
Step 1: Prep
Preheat a 5-quart (or larger) air fryer to 350°F. Pat the turkey breast very dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mash together the butter, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Step 2: Season
Gently loosen the skin over the breast. Rub half of the herb butter under the skin. Spread the remaining butter all over the top and sides.
Step 3: Air fry
Place the turkey breast skin-side up in the air fryer basket. Cook for 20 minutes. Carefully flip and continue cooking 30-40 minutes more, or until the thickest part reaches 165°F.
Step 4: Rest & slice
Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and rest 15 minutes to lock in juices. Carve and serve, or cool for meal prep.
Note: Macros are based on 8 servings and include skin.
How to store
- Fridge: Cool completely, then slice, debone, and portion into airtight, shallow containers within 2 hours. Refrigerate up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Slice into pieces no thicker than 2 inches. Wrap tightly (foil or freezer paper), then place in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze up to 2 months. Label with date and portions.
How to reheat
- Oven: Place slices in a small baking dish with a splash of broth. Cover with foil and heat at 300-325°F for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through. Uncover for the last 3-5 minutes to re-crisp skin.
- Microwave: Arrange slices in a single layer with a teaspoon of broth, cover loosely, and heat 45-60 seconds per serving. Let stand 1 minute; avoid overheating to prevent dryness.
- Air fryer (skin-on pieces): 300°F for 3-5 minutes to warm and re-crisp.
Nutrition facts (per serving, ⅛ recipe)
- Calories: 350
- Protein: 55 g
- Carbs: 0 g
- Fat: 12.8 g
- Fiber: 0 g
Helpful tips or ingredient swaps
- Use a thermometer: Don't guess-pull at 165°F for perfect, juicy meat.
- Herb swaps: Sage, parsley, or oregano all work. Add a pinch of cayenne for gentle heat.
- Bacon boost: Mix crisp bacon bits into the butter and tuck under the skin for smoky richness.
- Citrus finish: Grate lemon or orange zest over the sliced turkey after cooking for brightness.
- Make-ahead: Season and butter the breast up to 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate; air fry straight from the fridge (add 5-10 extra minutes, checking temp).
How to portion this meal prep recipe:
Cut the turkey into 2-inch thick slices. For optimal reheating, don't make the pieces more than 2 inches thick. Eat some now and save the rest, meal prep, or freeze. Typically, you serve one pound of turkey per person. If you follow that rule, this meal prep recipe will give you five meals since you're using a 5-pound turkey breast.
Other tips for making Air Fryer Turkey:
- Do not reheat cooked meat multiple times. Debone, cut into slices, portion, and store in the refrigerator or freezer for single portion use later.
- Use different herbs for the rub. Use sage, parsley, or oregano. We'd love some cayenne pepper! You can also use a citrus zest, but do that after Air Fryer Turkey Breast is cooked.
- Pair your Air Fryer Turkey Breast meal with cranberries, figs, sweet potatoes, corn, green beans, almonds, or walnuts. Just like Thanksgiving!
- Add bacon bits to the butter and herb mix! Stuff them under the skin for a smoky, rich flavor.
- You can prep the turkey breast the night before frying for more intense, lasting flavors. Use half of the butter rub underneath the skin. Use the rest on top before frying the evening of.
More Air Fryer meal prep recipes:
Isn't air frying awesome? Here are some more air fryer meal prep recipes. We also threw in some turkey recipes to give you ideas on what to do with your air fried turkey breast. Enjoy!
- Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken
- Air Fryer Molasses Dijon Ham with Roasted Vegetables
- Asian Air Fryer Salmon
- Air Fryer Egg Rolls
- Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
- Bonus: 25 Air Fryer Recipes That Will Change The Way You Meal Prep
- Turkey Bacon Ranch Pinwheel Snack Boxes
- Greek Rice & Turkey Meal Prep Bowls
FAQs
A 5-quart basket fits most 5-lb turkey breasts. If yours is smaller, cook half at a time or use a split breast.
It likely overcooked. Use an instant-read thermometer and pull at 165°F. Rest 15 minutes before slicing, and add a little broth when reheating.
Yes. Time may be slightly shorter; start checking internal temp 10 minutes earlier and cook to 165°F.
Final thoughts
This air fryer turkey breast brings holiday comfort to any week-fast, flavorful, and perfect for meal prep. Slice it for lunches, build a mini "Thanksgiving plate," or tuck it into cozy grain bowls.
If you love this recipe, check out the Workweek Lunch Meal Planner to make healthy meal prep simple and stress-free all week long.
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 5 lb. turkey breast thawed (bone-in)
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat a 5-quart air fryer at 350ºF. Stir together herb butter in a small bowl. Blot turkey breast dry with paper towel and rub half of the herb butter under skin. Rub remaining butter over the top of turkey breast. Place turkey in air fryer skin side up and fry for 20 minutes.
- Gently flip turkey and continue to fry for 30 to 40 minutes longer or until internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Transfer turkey to a cutting board and rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Shawn Sieben says
For the part where it says, "Notes: Macros are based on 8 servings (including skin)", does that' mean this serving is 8 times the amount of Nutrition listed below or you would need to eat all 8 servings to each the amount of nutrition listed below?
Sarah Kesseli says
Hi Shawn, That means that there are 8 servings that are each: Calories: 350kcal | Protein: 55g | Fat: 12.8g. So the total recipe is 2800 calories, 102.4g fat, 440g Protein.