Looking for an easy, stress-free way to cook a turkey this Christmas or Thanksgiving? Try this air fryer turkey crown recipe. Free up oven space for all your side dishes plus get a perfectly cooked turkey with juicy, tender meat in around one hour!*
Serve slices of the air fryer turkey breast with pigs in blankets, sausage stuffing and roast potatoes (which you can cook in the air fryer while the turkey rests!)
*cooking times may vary depending on size of the turkey crown and air fryer model*
The Holidays are FAST approaching and you’re probably beginning to think about planning your festive menus. My aim is to help you with that! I want to take the headache of Christmas meal planning away from you and provide you with simple, hassle-free recipes that WORK.
Don’t have an air fryer? Try my super popular easy brined turkey crown recipe. Looking for a recipe on how to cook a whole turkey? Here’s my easy roast turkey recipe with orange herb butter.
If you’re cooking for a small crowd this year and don’t need or want to deal with any leftovers, I have the perfect solution with this rolled turkey breast with sausage, apricot and cranberry stuffing.
I make air fryer roast chicken at least twice a fortnight now, so I thought I really needed to try air-frying a turkey crown. Let me tell you, it’s a game-changer! An air fryer can cook a turkey breast (crown) in around one hour (depending on its size). You end up with a turkey with crisp, golden skin and succulent, juicy meat.
Without further ado, let me take you through the simple steps of cooking a turkey crown in an air fryer. It’s an uncomplicated, foolproof method that will save you time and money on your gas/electric bills.
Looking for a slow cooker turkey recipe? Read my guide on how to cook a turkey crown in a slow cooker.
INGREDIENTS
TURKEY CROWN
A turkey crown is essentially the whole breast of a turkey. The wings and legs are almost always removed, but sometimes the rib cage and drumettes are left on. If this is the case with your crown, then you might need to cut or trim them down with a pair of sharp scissors. When you place the turkey crown in the air fryer, they might stick up and touch the heating elements.
Compared to a whole turkey, a crown is easier to cook and carve, making it a popular choice for smaller gatherings.
VEGETABLE OR OLIVE OIL to rub over the turkey before air frying. This will ensure your turkey stays moist and gives the skin a lovely crispy, golden finish.
SALT AND PEPPER is essential for getting flavour into your bird. I use sea salt (not flakes) and freshly ground black pepper.
EXTRA SEASONINGS – Chopped herbs such as rosemary, thyme and sage are a nice addition, but they aren’t as essential as good old salt and pepper. Finely grated orange or lemon zest is also lovely with turkey. I’ve specified dried herbs in this recipe, but you can use fresh if you like.
EQUIPMENT
AIR FRYER
I used my Instant Vortex Air Fryer Slim to make this recipe. It has a 5.7 litre capacity which was just the right size for my 2kg turkey crown, although I had to remove the inner rack so the ribs of the crown wouldn’t touch the top of the air fryer elements.
TONGS
You’ll need a sturdy pair of kitchen tongs to turn the bird over while cooking.
MEAT THERMOMETER
Using a reliable meat thermometer is an invaluable tool when it comes to cooking any kind of meat, and it’s especially important for chicken or turkey. Poultry needs to reach a specific internal temperature to eliminate harmful bacteria such as salmonella.
how to air fry a turkey crown
Scroll to the bottom of the post to find a printable recipe card with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions
Step one: Remove all packaging from the turkey crown and let it sit out for about one hour to eliminate fridge chill. Bringing the turkey to room temperature will shorten the cooking time, but don’t leave it out for longer than an hour.
Step two: Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. I dry brined the turkey below, but that’s for a future post! Don’t skip the drying step – it will make the skin crisp up beautifully.
Step three: Combine the oil, salt and pepper and herbs if using in a small bowl. Rub the oil all over the turkey on both sides.
Step four: Preheat the air fryer to 200C/400F. Place the turkey breast side down in the air fryer basket and cook for 30 minutes.
Step five: Flip the turkey over using tongs. Using a silicone brush or spoon, baste the turkey with any juices that have collected in the bottom of the air fryer. Turn the air fryer temperature down to 180C/350F. Cook for a further 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 75C (167F). The turkey skin should be golden, crisp and the juices should run clear with no traces of pink.
Step six: Remove the turkey crown from the air fryer and set on a serving plate. Let it rest for about 30 minutes or up to one hour before slicing.
serving suggestions
Serve the air fryer turkey for your Christmas dinner with classic side dishes such as crispy roast potatoes, Christmas spiced red cabbage, sausage and cranberry stuffing, Yorkshire puddings, honey glazed roasted parsnips and carrots, Brussells sprouts with bacon and chestnuts, cranberry orange sauce and lots of gravy!
