The Ultimate Air Fryer Thanksgiving Prep List (with Printable!)

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Game Changer Alert: This complete prep list turns your air fryer into the ultimate Thanksgiving helper—crispy turkey, perfect sides, and zero oven stress!

My sister-in-law used to spend three days straight in the kitchen every Thanksgiving, juggling oven space like she was playing tetris with casserole dishes. Last year, I convinced her to try air fryer Thanksgiving using this exact prep list, and she finished cooking two hours early with the crispiest turkey skin anyone had ever seen. Now she calls me every October asking when I’m gonna update “the list” for this year.

This isn’t just another Thanksgiving guide—it’s your complete roadmap to the easiest, crispiest, most delicious holiday meal you’ll ever make. We’re talking perfectly timed cooking schedules, make-ahead strategies that actually work, and a printable checklist that’ll keep you organized from shopping to serving.

Your air fryer is about to become the MVP of your Thanksgiving kitchen, and I’m gonna show you exactly how to make it happen.

Why Air Fryer Thanksgiving Actually Makes Perfect Sense

Let’s be real for a second—traditional Thanksgiving cooking is basically controlled chaos. You’re trying to fit a massive turkey plus six sides into one oven, everything takes forever to cook, and half your dishes end up lukewarm by the time everyone sits down.

Air fryer Thanksgiving solves literally all of these problems:

• Everything cooks 30-50% faster than traditional methods
• Each dish gets perfectly crispy without drying out
• You can prep and cook throughout the day instead of panicking at the end
• Your main oven stays free for other things (or stays clean!)
• Smaller portions mean less waste and easier storage

Plus, most of us are hosting smaller gatherings these days anyway. This menu feeds 6-8 people perfectly, with enough leftovers to make everyone happy .

The best part? Air fryers are actually better at reheating than ovens or microwaves, so your make-ahead dishes taste fresh and crispy when you serve them .

Your Complete Air Fryer Thanksgiving Shopping List

I’ve organized this by store sections so you’re not running back and forth like a crazy person. Print this out and check off items as you shop—trust me, it’ll save you from forgetting the cranberries (again).

Proteins & Dairy Section

• 3-4 lb boneless turkey breast
• 2 dozen eggs
• 1 lb butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded cheese

Produce Section

• 4 large sweet potatoes
• 3 lbs Yukon potatoes
• 1.5 lbs Brussels sprouts
• 2 lbs fresh green beans
• 1 large onion
• 1 bunch celery
• 4 cloves garlic
• 6 Granny Smith apples

Pantry Essentials

• 8 cups day-old bread (or stuffing mix)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup French fried onions
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 12 frozen dinner rolls
• Mini marshmallows (optional)
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Seasonings & Extras

• Garlic powder, dried thyme, dried rosemary, paprika
• Dried sage, cinnamon, nutmeg
• Salt, pepper, white pepper
• Olive oil, honey, balsamic vinegar
• Aluminum foil
• Sea salt flakes

Pro shopping tip: Buy your turkey breast 3-4 days ahead and season it immediately. The flavors penetrate better, and you’ll have one less thing to worry about.

Your Stress-Free 4-Day Prep Timeline

This timeline is what separates the pros from the people who end up crying in their kitchen on Thursday morning. Follow this, and you’ll actually enjoy Thanksgiving instead of surviving it.

3 Days Before (Monday if serving Thursday)

Shopping Day:

• Get all your ingredients (seriously, don’t put this off)
• Season your turkey breast with herbs and spices—store covered in the fridge
• Cut bread into cubes for stuffing and leave out to get stale

This is also when I like to clean out my fridge and make sure I’ve got enough storage containers for leftovers.

2 Days Before (Tuesday)

Major Prep Day:

• Assemble stuffing completely—cover and refrigerate
• Cook sweet potatoes fully in your air fryer—store in fridge
• Cook and mash potatoes—store in fridge
• Assemble green bean casserole (but hold the fried onions for now!)

Tuesday is your power day. Get as much done as possible so Wednesday feels easy.

