Juicy Air Fryer Turkey Breast for a Small Thanksgiving Dinner
Boneless turkey breast with a garlic, rosemary and smoked paprika rub, air fried to crackling skin. 42g protein — 60 minutes, serves 6.
Equipment
- Air fryer with a basket of at least 5.8 qt
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Kitchen Tongs
- Wooden carving board
Ingredients
- 1.4 kg boneless turkey breast (about 3 lb), skin-on
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1 lemon cut into wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Take the turkey breast out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking and pat it very dry with paper towels — dry skin is what crisps.
- Mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper into a paste and rub it all over the breast, under the skin where you can reach.
- Preheat the air fryer to 175°C (350°F) for 3 minutes.
- Place the breast skin-side down in the basket and cook for 20 minutes.
- Flip it skin-side up with tongs and cook for a further 25–30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer reads 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part.
- Rest the breast on a board, tented loosely with foil, for 10 minutes. The juices settle back into the meat — this is part of the cooking, not a pause.
- Slice thickly against the grain and serve with lemon wedges and the pan juices spooned over the top.
Notes
Pat the skin very dry before cooking — moisture steams instead of crisps. Pull at 74°C (165°F) and rest 10 minutes. Keeps 3 days refrigerated.