Air Fryer Turkey Breast and Gravy

Name: Air Fryer Turkey Breast and Gravy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 200 min
Ingredients: ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏2½‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏to‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏3 pounds ͏͏͏͏͏͏͏boneless,‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏skinless‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏turkey‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏breast; 1 tablespoon‎︉ ‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏kosher‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏salt; 1 teaspoon ‎︉ ‎󠇬 ‎󠇬brown‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏sugar; 1 teaspoon ‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏black‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏pepper; 1 teaspoon ‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏garlic‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏powder; 1 teaspoon ‎︉ ‎󠇬smoked‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏paprika; ½ teaspoon ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏onion‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏powder; ½ teaspoon dried‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏thyme; ½ teaspoon dried‎︉ ‎󠇬͏͏͏͏͏͏͏sage; 4 tablespoons unsalted‎︄ ‎󠅕͏͏͏͏͏͏͏butter (‎︄ ‎󠅕͏͏͏͏͏͏͏softened); 1 ‎︄ ‎󠅕͏͏͏͏͏͏͏teaspoon‎︄ ‎󠅕͏͏͏͏͏͏͏olive‎︄ ‎󠅕͏͏͏͏͏͏͏oil; 1 tablespoon‎︄ ‎︄ ‎󠅕͏͏͏͏͏͏͏‎󠅕͏͏͏͏͏͏͏unsalted‎︄ ‎󠅕͏͏͏͏͏͏͏butter; 3 to 4 ‎︄ ‎󠅕͏͏͏͏͏͏͏‎󠅕͏͏͏͏͏͏͏strips‎︄ ‎󠅕͏͏͏͏͏͏͏bacon; 5 tablespoons unsalted‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏butter; 1 ‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏shallot (‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏minced); 1 ‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏garlic‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏clove (‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏minced); ¼ cup ‎︃ ‎󠅏cup‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏all-purpose‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏flour; 2 cups low-sodium‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏turkey‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏or‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏chicken‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏brot; pan‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏drippings‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏from‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏air‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏fryer; 1 teaspoon ‎︃ Worcestershire‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏sauce; ½ teaspoon ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏fresh‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏thyme‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏leaves; ¼ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏poultry‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏seasoning; salt‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏and‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏black‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏pepper; 2 tablespoons ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏heavy‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏cream (‎︃ ‎󠅏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏optional)

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If you’re hosting a small gathering during the holidays, you’ll want to add this Air Fryer turkey breast recipe to the menu. So juicy and buttery, this comes out golden-crusted, while a rich pan gravy can be made while it rests. All the Thanksgiving payoff in under an hour!

Why You’re Going To Love This Turkey Breast in the Air Fryer

The dry brine does the hard work. Skinless breast has no fat layer to cover it, so a savory rub that marinates for several hours in the fridge is what keeps the meat incredibly juicy!
The gravy is done while the turkey rests. So quick and easy, it’s made with pan drippings and a butter and flour base, so it’s ready when it’s time to eat.
Perfect for a smaller Thanksgiving. The Air Fryer removes the complicated factor, and you end up with tender, sliceable turkey with plenty of protein, and you didn’t once have to turn on your oven. It’s just as good for a typical weeknight dinner, too!
The butter becomes the crispy “skin.” A softened butter rub creates that golden, crispy crust that melts in your mouth. I also like draping a few strips of bacon over the top, which brings out a little smoky flavor. Yum!

Cheryl’s Tested Notes & Tips

Give the brine the full time. Ensure your turkey is completely dry, rub on the seasoning, and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours. If you have time, overnight is better. When ready to cook, pull it out 20 minutes prior—this allows it to cook evenly.
Tie it, size it right, and secure it. Twine keeps the breast an even shape, and a 2½ pound breast fits best in a smaller basket. If you use foil to tent the turkey with foil, tuck it in well so the fan can’t blow it in the heating element and disrupt the cooking process.
Skinless turkey breasts go from juicy to dry fast. I start checking around the 30-minute mark, then every 5 minutes. Use a thermometer to assess doneness and pull the turkey at 160°F. The temperature will climb slightly as it rests.