1 Day Before (Wednesday)

Final Prep Day:

• Prep and season Brussels sprouts—store in fridge
• Assemble apple crisp completely—cover and refrigerate
• Thaw dinner rolls overnight
• Print your cooking schedule and post it in the kitchen

Wednesday should feel calm. You’re basically just finishing touches and getting organized.

Thanksgiving Day

Follow the detailed cooking schedule below, and you’ll be sitting down to dinner feeling like a champion instead of a zombie.

Your Thanksgiving Day Air Fryer Cooking Schedule

This is where the magic happens. I’ve timed everything so you’re not stressed and everything comes out hot and crispy.

3 Hours Before Serving

Start Turkey Breast (Priority: HIGH)

• Temperature: 350°F for 40 minutes covered, then 400°F for 15 minutes uncovered
• Total time: 50-60 minutes
• Internal temp must reach 165°F

Set a timer and resist opening the air fryer every five minutes. Trust the process.

2 Hours Before Serving

Turkey Resting Time + Start Stuffing (Priority: HIGH)

• Your turkey should be resting covered with foil
• Stuffing: 350°F for 30-35 minutes
• Cover with foil if it’s browning too quickly

1.5 Hours Before Serving

Green Bean Casserole (Priority: MEDIUM)

• 350°F for 25 minutes covered
• Add fried onions and cook uncovered 5 more minutes
• This gives that perfect crispy topping everyone loves

45 Minutes Before Serving

Reheat Sweet Potatoes (Priority: MEDIUM)

• 400°F for 10 minutes to crisp them up
• They’ll taste like you just made them fresh

30 Minutes Before Serving

Brussels Sprouts (Priority: MEDIUM)

• 375°F for 18-20 minutes
• Toss them halfway through for even cooking

20 Minutes Before Serving

Reheat Mashed Potatoes (Priority: LOW)

• 350°F for 15 minutes wrapped in foil
• Add extra butter on top for richness

15 Minutes Before Serving

Warm Dinner Rolls (Priority: LOW)

• 350°F for 8-12 minutes
• Brush with honey butter halfway through

After Dinner

Apple Crisp

• 350°F for 25-30 minutes
• Perfect timing while you’re clearing the table!

Detailed Recipe Cards for Maximum Success

Air Fryer Turkey Breast

Serves: 6-8 | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 50-60 min

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lb boneless turkey breast
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp each: dried thyme, dried rosemary, paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Aluminum foil

Make-Ahead: Season 24 hours ahead for maximum flavor penetration.

Cook Notes: Cover with foil first 40 minutes at 350°F, then uncover and increase to 400°F for 10-15 minutes to get that gorgeous crispy skin. Always check internal temp reaches 165°F .

Herb Stuffing

Serves: 8 | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 30-35 min

Ingredients:

• 8 cups day-old bread cubes
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup each: diced onion, diced celery
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp dried sage, 1/2 tsp thyme
• Salt and pepper

Make-Ahead: Assemble completely 1-2 days ahead. Your future self will thank you!

Cook Notes: Cover with foil if browning too quickly. Add extra broth if it seems dry during cooking.

Crispy Sweet Potatoes

Serves: 6 | Prep: 10 min | Cook: 35-40 min

Ingredients:

• 4 large sweet potatoes
• Aluminum foil
• 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Mini marshmallows (optional)

Make-Ahead: Cook completely up to 2 days ahead. Reheat 10 minutes before serving .

Cook Notes: Wrap in foil for first 35 minutes, then unwrap and crisp 5 minutes more for perfect texture.

Pro Tips That’ll Make You Look Like a Thanksgiving Genius

Don’t Overcrowd Your Air Fryer This is the #1 mistake people make. Your air fryer needs space to circulate air properly . Cook in batches if you need to—it’s better than having unevenly cooked food.

Use Foil Strategically Foil prevents over-browning and helps keep food moist . Just don’t block all the air circulation.

Check Doneness Early Air fryers can cook faster than you expect. Start checking temperatures about 10 minutes before your timer goes off.

Let Your Turkey Rest This isn’t optional—let it rest 15 minutes before carving so the juices redistribute properly.

Prep Your Air Fryer Clean it thoroughly before the big day. You don’t want old food smells mixing with your Thanksgiving feast.

Have a Backup Plan Keep your regular oven available for warming dishes if you need extra space.

