Air Fryer Turkey Breast Recipe - Skinnytaste (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to bake or air fry a turkey? ›

This year, make your turkey in the air fryer! It takes way less effort with far better results and you are guaranteed to have crispy skin and juicy turkey! Also it is a phenomenal way to make a smaller Thanksgiving. Cooking just the breast also ensures you won't end up with dry meat!

Cook 45-60 minutes, about 7-10 minutes per pound, until a food thermometer inserted registers 165° F.

Air fryer turkey breast cooks in just 1 hour. Less Labor Intensive. You don't need to mess with a wet turkey brine or dry brine unless you are in the mood. This turkey breast can be ready to cook right away.

Layer roasting rack on top and place turkey breast with the skin up on a roasting tray. Roast. Roast in a 450F preheated oven for 25 minutes, until the skin is golden brown, then lower the oven temperature to 350 F and loosely cover the turkey with aluminum foil.

To convert cooking temperatures from a regular oven to an air fryer, you need to keep in mind that air fryers cook food in less time and at a higher temperature than conventional ovens. Typically, you can reduce the cooking time by about 20-25% when using an air fryer compared to a conventional oven.

Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.

STEP 1: Take the turkey out of the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature. Pat dry, drizzle or rub with the oil then add the seasonings on both sides. STEP 2: Meanwhile, preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes.

To check the bird's internal temperature, turn off the burner and use the hook attached to the poultry rack to lift the turkey from the oil slowly. A deep-fried turkey typically requires a cooking time of 3½ minutes per pound, so a 12–14-lb. bird should take 40–50 minutes to reach 165°F.

Generally, you can expect it to take approximately 10 minutes per pound. Cook times are included as a general guideline.

Which end of turkey goes in the fryer first? ›

Make sure the hole at the neck is open at least 2 inches so oil can flow freely into the cavity. Turn off the heat source. Place whole onion into the drain basket followed by turkey, neck-end first. Slowly lower the basket into the fryer until turkey is completely submerged in oil.

Cooking a turkey upside down allows the juices to trickle down during the roasting process for extra moist and juicy breast meat. Plus, since the dark meat is closer to the heat source, it cooks faster than it does with the traditional method. It's a win-win!

It doesn't matter if you're roasting, frying, or smoking your turkey, there's no need to give it a rinse unless you've brined it (more on that below). Cooking the turkey kills any bacteria, but washing a turkey before you cook it opens the door to dangerous cross contamination.

If you let the turkey rest a bit, the juices reabsorb into the meat rather than running out of the bird and landing on the cutting board. Carve it to order. The longer you let it sit after you slice it, the drier it will be.

Roasting foods in the air fryer is much quicker than roasting them in the oven since its compact size allows the air fryer to get to temperature much more quickly and use that heat more efficiently.

Deep-frying a turkey is a vastly superior option for countless reasons. The most important: Like everyone who's ever tried it will tell you, it tastes better than roast turkey. The white meat is moister, the dark meat is even more flavorful, and the skin, while not always totally crispy, is never slimy and gross.

It turns out that what I thought was a gimmick is actually one of the appliance's greatest strengths: Essentially a small convection oven, the air fryer is a great tool for baking, especially small-batch baking, and cooking when it's too hot to turn on the conventional oven.

The United States Department of Agriculture advises to cook a whole turkey breast side up during the entire cooking time. Turning over a large, hot bird can be dangerous and it's very easy to tear the skin, making the finished product less attractive.