This delicious Air Fryer Turkey Tenderloin may just become your new favorite dish! Made with a handful of simple ingredients, this recipe can be cooked in under 30 minutes! It's the perfect entrée for small Thanksgiving gatherings when you don't want to roast a whole bird. It's also an excellent choice for busy weeknights. Oven instructions included!
I've been cooking up a storm with my air fryer! Some of my favorite dishes are my air fryer salmon teriyaki, air fryer butternut squash, and air fryer quesadillas. Air frying is an easy and healthy way of cooking that requires minimal prep and clean up.
Now I'm excited to bring you this easy Air Fryer Turkey Tenderloin recipe! This delicious, juicy turkey breast tenderloin is one of my favorite air fryer recipes.
During the holiday season, you'll find a lot of roast turkey recipes. But this air fryer turkey breast tenderloin is an excellent alternative to roasting a whole bird.
Made with simple ingredients, this tasty dish is perfect for a small Thanksgiving gathering or anytime you want a quick and easy dinner. Serve it with my easy creamed spinach, classic sage stuffing or air fryer acorn squash on the side.
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Why You'll Love This Dish
- Fast- you'll have dinner ready in under 30 minutes!
- Easy- made with a handful of simple ingredients
- Healthy dinner- turkey tenderloin is a lean cut of meat that's packed with protein
- Low carb- a great option if you're following a low carb or keto diet
- Perfect for a small Thanksgiving dinner or weeknight meal
Is Turkey Tenderloin The Same As Turkey Breast?
The turkey tenderloin is a boneless, skinless portion of the turkey breast. It's a long, tender strip of white meat hidden beneath the turkey breast. So it is not the same thing as turkey breast.
Because the tenderloin is from an underused muscle of the turkey, it is very tender. It's an excellent choice for recipes and is a nice change from the usual chicken breast.
Turkey breast tenderloin is always skinless and boneless. Turkey breast, on the other hand, is typically sold bone in and skin on. Because the tenderloin is so lean, it can dry out easily so be careful not to overcook it.
The turkey tenderloin cooks quickly compared with turkey breast. With a cook time of less than 30 minutes, it's an excellent choice for quick weeknight meals. It's a versatile protein and can be used in a variety of dishes including salads, entrees, and sandwiches.
Doctor's Tips
Turkey tenderloin is an excellent source of lean protein. A 3-ounce serving of turkey tenderloin has only 125 calories but is packed with a whopping 26 grams of protein.
A serving has only 1.8 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of which is saturated. It has virtually no carbohydrates.
Turkey tenderloin is an excellent choice if you're on a low carb or keto diet or a low fat diet.
Air frying is one of my favorite cooking techniques because it's a healthy way of cooking. It cooks food using hot air rather than oil.
Because of the way the hot air circulates around the food, air fryers cook food in a fraction of the time it takes to cook in your oven. Air fryers are a game changer, especially on busy weeknights!
Turkey tenderloin comes out perfectly juicy and moist in the air fryer with minimal effort. However, because it's such a lean cut of meat, it can dry out easily so it's important not to overcook it.
Did you know that you can convert pretty much any recipe that's cooked in the conventional oven to cook in your air fryer?
Read my helpful Oven to Air Fryer Conversion Guide to get started!
Ingredients
Recipe Notes and Substitutions:
- Turkey tenderloin- typically sold in a package with two tenderloins (you can also make this recipe with chicken breast)
- Olive oil- helps the spices adhere to the turkey
- Dried spices- I use garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, sage, paprika, salt, and black pepper but you can substitute other spices
Recipe Variations
You can make lots of variations of this dish using different spice combinations. Some options are:
- Italian- basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, marjoram
- TexMex- chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper
- Indian- coriander, cumin, curry powder, garam masala
- Sweet and savory- brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, cayenne
Best Air Fryer
Looking for an air fryer? I love the Ninja Max XL 5.5 quart Air Fryer. The large basket is perfect for a family of four.
How To Cook Turkey Tenderloin in the Air Fryer
Scroll down to the recipe card for full recipe details.
- Step 1- Make the spice rub by mixing the garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, sage, paprika, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.
- Step 2- Rinse the turkey tenderloins and pat them dry with paper towels. Brush the turkey with olive oil or spray with olive oil spray on both sides.
- Step 3- Sprinkle the seasoning mix on both sides of the turkey, covering the entire surface.
