What is the best way to reheat turkey so it’s moist and juicy? This is a big question around Thanksgiving, the holiday season, or after a big feast. I’ve tested four methods and I’ll show how to do all four plus the pros and cons of each.
Leftover turkey breast is a delicious treat, but reheating it can be tricky. If you don’t use the right method, your turkey can end up dry, chewy, and flavorless. Fortunately, reheating turkey breast in an air fryer is a foolproof way to bring back all the juiciness and taste you loved from your original meal.
With an air fryer, you can reheat turkey breast so it turns out just as moist and delicious as it was the first time around. Here’s a complete guide to reheating turkey breast in an air fryer for maximum juiciness.
Why Reheat Turkey Breast in an Air Fryer?
An air fryer is the ideal appliance for reheating turkey breast for a few key reasons
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Even heating The hot air circulates around the food, ensuring the turkey breast heats evenly throughout. This prevents some parts from drying out while others remain cold.
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Crispy exterior The air fryer gives the outer surface of the turkey breast a crispy, golden texture that adds more flavor.
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Retains moisture: The turkey breast stays juicy on the inside thanks to the air fryer’s rapid, enclosed heating method.
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Quick: Air fryers preheat and reheat food much faster than a traditional oven. You can enjoy delicious turkey breast again in just minutes.
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Versatile: Air fryers can reheat turkey breast slices of any thickness, unlike microwave ovens which work best for thinner pieces.
How to Reheat Turkey Breast Step-By-Step
Follow this simple process for reheating turkey breast in an air fryer:
1. Preheat the Air Fryer
Preheating is an essential first step, so turn on your air fryer and set it to 360°F. This ensures the appliance reaches the proper temperature before you add the turkey.
2. Prepare the Turkey Breast
While the air fryer preheats, take your cooked turkey breast out of the refrigerator. If reheating a whole breast, slice it into thinner, uniform pieces to help it reheat evenly.
3. Add Turkey Breast to Air Fryer
Place the turkey breast slices in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd. Overcrowding prevents proper airflow.
4. Reheat for 15 Minutes
Reheat the turkey breast at 360°F for 15 minutes initially. Check internal temperature and flip slices halfway through.
5. Flip and Repeat
Flip over the turkey breast slices and repeat the reheating process for another 10-15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
6. Let Turkey Breast Rest
Remove turkey from the air fryer and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows juices to redistribute.
7. Enjoy Delicious Turkey!
Your reheated turkey breast is now ready to enjoy! Dig into tender, juicy meat that tastes like it’s fresh from the oven.
Turkey Breast Air Fryer Reheating Tips
Use these handy tips to take your reheated turkey breast to the next level:
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Brush slices with olive oil or melted butter before reheating for added moisture and flavor.
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Flip the slices halfway for even cooking on both sides.
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Add herbs like rosemary or thyme for extra flavor.
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Use an instant-read thermometer to check internal temperature.
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Let the turkey breast rest before slicing for supreme tenderness.
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Add gravy or cranberry sauce to serve for a traditional turkey meal.
Common Turkey Breast Reheating Mistakes
It’s easy to ruin your turkey breast if you don’t follow proper technique. Avoid these common mistakes:
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Not preheating the air fryer before adding turkey.
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Overcrowding the air fryer basket which prevents even cooking.
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Reheating at too high temperature causing dry, tough meat.
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Not checking internal temperature with a meat thermometer.
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Cutting into the turkey breast immediately instead of letting it rest.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Turkey Safely
Proper storage and handling prevents bacterial growth and keeps reheated turkey breast safe to eat:
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Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.
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Store turkey breast in shallow airtight containers.
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Use reheated turkey within 3-4 days.
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Only reheat once; do not keep reheating leftovers.
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Always reheat turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F.
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Avoid leaving reheated turkey at room temperature for over 2 hours.
Enjoy Moist, Delicious Turkey Breast Again
Follow this air fryer reheating guide for enjoying tender and juicy leftover turkey breast that tastes freshly cooked. With the right timing and temperature, you can savor all the flavors of your holiday centerpiece once more without drying it out. Air frying makes it so easy to reheat turkey breast safely while maintaining its moisture and texture.
How To Reheat Turkey On The Stove
Some feel this approach is faster and better than the oven option, and some swear by it for turkey that still has the skin on. You can indeed get juicier leftovers from reheating on the stovetop than in the microwave (depending on your equipment) but you will need to remember to add stock/gravy as you go to keep the turkey moist.
- Prepare and moisten the turkey in a skillet or pan (see instructions above).
- Cover the skillet or pan, bring the broth to a simmer, and cook until heated through and a temperature of at least 160°F–165°F.
You can make the skin a bit crispier using this method if you empty the skillet after heating, add oil and cook again for three to five minutes. You’ll want to cook this to the level of crispy you prefer, and it pays to babysit the turkey when crisping it up.
Rehydrating for a Moist, Juicy Turkey
Rehydration is an important factor, frozen leftovers or not. Even fully sealed, your turkey leftovers may get a bit dry in storage and the reheating process won’t help. It’s smart to re-baste your leftovers with broth, stock, butter, duck fat, gravy, or similar before and (depending on your method) even during the reheating process.
Alternative fluids that will moisten turkey while adding flavor include white wine, apple cider, orange or pomegranate juice, olive oil, herb-infused oil, tomato sauce and maple syrup or honey glaze.
- Let the turkey come to room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Slice any larger pieces into desired but similar sized sizes.
- Place the turkey in a single layer in a roasting pan, baking dish, skillet or other suitable “dish” for reheating method of choice.
- Pour 1 cup of turkey, vegetable, or chicken broth or stock over the turkey for up to 10 pounds of turkey, add more for larger turkeys.
- If your turkey was a bit over-cooked already dot the turkey with unsalted butter too.
Another way to moisten turkey is to brush gravy on top of the turkey. Again, if the turkey is dried out add butter, to the gravy before brushing it on top. The turkey is dried out because it’s lacking fat and the butter will help restore the bird.
Now choose your reheating method…
Reheat Turkey In Air Fryer (perfect for warm turkey sandwiches)
FAQ
How to warm up Thanksgiving leftovers in an air fryer?
How do you reheat cooked chicken breast in an air fryer?
How do you reheat a smoked turkey breast without drying it out?