5 Star Reader Comment
I made this for dinner this evening and WOW!!! It is by far the best air fryer turkey breast I’ve made. The Montreal seasoning is excellent with the turkey. I will be making this again and again!!! Your recipes are the best, Donya!!!
Rebecca
Turkey Breast So Easy I Might Never Roast a Whole Bird Again
I used to treat turkey like a once-a-year performance, something I only attempted on the one day it truly mattered, and always with a knot in my stomach. Too many holidays ended with a dry slice on my plate and a promise to figure it out next year.
Then I put a turkey breast in the air fryer for the first time, half expecting it to go sideways. Instead, I lifted that basket to find the skin crisped up golden and the juices running clear, and something in me finally relaxed. This is the method that turned turkey from a once-a-year gamble into something I make on a random Tuesday because my family asked for it.
If turkey has ever felt like too much pressure at your house, this is the recipe that takes the pressure off.
Enjoy!
The One-Seasoning Trick That Does All the Work
Montreal seasoning is a savory, herb-forward blend that does a lot of heavy lifting with very little effort. It gives the turkey a bold, peppery crust without needing a compound butter or a long list of individual spices. One coat, and you’re set.
What I’ve Learned From Making This More Times Than I Can Count
- Start it skin-side down. This is the step people skip, and it matters. Cooking skin-side down first lets the fat render and the skin crisp from direct contact with the basket, so by the time you flip it, most of the work is already done.
- Pat the turkey completely dry first. Any surface moisture steams instead of crisps. A few extra seconds with a paper towel makes a real difference.
- Secure the skin with a toothpick. Pull the skin snug around the breast and pin it in place to keep it from shrinking back and exposing bare meat as it cooks.
- Pull it at 160°F, not 165°F. Carryover cooking will finish the job while it rests. Pulling too late is the fastest way to dry out an otherwise perfect turkey breast.
- Let it rest the full 10 minutes. I know it is tempting to slice right away, but this is when the internal temperature climbs to a safe 165°F, and the juices settle back into the meat instead of running out onto the cutting board.
- Slice against the grain. This one small detail is the difference between tender slices and chewy ones.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Boneless turkey breast is the base here, tender, easy to slice, and it cooks far more evenly than trying to wrangle a whole bird.
Olive oil helps the seasoning stick and gives the skin a head start on crisping.
Montreal seasoning brings bold, herb-forward flavor in a single step, no separate spice measuring required.
Kosher salt is essential for proper seasoning. Do not skip it, even if the Montreal blend already contains some salt.
Make It Yours
- Swap the seasoning. Thyme, fresh rosemary, onion powder, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, or Italian seasoning all work beautifully in place of Montreal seasoning.
- Try bacon drippings instead of oil. A reader asked me this exact question, and I love the answer. Bacon drippings in place of olive oil give the turkey a subtle smoky flavor that pairs perfectly with a Southern spread.
- Go bone-in. A bone-in turkey breast works in the air fryer too. Just add about 25 minutes to the cooking time on each side and rely on your thermometer, not the clock, to know when it is done.
From Air Fryer to the Table
- Prep the turkey with the olive oil and seasoning then pull the skin snug around the breast and secure it with a toothpick. Preheat the air fryer, then place the turkey skin-side down and cook until the skin is deeply golden. Flip and continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer reads 160°F in the thickest part.
- Rest, tented with foil, before slicing across the grain. For full details, quantities, and cook times, see the recipe card below.
Your Cheat Sheet for Perfect Turkey
| Step | Temperature | Time | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preheat air fryer | 350°F | 5 minutes | Ready before turkey goes in |
| Cook skin-side down | 350°F | 25 minutes | Skin starting to turn golden |
| Flip and continue | 350°F | 15 to 20 minutes | Internal temp of 160°F |
| Rest, tented with foil | Off heat | 10 minutes | Carries up to 165°F |
For a bone-in turkey breast, add about 25 minutes per side and confirm doneness the same way, with an instant-read thermometer reaching 165°F.
Turkey Day Math: What To Do Ahead
Always start from a fully thawed turkey. The times in this recipe assume the turkey has already thawed completely. A frozen turkey breast will cook unevenly and throw off every timing guideline here.
Store leftovers properly. Keep any leftover turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
Plan it into a busy holiday day. Because this method is so fast compared to roasting a whole bird, it is an easy way to free up oven space for sides on Thanksgiving or Christmas without sacrificing a beautiful centerpiece turkey.
Craving More? Try These Air Fryer Recipes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 3-4 pound Boneless turkey breast
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Montreal Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon – or to taste Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer at 350 for 5 minutes.