Your Printable Air Fryer Thanksgiving Checklist

Here’s your complete condensed checklist that you can print and post in your kitchen. This has everything you need at a glance:

ESSENTIAL SHOPPING LIST

• Proteins & Dairy: 3-4 lb turkey breast, eggs, butter, milk, sour cream, cheese
• Produce: Sweet potatoes, Yukon potatoes, Brussels sprouts, green beans, onion, celery, garlic, apples
• Pantry: Bread cubes, chicken broth, cream of mushroom soup, fried onions, oats, dinner rolls
• Seasonings: All your herbs and spices, foil, oils

4-DAY PREP TIMELINE

• 3 Days Before: Shop, season turkey, prep bread cubes
• 2 Days Before: Assemble stuffing, cook sweet potatoes and potatoes, assemble casserole
• 1 Day Before: Prep Brussels sprouts, assemble apple crisp, thaw rolls
• Thanksgiving Day: Follow cooking schedule

THANKSGIVING DAY SCHEDULE

• 3 hours before: Turkey (50-60 min)
• 2 hours before: Stuffing (30-35 min)
• 1.5 hours before: Green bean casserole (30 min)
• 45 min before: Reheat sweet potatoes (10 min)
• 30 min before: Brussels sprouts (20 min)
• 20 min before: Reheat potatoes (15 min)
• 15 min before: Warm rolls (10 min)
• After dinner: Apple crisp (30 min)

QUICK REFERENCE TEMPERATURES

• Turkey: 350°F → 400°F (internal 165°F)
• Stuffing: 350°F
• Sweet potatoes: 400°F
• Green beans: 350°F
• Brussels sprouts: 375°F
• Rolls: 350°F
• Apple crisp: 350°F

Why This System Actually Works

I’ve been perfecting this air fryer Thanksgiving system for three years now, and the biggest breakthrough was realizing that smaller portions actually cook better than trying to cram everything into a huge oven.

When you cook a 4-pound turkey breast instead of a 20-pound whole bird, you get way more consistent results. Every piece gets crispy skin, the meat cooks evenly, and you’re not trying to coordinate ten different cooking times.

The make-ahead strategy is what really saves your sanity though. When you walk into your kitchen on Thanksgiving morning and half your dishes are already done, you’ll feel like you’ve got superpowers.

The secret sauce is the timing schedule. I’ve tested this multiple times to make sure everything finishes at the right time and stays warm without overcooking. Follow it exactly, and you’ll have perfectly timed dinner every time.

Making It Work for Your Family

This menu serves 6-8 people perfectly, but it’s totally scalable. If you’re cooking for fewer people, just cut the portions down. If you’re cooking for more, you can easily double recipes and cook in batches.

Don’t like Brussels sprouts? Swap them for green beans or roasted carrots. The timing will be similar.

Want more dessert options? These techniques work great for apple hand pies, pumpkin turnovers, or even mini cheesecakes.

Hosting kids? The turkey breast slices perfectly for little hands, and you can make the sweet potatoes extra sweet with more brown sugar.

The beauty of this system is that it’s flexible while still being organized. You can customize the menu but keep the timing structure that makes everything work.

Your Air Fryer Thanksgiving Success Story Starts Here

This complete prep list isn’t just about making Thanksgiving dinner—it’s about changing how you think about holiday cooking entirely. Instead of stress and chaos, you get organization and confidence. Instead of dried-out turkey and soggy sides, you get crispy perfection every single time.

The printable checklist eliminates the guesswork, the timeline eliminates the stress, and your air fryer eliminates the juggling act of traditional oven cooking. This year, you’re gonna be the person who makes Thanksgiving look easy.

Pro Tip: Take photos of your finished dishes and jot down any timing adjustments that worked for your specific air fryer. Next year, you’ll have your own personalized version that’s calibrated perfectly for your kitchen.

Print that checklist, post it in your kitchen, and get ready for the most organized, delicious, and stress-free Thanksgiving you’ve ever made. Your family’s gonna think you’ve been secretly taking cooking classes, but really, you just finally found a system that actually works.

Happy Thanksgiving, and welcome to the world of air fryer holiday cooking!

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