Ingredient Notes

Turkey breast – I aim for a boneless, skinless breast that’s 2½ to 3 pounds. Check if yours is packaged in a salt solution. If so, cut the salt in the brine by half.

Salt – Diamond Crystal and Morton salt can measure differently. Use 1 tablespoon of Diamond Crystal or 2 teaspoons of Morton.

Butter – I prefer unsalted butter to control the level of seasoning, and remember that brine adds plenty of salt! For a dairy-free version, use a dairy-free butter and omit the cream.

Broth – Again, the brine will be quite salty, so use a low-sodium broth here. You could also use broth from leftover chicken or turkey (maybe you had it more than once!), but just test the taste before adding additional salt.

Bacon – is totally optional, but I love how it adds a smoky flavor. If you skip it, the turkey will still be incredibly juicy!

My Holiday Serving Suggestions

I’m offering a lot of ideas, but of course, don’t make all of them! With a smaller gathering, you could serve only one type of potato, skip the rolls, and don’t bother with stuffing.

Potatoes. A staple of any holiday meal. Make these amazing recipes: red skin mashed potatoes, Texas Roadhouse mashed potatoes, gluten free scalloped potatoes, or Air Fryer red potatoes.
Sweet potatoes. Another must-make; I tend to rotate these recipes over the years, and my family loves them: sweet potato casserole, Air Fryer sweet potatoes, hasselback sweet potatoes, and whipped sweet potatoes.
Veggies. The possibilities are endless; you could serve roasted vegetables or a fresh salad. Here are some suggestions: Brussels Sprouts salad, keto broccoli salad, or Instant Pot carrots with a maple butter sauce.
Rolls. I said above you could skip the rolls, but really, why would you do that? I just published this Texas Roadhouse rolls recipe and tested a make-ahead Parker House rolls
Stuffing. Now, this is one thing you could skip if you want to go low-carb. But if you’d like to include this dish, try my rich and buttery gluten free stuffing!
Cranberry sauce. I know some people who think it’s a crime to NOT have this at the table, even for an intimate Thanksgiving. Check out the showstopping jellied cranberry sauce or a more classic one with a health twist: keto cranberry sauce
Pie. My family always has pie, and if you’re on keto, consider making this keto pumpkin pie, so you can still enjoy dessert! Or bake these healthier versions of the originals: gluten free pecan pie, vegan apple pie, or vegan coconut cream pie.

Storage, Reheating, & Make-Ahead

Fridge: This Instant Pot turkey will last between 3 abd 4 days when sealed in an airtight container. Store the gravy separately.
Reheating: I heat slices in the oven with a splash of broth or gravy, covered, at 325°F, until hot. Gently warm up the gravy and add a bit of broth if the consistency is thick.
Freezing: Put the sliced turkey in a freezer-safe bag (add a spoonful of gravy for moisture and flavor), and freeze for up to 3 months.
Making Ahead: The dry brine is your make ahead step! Since we’re using an air fryer, the hard labor is done. Rub the brine on the skinless turkey breast thoroughly and, if you can, leave it in the fridge overnight to soak in the flavors.

Recipe FAQs

How long do you air fry turkey breast?

This recipe calls for a 2½ to 3-pound skinless breast, which should take 45 minutes at 350°F. I start checking at 30 minutes. Air fryers vary, so it’s best to assess its doneness. Pull it at 160°F (use a thermometer to check).

Do I really need to brine a turkey breast?

You don’t have to, but because there’s no layer of fat to hold moisture, the brine really makes it juicy. So, in short, yes, you should do this so the turkey comes out succulent. If you lack time, brine it for the recommended 2 hours.

Can I cook a frozen turkey breast in the air fryer?

Unfortunately, not for this recipe. The turkey needs to be thawed so the brine can soften the meat and cook evenly. If you’re using frozen, thaw it out a day or two before cooking.