The Weekend Gourmet's Most Popular Recipe of 2019: Spicy Maple-Glazed Air-Fried Turkey Breast #bestof2019 #mostpopularrecipe #turkeybreast #airfryer

As 2019 draws to a close, I want to share The Weekend Gourmet's most popular recipe of the year -- hands down! You viewed and pinned my Spicy Maple-Glazed Air-Fried Turkey Breast five times more than the next-closest contender. I LOVE cooking with my air fryer, because it uses hot air and very little oil to cook everything from crispy fries to a juicy bone-in turkey breast. I originally shared this recipe in March, and y'all went crazy for it...for good reason! Lean turkey breast cooks up with crispy skin and moist, tender meat in the air fryer -- in about 30 minutes. It's flavored inside and out thanks to a generous amount of a simple homemade rub...and a flavorful sweet-spicy glaze. Turkey isn't just for Thanksgiving! This delicious recipe is perfect year-round...and roasting it in the air fryer means it's simple enough to make even on the busiest of weeknights.

Spicy Maple-Glazed Air-Fried Turkey Breast

a Weekend Gourmet Original

Ingredients (for a 2-lb. bone-in turkey breast):

• 2-lb. bone-in turkey breast, skin on
• Olive oil spray
  

For the glaze:

• 2 tbs. pure maple syrup
• 1 tbs. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. garlic-flavored hot sauce [NOTE: I use Crystal]

For the rub:

• 1 Tbs. Creole seasoning [NOTE: I use Chef Paul Prudhomme Poultry Magic]
• 1 tsp. marjoram
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. white pepper
• 1 tsp. dried lemon peel (or fresh lemon zest)

Directions:

Step 1: Make the glaze. Add the maple syrup, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and hot sauce to a measuring cup or small bowl. Whisk until completely combined, then store in the fridge until it's time to glaze the turkey breast.

Step 2: Make the rub. Add the Creole seasoning, marjoram, garlic powder, thyme, sea salt, pepper, and lemon peel to a small bowl. Stir to completely combine. Place the turkey breast on a plastic cutting board. Place half of the spice rub under the skin of the turkey breast, directly on the meat. Rub the other half of the spice mixture on the exterior of the turkey breast.

Step 3: Spray the interior of the air fryer with the non-stick olive oil spray. Place the seasoned turkey breast into the air fryer, skin side down. Using your fryer's manual mode, cook the turkey breast at 375° for 10 minutes.

Step 4: After 10 minutes of cooking, turn the turkey breast skin side up in the air fryer. Cook an additional 10-15 minutes. Use a spoon to evenly drizzle the glaze on the exterior of the turkey. Raise the temperature to 400° and cook the turkey breast for 5 additional minutes.

Step 5: The final 5 minutes of cook time is to crisp up the turkey's skin and caramelize the maple glaze. Carefully remove the cooked turkey breast from the air fryer using a long fork and a spatula. Set the turkey breast on a serving platter to cool for 10 minutes before carving.

When ready to serve, use a sharp serrated knife to thinly slice the turkey breast. As this video shows, the turkey cooks golden brown on the outside...with perfectly juicy meat inside. Serve with your choice of side dishes -- farro or mashed potatoes are ideal!

This turkey was so delicious -- we don't typically serve turkey outside of the holiday season, but this recipe definitely changed my tune. The air fryer method is far superior to any turkey I've roasted in a traditional oven. The skin is crispy...and the breast meat was tender and juicy...a difficult trick to pull off! The glaze gives the turkey a sweet-spicy tang, and placing spice rub both on and under the turkey skin ensured the meat was flavorful too!