A 2-2.5 kg turkey crown will feed up to 6 people.
You can cover the turkey with a piece of tin foil if you wish, but you must make sure that the foil is NOT touching the elements at the top of the air fryer. I personally don’t cover the turkey because I like the skin to turn golden and crispy.
No, there is no need to wash or rinse a turkey before cooking. Simply pat it dry using paper towels. Rinsing a turkey or chicken under a tap will actually spread any potentially harmful bacteria around your sink and work surface, increasing the risk of food poisoning.
If you like, you can lay streaky bacon over the turkey breast after you’ve flipped it over for the last 30-40 minutes of cooking time. I would start checking it after 20-25 minutes to make sure the bacon isn’t burning.
recipe notes
- The cooking times I’ve given are based on a 2kg turkey crown. If your crown is slightly smaller, you’ll need to adjust cooking times accordingly. A 1.5kg turkey crown will typically take about 50 minutes to cook in an air fryer. A 1.7kg turkey crown will take about one hour to cook.
- Please remember that air fryer temperatures can vary depending on the model, so cooking times may differ slightly. Always trust your own instincts.
- To ensure the turkey is fully cooked and safe to eat, always use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature (insert the probe in the thickest part of the meat and ensure it is not touching the bone) should reach 75C (167F).
- If the turkey skin is beginning to turn too dark, cover the top with a piece of tin foil, making sure that the foil is not touching the top part (elements) of the air fryer.
- Always let the turkey rest before slicing. This will ensure the juices are distributed evenly around the bird, making sure the meat is tender and juicy.
storage
Any leftover turkey meat can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. Use in sandwiches, toasties or salads. Here are a few recipes to give you some inspiration for using up turkey leftovers:
- leftover turkey curry recipe
- filo turkey, stuffing and cranberry tarts
- leftover turkey and vegetable soup
- leftover creamy turkey and ham pie
more air fryer recipes
Air Fryer Turkey Crown
Can you cook a turkey crown in an air fryer? Absolutely! It's an easy, stress free way to cook a turkey for your festive meal. With just 10 minutes of preparation time, a 2kg turkey crown can serve 5-6 people and cooks in around one hour!
Ingredients
- 2kg Turkey crown (bone in turkey breast)
- 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon fine salt (I use sea salt - not flakes)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
Instructions
- The first thing you must do is make sure your turkey crown fits in your air fryer! Please don't laugh, but I took my air fryer basket to the supermarket with me so I could be sure. I might have received some odd looks, but I didn't care! You might also need to trim the drumettes and ribs with scissors if they touch the top of the air fryer.
- Remove the turkey crown from all the packaging and let it sit out for about one hour to remove the fridge chill. This will ensure the turkey cooks evenly.
- Pat the turkey crown dry all over with paper towels. This will help get the turkey skin nice and crisp.
- Place the oil in a small bowl and add the salt, black pepper and dried herbs, if using. Give the oil a quick stir, then rub the seasoned oil all over the turkey crown, breast side up and down.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200C (400F). Place the turkey crown in the air fryer basket, breast side down. Cook for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes of cooking, carefully flip the crown over using kitchen tongs. Turn the air fryer temperature down to 180C (356F).
- Using a silicone brush, baste the turkey crown with any juices that have collected at the bottom of the fryer. Continue to cook the turkey for a further 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 75C (167F). The turkey skin should be golden and crisp and the juices should run clear with no traces of pink or blood.
- Remove the turkey from the air fryer and place on a chopping board or serving plate. Allow to rest for about 30 minutes before carving.
Notes
Cooking times are based on a 2kg turkey crown. If your crown is slightly smaller, you'll need to adjust cooking times accordingly. A 1.5kg turkey crown will typically take about 50 minutes to cook in an air fryer. A 1.7kg turkey crown will take about one hour to cook.
To ensure the turkey is fully cooked and safe to eat, always use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature (insert the probe in the thickest part of the meat and ensure it is not touching the bone) should reach 75C (167F).
To keep the costs down I've used dried herbs for this recipe. You can use fresh herbs if you prefer, but please be aware that they can sometimes burn in the air fryer and turn bitter.
Storing leftovers - Any leftover turkey needs to be completely cooled down then stored in the fridge. Use within 3 days (I have quite a few leftover turkey recipes on the blog if you need inspiration!)
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 491Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 273mgSodium: 537mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 71g
Calories and nutritional information are provided by a third party application and should be viewed as indicative figures only.
As chief taste tester for most of my amazing wife’s recipies I can confirm that this was beautifully cooked
Just followed this recipe. Came out Perfect!
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it, thanks for letting us know 🙂