Air Fryer Whole Turkey Recipe

Air fryers are all the rage the last several years. It is really a simple device - it is basically a convection oven that is portable. These ovens come in as small as 2 quart size - barely enough for a single person. They go up into nearly full size oven sizes, with many of the popular options being devices that look like an extra large toaster oven which sits on your counter and that has multiple functions.

If you own an air fryer, then you know that they’re pretty cool appliances. They can make all kinds of different foods, they’re usually easy to clean, and they can be moved out of site when not in use. Many people have practically stopped using their oven after getting an air fryer simply because they’re so much faster and easier to use, and they will run you far less in electricity than a standard oven.

With Thanksgiving coming up in a few weeks, many people may be trying to figure out how they can bake their turkey in the air fryer. The answer will definitely depend on the size of your air fryer and the turkey you’re trying to cook. The first consideration you’ll need to make is the size of the turkey that you need. If you’ve got a 2 quart air fryer, you’re probably not going to be frying a whole turkey in there.

We own an 8 quart air fryer, and we are able to comfortably get an 8-10 pound turkey inside of it. That’s a pretty small turkey, but we also didn’t want a ton of leftover turkey, so it works out well for a family of 4. We end having about 2 days worth of turkey left over which is just right for us. Figure out the size of turkey that will fit in your air fryer. If you can’t fit a whole turkey, you can always just do turkey breast - it tastes just as good.

From there, cooking is very similar to how you cook turkey in the regular oven. Dress the turkey however you like best; for use, we simply use salt, pepper, and our favorite garlic parmesan seasoning. Before putting the seasonings on top, we like to give it a quick spray with some cooking oil (we generally use canola oil, but most any type will do). You can put butter under the skin as well if you prefer that method.

Put the turkey in the air fryer (legs down so they aren’t getting caught on the air fryer as you open it), add about ½ cup of chicken broth to the bottom of the air fryer, then let it cook on 375 degrees for about 11 minutes per pound. For us, 90 minutes was all that was needed for an 8 pound turkey. It’s important to check that the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F - use a meat thermometer to verify.

About half way through cooking, pull the turkey out, flip it over, and add another half a can of chicken broth to help keep the turkey at least somewhat moist. Once the turkey has reached the required temperature (165 degrees F), you’re ready to pull the bird out of the air fryer and let it sit for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving. Put water into the air fryer while you enjoy your meal.

Cooking turkey in the air fryer is very simple and quite fast. As long as your air fryer is large enough, you can cook a turkey without issue in the air fryer and do it much faster than in a standard oven.

Ingredients:

• 1 turkey
• Oil and seasonings
• 1 cup of chicken broth

Instructions

• Put oil and seasoning on the turkey
• Pre-heat fryer to 375 degrees F
• Add turkey and ½ cup of broth
• Cook about 11 minutes per pound of turkey
• About halfway through cooking time, flip turkey over and add remaining broth