Yes, I am aware it is not November and I am talking about air frying a turkey breast just as spring has sprung. So why in spring am I posting about cooking a turkey? Because its an awesome meat for meal prepping!!! For me, its faster and easier than cooking a bunch of chicken breasts and my husband prefers the flavor of our air fryer turkey breast over chicken. It’s hard to keep him out of the kitchen with the aroma of a steaming juicy turkey fresh out of the fryer!
Turkey is a healthy and easy meat to prepare for meal preps:
Turkey breast is perfect for a weight loss meal prep or if you eat keto, low carb, paleo or any type of healthy diet. You can substitute turkey breast for almost any recipe that utilizes boneless chicken breast. Turkey and chicken are sources of high-quality protein with low calories. Turkey is slightly lower in calories than chicken. Three ounces of turkey breast contain 125 calories while three ounces of chicken has 130 calories. Even though the nutritional differences between chicken and turkey are minimal, the amount of meat you get from a turkey breast is way more abundant than chicken breast. A 4 to 5-lb turkey breast provides 10 to 13 4-oz servings. The average boneless skinless chicken breast is 4 oz. So, I would have to season and cook 10-13 individual chicken breasts to get the same amount of meat I get with seasoning and cooking one turkey breast.
Other ways to serve your air fryer turkey breast:
1. Small holiday dinner. If you are hosting a group of 4-6 people for Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter, preparing a whole turkey breast is way easier than a whole turkey
2. Family dinner. Instead of roasting or air frying a whole chicken for your family. Throw a turkey breast in the air fryer
3. If you only prefer white meat than making a turkey breast is the solution to your problem
4. Turkey breast provides enough meat for fabulous salads and lettuce wraps for at least a week.
Air frying a turkey breast keto style:
Air frying a turkey doesn’t mean you have to trade moist turkey meat for a quick and easy way to cook your turkey. Our easy keto air fryer turkey breast recipe consistently delivers moist turkey meat wrapped in flavorful and crispy dark golden-brown skin utilizing just three herbs and avocado oil. Your turkey breast will be perfectly cooked in a mere hour in the air fryer vs two hours or more roasting it in the oven. Most 5 quart and larger air fryers fit a 4 to 5-pound turkey breast. You want to buy a turkey breast with bone in and skin on.
How to cook turkey breast in an air fryer:
Once the turkey breast is thawed and prepared (see recipe below on how to prepare turkey breast using only three herbs and avocado oil), set the air fryer to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your turkey breast. I usually get a 5-pound turkey breast and place the turkey breast side up in the air fryer for 20 minutes. I then turn the breast onto one side and fry it for another 20 minutes and then turn the breast over to the other side for another 20 minutes. So, the top, left breast and right breast each get 20 minutes of cooking time. Once the internal temperature of the turkey breast is 165 degrees, it is completely cooked. For smaller turkey breasts you can place the turkey breast on its side and cook each side for 25-30 minutes.
After a lot of research, I decided to buy the Elite Platinum 5.5 quart air fryer. It had great reviews, durable, easy to use and budget friendly. I’ve had it for a year now and love it.
Optional Keto Plum Sauce:
Plum sauce is amazing on turkey! Spice it up a little bit next time you serve turkey and drizzle a little plum sauce over your poultry vs cranberry sauce. You’ll impress your family and guests with your delicious variation. Click my keto plum sauce recipe for all the appetizing ways you can use this delightful condiment that is slightly sweet, a tad tart with a hint of heat. Once you taste this you will buy plums every time you visit the grocery store!
Still craving some turkey?
Our keto turkey “apple” chili is an easy chili recipe that is hearty and low in carbs. We mixed slightly sweet with smoky chili to create this delicious twist on a fall favorite dinner recipe.
Keto Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 4-5 lb turkey breast bone in and skin on
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp rosemary
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp sage
Instructions
- set air fryer to 350 degrees for 20 minutes
- brush 1 tbsp avocado oil onto entire skin of turkey breast
- sprinkle kosher salt of the oiled skin
- place 1 tbsp avocado oil and all herbs into a small bowl and stir together
- brush or rub herb oil onto the entire skin of the turkey breast
- place turkey breast breast side up in air fryer basket. Run the air fryer for 20-25 minutes
- flip the turkey breast onto one side and run in air fryer for an additional 20-25 minutes.
- flip the turkey again to cook the last uncooked side of breast and fry an additional 20-25 minutes. The turkey is completely cooked once the thickest part of the breast is 165 degrees.
- if you have a smaller turkey breast you only have to fry the turkey on its side for 25 minutes and then the other side for 25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the turkey is 165.
- Remove the turkey from the air fryer and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving
- Nutrition per 4 oz serving for turkey with skin eaten: 0 g Carbs, 11 g Fat, 31 g Protein, 228 Calories. Nutrition below is for turkey eaten without skin