Thanksgiving in the Air Fryer
On Thanksgiving the oven is the busiest appliance in the house, and everything wants to go in it at once. An air fryer can take some of that load. It will not roast a whole turkey, but it handles a turkey breast, a ham, most of the vegetable sides and even the dessert, and it frees the oven for the dishes that need it.
The catch is that an air fryer cooks one batch at a time in a basket. This guide shows what fits, what does not, and how to line it all up on a clock.
Can you cook a whole Thanksgiving turkey in the air fryer?
Honestly, no. A whole 12 to 20 lb bird will not fit in a typical 5 or 6 quart basket. Do not force one in: if the skin touches the heating element, the outside burns long before the thigh is safe.
What does fit is a turkey breast. The air fryer turkey breast recipe uses a boneless roast of up to 3 lb, which serves about 6 people. A bigger breast belongs in the oven. For a small holiday table, a whole chicken is another option. If your crowd loves dark meat, add turkey legs or a turkey tenderloin.
Times at 350 °F: a 3 lb boneless roast takes 50 minutes, flipped after 25. A 2 lb roast takes 35–40 minutes, and a bone-in half breast of 2½–3 lb takes 55–65 minutes, skin side up. Pull the turkey at 165 °F in the thickest part, then tent it loosely with foil and rest it for 15 minutes before slicing. The USDA safe temperature chart lists 165 °F for all poultry. Thaw a frozen breast in the refrigerator first, about 1 day per 4 lb.
What else can the air fryer handle?
Ham
A fully cooked spiral ham only needs reheating. The air fryer ham recipe takes a 3 lb ham, wrapped in foil, at 320 °F for 25 minutes, then unwrapped and glazed for 8–10 more minutes. Rest it for 10 minutes and check for 140 °F, as the USDA advises for fully cooked ham.
Vegetable sides
Vegetables are where the air fryer earns its place, because each one takes 10 to 15 minutes:
- Brussels sprouts: halved sprouts, 14 minutes at 375 °F, shaken after 7. Toss with balsamic and maple syrup after cooking, not before.
- Green beans: 10 minutes at 375 °F, shaken every 3 to 4 minutes. Frozen beans take 12–14 minutes.
- Carrots: ½-inch slices, 14 minutes at 380 °F, with honey added for the last 3 minutes.
- Sweet potatoes: whole medium potatoes take 35–40 minutes at 400 °F. Halves take 20–25 minutes and 1-inch cubes 12–15 minutes.
- Roasted tomatoes: whole cherry tomatoes, 10–12 minutes at 375 °F.
- Stuffed peppers: 15 minutes at 375 °F per batch of 4 halves, until the beef filling reaches 160 °F.
Stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy are not air fryer recipes on this site. Make those on the stovetop or in the oven.
Dessert
The apple pie recipe makes six hand pies, 3 per batch, 10 minutes at 350 °F. You can assemble them days ahead and freeze them unbaked, then cook them from frozen at 330 °F for 14–16 minutes. A whole 9-inch pie will not fit in the basket.
Thanksgiving timeline for one air fryer
This plan serves a 3 lb turkey breast, a ham, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts and green beans at 4:00 p.m. Times come from the recipes above, plus 3 minutes to preheat.
| Time | In the air fryer | Meanwhile |
|---|---|---|
| 12:30 p.m. | Stuffed peppers, first batch, 375 °F for 15 min | Prep the stuffing and gravy base |
| 12:50 p.m. | Second batch of stuffed peppers, 15 min | Cover the first batch with foil to keep it warm |
| 1:15 p.m. | Whole sweet potatoes, 400 °F for 38 min, turned after 20 | Set the table |
| 2:00 p.m. | Foil-wrapped ham, 320 °F for 25 min | Rest the sweet potatoes, then keep them covered |
| 2:30 p.m. | Unwrap, glaze and heat the ham 8–10 min | Check for 140 °F |
| 2:45 p.m. | Turkey breast, 350 °F for 50 min, flipped after 25 | Ham rests 10 min, then stays wrapped |
| 3:35 p.m. | Brussels sprouts, 375 °F for 14 min | Tent the turkey and rest it 15 min |
| 3:50 p.m. | Green beans, 375 °F for 10 min | Slice the turkey, warm the gravy |
| 4:00 p.m. | Serve | Apple hand pies go in while you eat |
| 4:30 p.m. | Apple hand pies, 350 °F for 10 min per batch | Cool 10 min before serving |
The dishes that tolerate waiting, like ham, sweet potatoes and peppers, go early, and only the quick vegetables are cooked at the end. Skipping the ham frees about 45 minutes, enough for carrots and roasted tomatoes before the turkey goes in.
If a dish will not fit on the clock, move it to the oven. Check temperatures with an instant-read thermometer, because baskets, ovens and cuts all vary.
Reheating Thanksgiving leftovers
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of serving. Reheat all of them to 165 °F, the USDA's safe temperature for leftovers, and check the center with a thermometer.
- Turkey: spread slices in a loose layer and heat until a thermometer reads 165 °F, checking after a few minutes.
- Ham: slices take 4–5 minutes at 350 °F; a ham steak takes 8–10 minutes at 380 °F.
- Apple pie: a slice needs 4–5 minutes at 320 °F.
Reheat in small batches, since a crowded basket heats unevenly.
Frequently asked questions
Can I cook a whole turkey in an air fryer?
Not in a standard basket. A whole bird is too big for 5 and 6 quart models. Use a turkey breast of up to 3 lb instead, or a whole chicken for a small table.
How long does a turkey breast take in the air fryer?
A 3 lb boneless breast takes about 50 minutes at 350 °F, a 2 lb breast 35–40 minutes, and a bone-in half breast 55–65 minutes. Always confirm 165 °F with a thermometer.
Which sides work best?
Brussels sprouts, green beans, carrots and roasted tomatoes take 10–15 minutes each. See our air fryer cooking times chart for more.
Can I wrap the turkey or ham in foil?
You can wrap a ham, as the recipe does. Never leave foil loose in the basket during preheating, and see our guide to parchment paper and foil in the air fryer.
How do I convert an oven recipe?
See our guide to converting oven recipes to the air fryer. For frozen appetizers, see frozen foods in the air fryer.
