Alright friends, say goodbye to the hassle of making a whole turkey for the holidays, and hello to this simple and easy Roasted Turkey Breast recipe. It’s infused with lots of moisture and flavor and it’s made in half the time. I started buying turkey breasts for Thanksgiving years ago because my family simply couldn’t eat a whole turkey. So turkey breasts were the perfect solution! Half the prep time, half the cook time, and less food waste. And did I mention it’s also a gorgeous centerpiece for your holiday feast? I have a feeling this might be your go-to turkey recipe for all of your special occasions. ;)
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you need to make this tender, flavorful, turkey breast recipe:
- Herbed Butter: A lot of the flavor for the turkey breast comes from the brine and from the herb-infused butter. We used a combination of rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic, salt and pepper to flavor the butter. I had extra fresh rosemary left over from my brine, so that’s what I used, but feel free to use dried herbs and spices if that’s what you have on hand.
- Bone-In Turkey Breast: I am using a 5.5 lb. bone-in turkey breast with the skin on, but you can also use a boneless turkey breast.
How Long Do You Cook A Turkey Breast?
The time it takes to cook a turkey breast will vary slightly depending on the size of the turkey. A good rule of thumb is to cook the turkey for roughly 15 minutes per pound. Always use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey breast. The internal temperature should reach 165°F at the thickest part of the breast without touching the bone.
Bone-in vs. Boneless
I tested this recipe with both a bone-in and boneless turkey breast. Both delivered great flavor but there was 1 key difference:
- Presentation: After purchasing 2 different brands of boneless turkey breasts, I noticed the skin on boneless turkey breasts were very loose, barely hanging on, and sometimes half missing. Once cooked the final presentation was not as appealing as the bone-in turkey breast. If this is not a huge concern for you then no worries, it will still have great flavor. But on a special holiday like Thanksgiving, I really want my turkey to not only taste good but also look good too! ;)
How Do You Keep The Turkey From Being Dry?
The best way to ensure you have juicy and tender turkey breast meat is to brine the turkey. I’ve tried to skip this step a few times in the past, but it really does make all the difference! A turkey breast brine will not only give the turkey moisture, but it also adds extra flavor throughout the entire breast. Don’t forget to rinse and dry the turkey breast after it is done brining. This removes any excess salt from the turkey and prevents it from being too salty.
Tips For Cooking A Turkey Breast!
- If your turkey breast is frozen, make sure to thaw it first in the refrigerator overnight or according to the package instructions before brining or roasting it.
- I definitely recommend brining your turkey breast for tender meat and the absolute best flavor throughout the breast.
- Dry the turkey breast really well to remove any excess moisture. It’s hard for the herb butter to stick to the breast when it is wet.
- If the turkey is getting too brown on the top while it’s roasting, place a loose piece of aluminum foil on top of the breast as it continues to bake.
- And don’t forget to save those turkey drippings so you can make a super flavorful homemade turkey gravy to serve on the side.
Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe
Servings 6Ingredients
- 8 Tbsp butter, room temperature ($1.12)
- 2 cloves of garlic, pressed ($0.16)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.03)
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.03)
- 1.5 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped* ($0.75)
- 1 tsp dried thyme ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp dried sage ($0.05)
- 5.5 lb. bone-in turkey breast (skin on)** ($19.25)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl add the room temperature butter, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and sage. Mix them together until they form a paste.
- Dry the turkey breast very well with a paper towel on all sides. Use your hand to carefully separate the skin from the breast meat, leaving it intact on the sides, and creating a pocket to fill with the herb butter.
- Spread about 1/3 of the herb butter under the skin. Spread the remaining herb butter on top of the skin and all over the exterior of the turkey breast.
- Place the turkey breast in a greased deep casserole dish or roasting pan. Transfer the dish to the oven and roast the turkey for about 1 hr 30 min, or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. My turkey was ready right around 1 hr 20 minutes. Baste the turkey breast every 30 minutes with the pan drippings.
- Begin to check the internal temperature of the turkey after 1 hour. If the top of the breast begins to brown too much before the internal temperature reaches its mark, loosely cover the turkey with foil as it bakes. Make sure to test the temperature in the thickest part of the breast, without touching the bone.
- Let the turkey breast rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with turkey gravy and your favorite sides. Enjoy!
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Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make A Roasted Turkey Breast – Step by Step Photos
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl add 8 Tbsp room temperature butter, 2 pressed garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, 1 1/2 tsp fresh chopped rosemary, 1 tsp dried thyme, and 1/2 tsp dried sage.
Mix them together until they form a paste.
Dry a 5-6 lb. bone-in, skin on, turkey breast very well with a paper towel on all sides.
Use your hand to carefully separate the skin from the breast meat, leaving it intact on the sides, and creating a pocket to fill with the herb butter. Spread about 1/3 of the herb butter under the skin.
Spread the remaining herb butter on top of the skin and all over the exterior of the turkey breast. Place the turkey breast in a greased deep casserole dish or roasting pan. Transfer the dish to the oven and roast the turkey for about 1.5 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
Baste the turkey breast every 30 minutes with the pan drippings. Begin to check the internal temperature of the turkey after 1 hour. If the top of the breast begins to brown too much before the internal temperature reaches its mark, loosely cover the turkey with foil as it bakes. Make sure to test the temperature in the thickest part of the breast, without touching the bone.
Let the turkey breast rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with turkey gravy and your favorite sides. Enjoy!
Yum! Will be trying for this Thanksgiving! Do you have a brining recipe/technique to share?
We just posted one a couple recipes back, Amy! https://www.budgetbytes.com/turkey-breast-brine/