Quick Look: Deep Fried Turkey Breast
- Ready In: 40 minutes! (does not include time needed to heat the oil)
- Serves: 8
- Main Ingredients: bone-in turkey breast, peanut oil & butter
- Dietary Info: gluten-free and dairy-free friendly
- Best For: Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special occasion (doesn’t have to be a holiday)
- Origin: After testing and perfecting my deep fried turkey recipe, I saw just how fast a turkey can be cooked and without using ANY space in the oven! Which means more space for my favorite side dish recipes (like, the BEST stuffing recipe). So, in this post I will show you exactly how to deep fry a turkey breast safely & quickly!
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Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Bone-In Turkey Breast – determine the size of the turkey breast by calculating how much turkey breast per person is needed for your gathering.
- Peanut Oil – highly recommend for deep frying due to its high smoke point and neutral flavor. Vegetable oil can be used, if someone has a peanut allergy.
- Butter – I use regular butter or plant-based butter to baste the fried turkey breast.
Equipment for Deep Frying Turkey Breast
Pieces of equipment needed:
- outdoor fry boil package – includes the propane burner, large pot, basket, & lifting hook.
- meat thermometer – always a must when cooking any type of meat.
- large sheet pan – for the basket to sit on after being removed.
Preparing the Fryer Safely
Follow these simple steps to safely deep fry a turkey breast:
- The turkey breast must be FULLY THAWED! This cannot be stressed enough. Follow simple instructions on how to thaw a turkey.
- Set up the deep fryer outside on a flat surface that is a good distance from the house and out of the wind.
- Do a test run by placing the turkey breast in the fryer and measuring the amount of water needed to fully submerge it. This will tell you how much oil you will need. Remove the turkey, water, and dry the pot before heating it. Be sure to not let the oil level go over the side of the pot.
How To Deep Fry A Turkey Breast
Step 1 – Make sure the turkey breast is fully thawed, any gravy packets removed, and patted dry with paper towels, while the fryer heats up.
Step 2 – Add the amount of peanut oil needed to the large pot and start bringing it up to 375°F.
Pro Tip
Hot oil by itself does not boil (like water), so be sure to keep a close eye on the temperature of the oil to know when it is hot.
Step 3 – For safety, turn the propane burner off right before lowering in the turkey. Put the turkey breast in the metal basket and use the lifting hook + oven mitt to VERY slowly lower it into the hot oil.
Step 4 – Relight the propane burner once the turkey is safely inside and let it fry for 3 1/2 minutes per pound or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (use an instant-read thermometer).
| Turkey Breast Size | Cook Time |
| 4 pounds | 14 minutes |
| 5 pounds | 17.5 minutes |
| 8 pounds (used during testing) | 28 minutes |
| 10 pounds | 35 minutes |
Step 5 – Carefully remove the basket and set it on a large baking sheet. Let turkey rest for 10-15 minutes and use a basting brush to baste the outside with melted butter, once it is cool enough to remove from the basket.
Erin’s Testing Tips: What We Learned
- Move Slow: put an oven mitt over your hand, grab the included hook to pick up the fryer basket with the turkey breast inside. VERY slowly lower it into the hot oil!
- Oil Temperature: begin by heating the oil to 375°F and when the turkey goes in the temp will naturally drop to around 350°F, this is where you want to cook it.
- Flavor & Texture: the finished turkey breast had excellent moisture and flavor!
Turkey Breast Carving Tips
Carving a turkey breast is actually pretty simple, just follow step-by-step instructions on how to carve a turkey breast! It will show you how to easily cut the breast meat from the turkey carcass.
Best Ways To Serve Deep-Fried Turkey Breast
Enjoy deep fried turkey breast slices with all of your favorite side dish recipes, like Yukon gold mashed potatoes, crock pot stuffing, Instant Pot mashed sweet potatoes, and Green Bean Casserole with Bacon! If you are looking for even more delicious side dishes, check out our round-up of Thanksgiving Side Dishes. There are family favorite recipes for everyone!
