Roasted Turkey Breast
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Yields the most tender, juicy meat with the crispiest skin! 15-20 min prep time. That’s it! So simple yet SO GOOD.
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reasons to roast a turkey breast
- Perfect for a small gathering. If you are keeping Thanksgiving small or you’re simply just not in the mood to cook an entire Thanksgiving turkey this holiday season, this recipe is here to save the day.
- Less hassle. There’s no brining, no basting, no fuss. And with substantially less cooking time than a whole turkey, this leaves your oven space more available during the big day.
- Juicy and flavorful. Say good-bye to dry turkey. With a few simple tricks, you’ll have tender, moist, oh-so-juicy turkey meat with enough pan drippings for turkey gravy.
tips and tricks for success
- Plan for 1 – 1.5 lb of turkey per person. This will ensure you have enough leftovers and pan drippings for your gravy. If using boneless breasts, reduce the amount to 0.5 lb of turkey per person.
- Bone-in is ideal. Turkey breasts are available boneless and bone-in. Bone-in will generally be far more flavorful and juicier.
- Thaw the turkey breast. If using a frozen turkey breast, allow 1-2 days to thaw completely in the fridge or 3-5 hours in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes.
- Fresh herbs are best. Although you can certainly substitute dried herbs, fresh herbs are ideal here, delivering the best kind of flavor.
- Rub the butter mixture inside and out. For maximum flavor, rub the herb butter mixture throughly both under the skin and over the skin.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. Check your turkey breast halfway through cooking, inserting through the thickest part of the breast but avoiding the bone. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Let your bird rest. Let your turkey breast rest for at least 20 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness. This also frees up oven space to reheat/cook your remaining Thanksgiving side dishes.
- Save the drippings. Drippings make for the best turkey gravy.
what to serve with turkey breast
Roasted Turkey Breast: Frequently Asked Questions
To defrost a turkey in the refrigerator, we recommend allowing 24 hours for every 5 pounds.
Because a turkey breast is much smaller than a whole turkey, this can be cooked in a vessel of your choosing – a roasting pan without the rack, an oven-safe skillet or a baking dish.
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent/concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. The correct ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
This will vary on the size of your bird but plan for about 20-25 minutes per pound.
Yes! Even with a turkey breast, you should have plenty of pan drippings for our most favorited gravy recipe.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Roasted Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 5-pound bone-in, skin-on turkey breast
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Let turkey stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray. Spread lemon slices into the prepared baking dish.
- In a small bowl, combine butter, garlic, thyme, sage and rosemary.
- Dry turkey thoroughly with paper towels. Using your fingers, carefully loosen the skin from the breast meat, spreading half of the butter mixture under the skin. Secure skin over the butter with wooden picks.
- Place turkey, breast side up, on top of the lemon slices. Spread remaining half of the butter mixture over the turkey; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Place into oven and bake until the turkey is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Let stand 20 minutes before carving; serve warm with gravy, if desired.
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Cannot believe how tasty this recipe was. Unlike so many others, the added herbs and spices actually infused into the meat (which was moist as hell!). It was so good that my wife, who will not eat turkey leftovers, had two later meals with this turkey breast. Thanks so much!
Question: Do you cover the Turkey with foil or cooking bag or anything while baking?
No, not unless u want soggy skin.
If u rub a good amt of seasoned/flavored butter under the skin (after you’ve loosened it w/o tearing it), u will not ever feel the need to use a ridiculous oven bag again. They’re not necessary.
I also rec *not* trying to stuff it, whether a whole turkey or breast. All u need is a few aromatics in the cavity & it had all it needs to be juicy & flavorful.
If u want a perfectly cooked turkey (esp a breast) use the above & following recommendations: cook at 325 w/a proper leave-in, digital meat probe. Do not cover it until the skin is browned to your liking. Once it is, just lay a piece of foil over it & *loosely* “wrap” it to cover (u don’t want it to be so tight that it steams & makes the skin soggy).
Cook ONLY until it reaches about 158°F in the breast (u can wait til as little as 155° or to 160° but I’d use the guidelines depending on the wt of the bird. If it’s small, I might pull at 156°-158°. If it’s 15lbs or larger, I might pull it at 160° but definitely no higher than that. Remove from oven and let that bird sit, **loosely** covered for *at least* 30 mins or up to an hr depending on how long your sides take to bake or reheat.
I’m no chef, but if u cook it to the rec temp, based upon who’s providing the info,it will be overcooked & dry. Meat continues to cook after it’s removed from the cooking source. If u want to double ck, u can always use a digital, instant read thermometer to ck the temp after it’s rested for at least 30 mins.
Once u follow these steps (& season appropriately) u will never worry about an overcooked, dry Turkey (or any other meat) ever again. Ur welcome!
Could we use dried herbs instead of fresh?
Can we use dried herbs? if so how much?
Delicious and so easy! I would definitely make this again.
I used dried herbs, about 1/3 of the fresh quantities and it was very tasty.
I made this for my first go at hosting Thanksgiving for my family and I am SO PROUD of how it turned out. Possibly the most delicious Thanksgiving turkey I’ve ever had (my husband also said it was the best he’d ever had, too!). Make this. Immediately. So good.
Perfect!
Damn delicious is right! My 94 year old MIL raved endlessly about the flavor and how tender the meat was. I agree, the flavor was amazing. This is going to be my main stay recipe for eternity.
The turkey breast came out good. Next time I would leave out the lemon slices or replace them with onions and celery. The lemon slices imparted a sour/bitter tasted to the pan drippings which made for weird tasting gravy. They didn’t add anything to the taste of the turkey so why risk ruining your gravy?
This was just so easy and good. My husband and I don’t cook much but we wanted my aging parents to have the holiday off. It came out perfect.
I made this using a boneless 2 pound turkey breast. It came out tender and great. I could taste the lemon a little bit. I used poultry seasoning no salt or pepper. Thank you for helping me prepare this turkey!
How long did you cook the boneless breast for?
I made this for guests and family for Sunday dinner and the bone-in turkey breast came out flavorful and juicy. I seasoned it Saturday and left in the fridge overnight and baked as directed. My turkey breast was almost 7 lbs so it took longer to cook but was great. I took the juices and added to my giblet gravy -equally fantastic! Will definitely use this recipe again.
How long did you cook it for since it was almost 7lbs
Rule of thumb is add 20 minutes per pound. So, if it’s 2 pounds over, add 40 minutes to the cooking time. But ovens vary, so of course use a meat thermometer and check as the end of the time approaches so it doesn’t over or under cook. 🙂
Hands down, the best turkey breast recipe! I made it exactly as directed, and it was moist and tasted fabulous!
So far, EVERYTHING I have tried with Damn Delicious recipes have been so great!
I just got the boneless turkey breast. Following your Sheet pan herb roasted Turkey. This recipe looks better. wil the boneless turkey will work as well? Thank you
Same, I always get boneless. I’m guessing cooking time is decreased but by how much, I don’t know.
In the photo, it appears that your turkey breast does not contain the backbone, like it is spatchcocked. Around here, ours come with the backbone attached. Does it cook more quickly without the backbone? If so, I can remove it. Thank you.
I have the same question. Have never seen a whole breast without the backbone. Last time I cooked one I removed it but it was a job.
I was thinking that the breast had been carved and plated for the photo. Hope I’m right b/c I’m putting the thing it the way it comes!