Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
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Oven Roasted Turkey Breast is a classic holiday main dish. This recipe for turkey breast is really easy enough to make for a delicious weeknight or Sunday dinner as well.
The turkey comes out moist and flavorful every time and is a healthy and affordable meal choice.
Whole Roast Turkey Breast
This recipe is for a whole roast turkey breast. This means that what you will purchase will be the body of the turkey without the wings and thighs, but it will have the two turkey breasts and the cavity.
This is a great option for a smaller Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving menu, or even make for a family with some leftovers.
The cavity can also be used to boil in water with carrots, onions and celery to make a delicious turkey broth.
Note– this recipe can be used for a single turkey breast, you will need to cut the ingredients in half and adjust the cooking time. Cook for 20 minutes per pound.
How to Safely Thaw Turkey Breast
Most of the time when you purchase a whole turkey breast, it will be frozen solid in the grocery freezer.
The best way to thaw the turkey breast is in the refrigerator, according to the USDA.
When I thaw turkey in the refrigerator, I like to place it into a large bowl. I do this to catch any juices that might leak out as it thaws, you don’t want that getting into any other food in the refrigerator.
Plan about about 24 hours per 4-5 pounds of turkey to thaw all the way.
*If you do not have time to thaw the turkey, you can cook it from frozen, check out my post on how to cook a frozen turkey, just adjust for the weight of the turkey breast.
How Much Turkey Per Person
When planning a turkey meal, I like to plan for 1 1/2-2 pounds of turkey per person. Personally, I love leftover turkey so I always plan on the higher side, so I can have leftover turkey to make sandwiches.
Tips for the Best Roasted Turkey Breast
What to Serve with Turkey Breast
- Corn Pudding Casserole
- Garlic Butter Asparagus
- Baked Acorn Squash
- Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
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Roasted Whole Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 7-8 pound whole turkey breast
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lemon juice and zest
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme finely chopped
- ¼ onion sliced into quarters
- 1/2 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 sprigs each rosemary, sage, thyme
Instructions
- Take turkey breast out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking . Remove packaging.
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking or roasting pan with cooking spray or oil.
- Make herb butter: In a bowl combine softened butter, salt, pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic and herbs.
- Rub herb butter under the skin of the turkey and all over the outside of the turkey.
- Place sliced ¼ onion quarters, ½ lemon, 2 crushed garlic cloves and sprigs of rosemary, sage and thyme into the cavity of the turkey.
- Bake for 20 minutes per pound until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165℉. Baste the turkey with the pan juices 2-3 times while cooking.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing to serve.
Video
Notes
- Nutrition facts are just an estimate
- If you don’t have fresh herbs, substitute 1 teaspoon dried herbs for each tablespoon of fresh herbs
- If the skin is getting too crispy, cover with foil until done cooking
- Baste the turkey 2-3 times with the pan juices while cooking