Deep Fried Turkey FAQs
It will have a natural drop in temperature to 325-350°F when the turkey is lowered in the pot. As the turkey cooks it should come back up, but keep an eye on it. You want it to stay around 350°F for best results.
This depends on the size of the turkey. A good rule of thumb is to calculate 3 1/2 minutes per pound. For the tested 8 pound turkey breast, it took 28 minutes to reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
If you are thinking about deep frying a whole turkey, starting with a turkey breast might feel like a good starting point for beginners. Both sizes are easy to do and the end result is juicy meat on the inside and crispy skin on the outside.
Other Bone In Turkey Breast Recipes You Might Like
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Ingredients
- 8 pound bone-in turkey breast, thawed
- 3 gallons peanut oil, enough to fully cover turkey breast while cooking
- 2-3 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Prep Turkey: Completely thaw the 8 pound bone-in turkey breast (very important) – do not cook unless it is 100% thawed. Be sure to remove the gravy packet (if it includes one). Determine the amount of oil by placing the turkey breast, inside the fryer basket, into the fryer and measure how many gallons of water are needed to submerge it. This is how much peanut oil you will need. Remove the turkey breast and fully dry with paper towels. Make sure the fryer is also dry before adding the oil.
- Brine (optional): Feel free to wet brine the turkey before frying, if you choose (optional). If you do brine the turkey, be sure to pat it fully dry after this step.
- Peanut Oil: When ready to deep fry, add the determined amount of peanut oil needed to an aluminum deep fryer, so that your turkey will be completely submerged – do not put the turkey in the oil until it is hot.
- Temperature: Bring the oil temperature up to 375-400℉ – do NOT let it go over 400℉, as it is very dangerous and could catch on fire. Keep the pot covered when heating the oil (if a lid is included from the manufacturer). Use a fryer thermometer or meat thermometer to keep an eye on the oil temp.
- Slowly Lower Turkey: Place the turkey breast in the aluminum basket (usually comes with a turkey fryer). Right before lowering the turkey into the hot oil, turn OFF the propane burner. Then very, VERY slowly lower it into the hot oil using the hook/hanger that comes with your turkey fryer (and have an oven mitt on). You want to ensure that the oil does not bubble over the top of the pot. Once it is safely in the oil, relight the propane burner according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Temperature: When the turkey breast is added, the oil temperature will naturally drop from 375-400℉ to 350-325℉. You are going to want to keep the oil temperature at 350℉ while the turkey cooks. It will need to cook for about 3½ minutes per pound or until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the breast reaches 165℉ (use a meat thermometer). This test turkey breast was 8 pounds and was fully cooked after 28 minutes.
- Remove + Baste: Carefully remove the fry basket from the deep fryer and place the entire thing, with the turkey breast inside, on a large baking sheet pan. Let cool at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Carefully remove the turkey breast from the basket and place on a serving platter. Use a basting brush to baste with melted butter. Let rest for another 10-15 minutes at room temperature.
- Carve & Serve: Use a carving knife to remove the turkey breasts from the bone and serve!
Notes
- Do I Need to Prep/Pat Dry the Turkey: Yes, pat the turkey breast fully dry, but no need to rub with olive oil or butter – it will be basted with melted butter after cooking!
- Cooking Time: the cooking time in the recipe card was calculated using an 8 pound turkey breast (8 lbs x 3.5 minutes = 28 minutes). Be sure to calculate the cook time based on the size of your turkey breast.
- Peanut Oil: Purchase from your local grocery store. You will most likely need 3 gallons (this will depend on the size of the turkey breast and the deep fryer).
- Fully Thaw: turkey MUST be fully thawed before deep frying. Check out our tutorial on how to thaw a turkey, if needed!
- Total Time does not include time needed to heat up the oil, because this may vary.
Erin says
So good – turned out so juicy!