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
How I Stopped Overthinking Turkey
Let’s get straight to the point. Cooking a turkey or turkey breast can be a little intimidating. We’ve all had that less-than-appealing slice of holiday bird before, but now, there’s a new game in town.
The first time I made turkey in the air fryer, I remember standing in my kitchen, honestly a little skeptical. But the moment I lifted that beautifully roasted breast from the air fryer—skin crisped just right, juices running clear—I knew I’d found a game-changing method I could confidently share with you.
So, if you’ve ever felt hesitant about cooking turkey—especially on a day when the stakes feel high—let this recipe be the one that changes everything. It’s approachable, stress-free, and tastes like you’ve been roasting turkeys your whole life.
Enjoy!
The magic of the air fryer shines through in this recipe. Just like my Air Fryer Baked Potatoes, Air Fyer Whole Chicken, and Air Fryer Sausage And Potatoes, simple recipes are turned into something amazing with air frying!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Montreal seasoning – a savory, herb-forward blend that makes turkey shine.
- Boneless turkey breast – tender, easy to slice, and cooks evenly.
- Olive oil – helps the skin crisp and the seasoning adhere.
- Kosher salt – essential for proper seasoning (never skip this!).
- Black pepper – adds warm spice.
Variations And Substitutions
- Change the Montreal seasoning for thyme, fresh rosemary, onion powder, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, or Italian seasoning.
- You can use a bone-in turkey breast but will need to increase the cooking time by about 25 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another 25 minutes. Your turkey breast will be done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
How to Make Air Fryer Turkey Breast
1. Prep the Turkey – Remove the mesh netting and pat the turkey breast dry. Drizzle with olive oil, season well with kosher salt and Montreal seasoning, and pull the skin around the breast, securing it with a toothpick if needed.
2. Air Fry – Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Place the turkey skin-side down and cook for 25 minutes. Flip, then cook another 15–20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 160°F.
3. Rest – Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. The internal temperature will rise to 165°F, giving you juicy, tender slices.
More Easy Turkey Recipes
My Simple Delicious Oven Roasted Turkey is terrific for any holiday celebration, and my Crock Pot Turkey Breast recipe is perfect when you want to enjoy turkey but don’t want to roast a whole bird.
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
Notes
- Carving the turkey – After the roasted turkey has rested, use a sharp knife to cut smooth slices against the grain of the breast meat. Drizzle with any leftover drippings and serve.
- Check the temperature – The best method is to use an instant-read thermometer, which should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit when the turkey is done.
- Leftovers – Store any leftover turkey in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Nutrition
People Often Ask Me
Use a sharp knife and slice against the grain for the most tender pieces. Then drizzle any extra pan drippings right over the top.
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.
Turkey is a lean protein, and when cooking it in an air fryer with very little oil makes it a great healthy option for a main dish.
No—always thaw it first. The cooking times in this method assume the turkey starts from a safe, thawed state.
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 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