Air Fryer Turkey Breast: Cooking Time by Weight + Safe Temperature

Quick answer: Butterball's air fryer method for a thawed whole turkey breast is 400°F for about 7 to 10 minutes per pound (45 to 60 minutes total in its example), skin side up, until a food thermometer in the thickest part reads 165°F. Let it stand 10 minutes before carving.

Times below come from manufacturer and USDA guidance, checked October 27, 2026. They are not our own cooking tests. The thermometer, not the clock, decides when it is done.

By PLoMUS Editorial Team · About · Disclosure

A turkey breast is the usual choice for a small Thanksgiving, and the air fryer keeps the oven free for sides. The catch is that most "how long" answers online are one person's result in one machine. This guide collects what the people who sell the turkey and the people who make the air fryers actually publish, turns the per-pound rate into a chart by weight, and adds the USDA safety rules you need to get it right.

Turkey breast air fryer time chart by weight

Butterball's air fryer guide for a whole turkey breast says to cook at 400°F for "about 7-10 minutes per pound" until the breast reaches 165°F (Butterball, How to Air Fry a Turkey, as of October 2026). The chart applies that rate to common weights. It is simple multiplication of Butterball's rate, not a tested result.

Thawed turkey breast weight Estimated time at 400°F (7-10 min/lb) Start checking temperature at
2 lb14 to 20 minutes14 minutes
3 lb21 to 30 minutes21 minutes
4 lb28 to 40 minutes28 minutes
5 lb35 to 50 minutes35 minutes
6 lb42 to 60 minutes42 minutes
7 lb49 to 70 minutes49 minutes

Two things to know about this chart. First, Butterball's page also gives a flat 45 to 60 minutes, which lines up with a breast of about 6 pounds at its per-pound rate. Second, a big bone-in breast may not fit your basket at all. Butterball does not list a maximum size, so set the thawed breast in the empty basket before you start and make sure it has space around it and does not touch the heating element.

What other brands publish

Not every source agrees on temperature, which is one more reason to trust a thermometer over any single number.

Source and cut Air fryer temp Time given Done / rest
Butterball, whole turkey breast (rib cage removed)400°FAbout 7-10 min per lb (45-60 min)165°F, stand 10 min
Cosori Thanksgiving tips, turkey breast330°F40 min (no weight stated)Not stated; use 165°F
Butterball, rotisserie turkey breast tenderloins (24 oz package)400°F10 min, flip, then 15 min165°F, rest 5 min
Jennie-O, turkey breast tenderloinPreheat to 300°FUntil 165°F (varies by air fryer wattage)165°F, rest 5-10 min covered

Sources: Butterball, Cosori, Butterball tenderloins, Jennie-O, all as of October 2026. Jennie-O's tenderloin page also asks you to leave 1/2 inch between tenderloins so air can move around them.

Step by step (Butterball's method)

  1. Thaw completely. Butterball says frozen whole turkey breasts need to be thawed before air frying.
  2. Trim and dry. Butterball removes the rib cage with kitchen shears, then pats the breast dry with paper towels. Wash your hands after handling raw poultry.
  3. Season and oil. Season the breast and coat it with cooking spray.
  4. Air fry skin side up at 400°F, using the chart above for your weight.
  5. Check the temperature in the thickest part of the breast, keeping the probe tip off the bone. Pull it at 165°F, then let it stand 10 minutes before carving.

Safe temperature and thermometer placement

All poultry, including turkey breasts, is safe at a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) (FoodSafety.gov chart, last reviewed November 21, 2024). USDA FSIS says to check the thickest part of the breast with a food thermometer (USDA FSIS, Let's Talk Turkey). Unlike whole cuts of beef and pork, the chart lists no required rest time for poultry, so the 165°F reading is the safety check and the rest is for easier slicing.

Thawing times (USDA)

  • Refrigerator: about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. FSIS lists 1 to 3 days for a 4 to 12 pound turkey.
  • Cold water: about 30 minutes per pound. FSIS lists 2 to 6 hours for 4 to 12 pounds. Butterball notes this method is faster but needs more attention than the refrigerator.

Source: USDA FSIS, Let's Talk Turkey, as of October 2026. Butterball adds that a thawed turkey can stay in the refrigerator up to 4 days.

Can you air fry a frozen turkey breast?

USDA FSIS says it is safe to cook a turkey from frozen in the oven, but it takes at least 50 percent longer than a thawed one. That guidance is written for oven roasting. For the air fryer, Butterball's directions say to thaw the breast first, and we found no manufacturer air fryer directions for a frozen whole breast. Our advice: thaw it.

Some frozen boneless roasts are designed to cook from frozen, but in the oven. Butterball's Boneless Frozen Turkey Breast Roast is roasted from frozen at 325°F (2½ to 3 hours for a 3 lb roast), with the netting left on (Butterball). Its Ready to Roast boneless breast is cooked from frozen at 375°F for about 1¾ to 2¼ hours (Butterball). Neither product page gives air fryer directions, so follow the package.

If it doesn't fit: oven backup

For comparison, FSIS lists 1½ to 3¼ hours for an unstuffed 4 to 8 pound turkey breast in a 325°F oven (USDA FSIS).

Leftovers

Discard turkey left at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F). Use refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days; frozen leftovers are best within 2 to 6 months (USDA FSIS). Reheat leftovers to 165°F (FoodSafety.gov).

FAQ

What temperature should I air fry turkey breast at?

Butterball's air fryer guide uses 400°F. Cosori's Thanksgiving tips use 330°F. Either way, cook until the thickest part reads 165°F.

How long per pound does turkey breast take in an air fryer?

Butterball says about 7 to 10 minutes per pound at 400°F for a thawed whole breast. Start checking at the low end.

Do I need to rest turkey breast after air frying?

Not for safety, since poultry has no required rest time on the FoodSafety.gov chart. Butterball lets it stand 10 minutes before carving so it slices more neatly.

Is a bone-in breast done if the reading near the bone is 165°F?

Take the reading in the thickest part of the meat with the tip away from the bone, because bone can throw off the reading. Check a second spot if you are unsure.

Related guide

Oven to Air Fryer Conversion: Time and Temperature Chart

Sources

How this article was made

Written by the PLoMUS Editorial Team with AI drafting assistance; facts checked against the sources above on October 27, 2026. We did not cook these turkey breasts ourselves. Times are taken from, or calculated from, the manufacturer and USDA guidance linked above. Air fryers vary by size and wattage, so always confirm doneness with a food thermometer.

Update log: October 27, 2026: corrections after editorial review.

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