- Step 4- Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees F and place the turkey tenderloins in the air fryer basket in a single layer (you may need to cook them in batches). Cook 25-28 minutes, flipping the turkey halfway through. The final cooking time will depend on the make and model of your air fryer. The turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F as checked by an instant read thermometer.
Remove the turkey tenderloins from the air fryer and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. Then, slice and serve!
Don't have an air fryer? Don't worry, you can still make this dish! Simply roast the turkey tenderloin in the oven for 30-35 minutes at 375°F until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Chef's Tips
- You can use fresh herbs instead of dried in this recipe, if desired. The rule of thumb for substitution is 3:1 fresh to dried. So if the recipe calls for ½ teaspoon dried thyme, you would substitute 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme.
- Many brands of turkey tenderloin come in a solution that has salt in it (like Jennie-O or Shady Brook Farms). If using pre-seasoned turkey, you don't need to add any additional salt in the spice rub. Otherwise, use ½ teaspoon salt as recommended in the recipe.
- Turkey tenderloin is a lean cut of meat so it can dry out if overcooked. The best way to avoid this is to check it with a digital meat thermometer. It's done when it reaches 165°F at the thickest part of the meat.
- Let the turkey rest for several minutes before slicing it so the juices don't run out.
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Recipe FAQs
Turkey tenderloin is a boneless, skinless portion of the turkey breast. It's a long, tender strip of white meat hidden beneath the turkey breast. Because the tenderloin is from an underused muscle of the turkey, it is very tender. Turkey breast tenderloin is always skinless and boneless, while turkey breast is typically sold bone in and skin on.
Turkey tenderloin will cook in about 25-28 minutes in the air fryer at 350°F.
Yes, you can cook frozen turkey tenderloin in an air fryer. You'll need to cook it at a lower temperature and for a longer amount of time. I recommend cooking it at 330°F for about 40 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Turkey tenderloin should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F as checked by an instant-read thermometer.
Side Dishes To Serve With Turkey Tenderloin
Here are some side dish ideas to serve with your air fryer turkey tenderloin:
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Recipe
Air Fryer Turkey Tenderloin
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 package (1.5 pounds) turkey tenderloins
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon rosemary
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon sage
- ½ teaspoon salt* (do not use any salt if using a pre-seasoned turkey tenderloin like Jennie O or Shady Brook Farms- see notes section below)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 350°F.
- Rinse the turkey tenderloins and pat them dry with a paper towel. Brush them on both sides with oil.
- Make the spice rub by mixing the garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, paprika, sage, salt, and pepper together in a bowl.
- Sprinkle the spice rub on both sides of the turkey, covering the entire surface.
- Brush or spray the air fryer basket with a little oil. Put the turkey tenderloins in the basket in a single layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches.
- Cook 25-28 minutes, until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Flip the turkey halfway through cooking.
- Remove the turkey from the air fryer and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then, slice and serve .
OVEN INSTRUCTIONS:
- If you don't have an air fryer, you can make this dish in the oven. Simply roast the turkey tenderloin in the oven for 30-35 minutes at 375°F until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Notes
- *Many brands of turkey tenderloin like Jennie O or Shady Brook Farms come in a solution that contains salt. If using these brands, you won't need any additional salt in the seasoning mix. Otherwise, use ½ teaspoon salt as recommended in the recipe.
- You can use fresh herbs instead of dried in this recipe, if desired. The rule of thumb for substitution is 3:1 fresh to dried. So if the recipe calls for ½ teaspoon dried thyme, you would substitute 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme.
- Turkey tenderloin is a lean cut of meat so it can dry out if overcooked. The best way to check if your turkey is done is to check it with a digital meat thermometer. It's done when it reaches 165°F at the thickest part of the meat. Cooking time will depend on the make and model air fryer.
- Let the turkey rest for several minutes before slicing it so the juices don't run out.
Terry Elliott says
One of my favorites , add parmesan cheese as an outer layer , quite enjoyable
Dr. Sonali Ruder says
So happy you enjoyed the dish! Parmesan sounds like a great addition- I'm going to have to try it! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂
Leah says
Whoa this was SALTY
Dr. Sonali Ruder says
Hi Leah, it sounds like you must have used a pre-brined turkey tenderloin. As I noted in the recipe card, many brands (like Jennie O or Shady Brook Farms) come in a solution that contains salt. If you use one of these, you'll only need a pinch of salt in the seasoning mix. Otherwise, use ½ teaspoon salt as recommended in the recipe.