- Remove the turkey breast from the mesh netting and place it on a cutting board. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle Montreal seasoning and salt on both sides of the turkey breast. Pull skin around the turkey breast and secure with a toothpick.
- Place turkey breast, skin side down, in the air fryer. Roast at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Turn and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees.
- Remove turkey breast from the air fryer and place on a clean cutting board. Lightly cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. ***Carryover cooking will happen, and the internal temperature will rise to 165 degrees.
- Slice turkey across the grain and place on a serving platter. Drizzle with drippings from the bottom of the air fryer and serve.
Video
Nutrition
People Often Ask Me
Use an instant-read thermometer. Turkey is safe at 165°F, but I pull mine at 160°F and let carryover heat finish the job.
Yes, and it is a great swap. Bacon drippings add a subtle smoky flavor that works especially well with the Montreal seasoning.
No—always thaw it first. The cooking times in this method assume the turkey starts thawed and safe to cook.
Use a sharp knife and slice against the grain for the most tender pieces. Then drizzle any extra pan drippings right over the top.
Yes. Add about 25 minutes of cook time per side and check for doneness with a thermometer rather than relying on the clock, since bone-in breasts cook a little differently than boneless.
Store any leftover turkey in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Serving Suggestions
For Thanksgiving or Christmas, I love serving turkey with classic dishes like Cranberry Orange Sauce, Southern Green Beans, and Baked Potato Casserole.
And, of course, there’s nothing like a turkey sandwich served with a side of Deviled Egg Pasta Salad!
If you tried this Air Fryer Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
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Can I do this recipe in a toaster oven I don’t own an air fryer
Absolutely! You can adapt the recipe for a toaster oven. Just keep an eye on the cooking time, as it may vary slightly compared to an air fryer. Let me know how it turns out.
XO, Donya
You always inspire me to cook favorite foods in new ways! I am planning to cook our Thanksgiving bird this new way, freeing up the oven for more sides. I’ll use your crockpot ham recipe too. Love your cooking style! Thank you, Donya
Thank you so much for your kind words, Karen! I’m thrilled to hear that you’re trying new methods for your Thanksgiving meal. Using the crockpot is a great way to free up oven space—your guests will love it! Happy cooking, and I hope you have a wonderful holiday!
XO, Donya
What kind of air fryer do you use? What size air fryer is required for this recipe?
Does it do different types of functions/cooking?
Thank you for your question! I use a specific air fryer that I really love, and you can find it on my Amazon page. For this recipe, a medium-sized air fryer is typically sufficient. Many modern air fryers also offer various functions, such as baking and roasting, which can be quite handy. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!
XO, Donya
Can you airfry a frozen boneless turkey roast?
Thank yousa
Hey there!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, I think you’re really going to like it! I recommend defrosting the turkey before you air fry it, the cook time in this recipe doesn’t account for any time it would take the turkey to reach room temperature. I hope this is helpful, let me know how everything turns out if you do give this recipe a try, I’d love to hear what you think!
~Donya
I made this for dinner this evening and WOW!!! It is by far the best air fryer turkey breast I’ve made. The Montreal seasoning is excellent with the turkey. I will be making this again and again!!! Your recipes are the best, Donya!!!
Hey there Rebecca!
Oh my goodness, reading this has made my day! I am so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed this recipe as well as the Montreal seasoning recipe, honestly I love using the Air Fryer for dinner just for the sake of convenience. Thank you so much for your kind words and for this phenomenal rating! If you enjoyed this recipe, you should check out my Air Fryer Salmon recipe, it’s just as delicious and easy to make. Thank you for your support!
~Donya
I have a 9# turkey breast with bone-in. Could I air-fry that ? And for how long?
Hey there Marilou!
That’s a really good question, thank you for your interest in this recipe! You can absolutely Air Fry a #9 Turkey breast bone-in, the biggest thing you’ll want to remember is that you need the internal temp to read 160 degrees. I would recommend Air Frying for 25 minutes, then flip and Air Fry for another 20-25 minutes on the other side. If the internal temperature isn’t 160 yet, then flip back to original side for 5 minutes, and flip again for another 5 minutes; repeat this process until it’s cooked. I hope this helps, let me know how it turns out!
~Donya
Would bacon drippings be ok instead of oil?
Hey there Baltisraul!
Thank you for your interest in this recipe! Yes I think that bacon drippings would work well instead of oil, it would give the Turkey a nice smokey bacon flavor. I hope you enjoy, let me know how it turns out!
~Donya