Perfect for feeding a smaller crowd for the holidays, this Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe is just the answer to your menu-planning needs. If you’ve avoided baking turkey breast because you thought it would dry it, this recipe is for you! See my tips for keeping it moist and tender.
Contents
An Easier Thanksgiving Main Dish
If you are making dinner for a smaller crowd this year, an oven roasted turkey breast is a great alternative to roasting a whole turkey.
Following my method, you’ll have beautifully roasted, tender and juicy turkey meat ready in about an hour.
I don’t even bother to brine my turkey breast. Because more of the meat is exposed, seasoning it well and cooking it at a low temperature is enough to season it well.
This may just be your new favorite way to serve turkey! Just a few ingredients and about an hour – so simple.
What You’ll Need
- Turkey Breast (bone-in or boneless turkey breast)
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
- Butter (softened to room temperature for easiest spreading)
- Fresh Herbs (rosemary, sage and thyme. Use dried herbs if that’s what you have!)
Serve this with my Maple Cranberry Sauce!
Kitchen Tools:
- Instant-Read Thermometer
- Cast Iron Braiser Pan (or dutch oven)
How Long do you Cook a Turkey Breast?
A turkey breast needs to be baked at 325º F for about 15 minutes per pound.
3 pound turkey breast: 45 minutes
4 pound turkey breast: 60 minutes
However, begin checking your turkey breast about 15 minutes earlier than the expected cooking time to avoid over cooking your turkey and ending up with dry turkey meat.
Use a good meat thermometer and check the internal temperature often during the baking process.
How do you keep a turkey breast from being dry?
3 Tips to Keeping your turkey breast moist:
1). Use a compound butter to coat your turkey breast. This replaces some of the fat you would have if you were roasting a whole turkey and adds a protective layer on the lean meat.
2). Bake the turkey breast in a cast iron braiser or dutch oven. A roasting pan will allow too much moisture to escape. The heavy cast iron lid seals in moisture and is my trick for roasting smaller meats (like this Oven Roasted Brisket).
3). Use a good meat thermometer and begin checking the temperature of the turkey breast about 40 minutes into baking. Only bake the turkey breast to 150º F before removing the lid and allowing the skin to brown. Then check the temperature again. The turkey breast needs to get up to 165º F but it will continue to cook as the skin browns, and then more as it sits and rests prior to cutting. Always put the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast.
Optional: If you’re turkey breast is defrosted a day ahead of time, a dry brine is recommended. After step 1, generously coating the turkey breast with Kosher salt and pepper, wrap the turkey up in an airtight bag, and refrigerate it overnight. Read more about Dry Brine Turkey here. Then proceed to preheat your oven and coat the turkey breast in an herbed compound butter.
How to Make an Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
Step 1: Preheat oven to 325º F. Generously coat turkey breast with Kosher salt and black pepper.
Step 2: In a small bowl, combine chopped herbs and softened butter. Mix into an herbed compound butter.
Step 3: Spread the herb butter over the entire turkey breast, including the bottom of the meat. Gently press some of the butter up under the skin wherever it is loosened from the meat.
Step 4: Roast the turkey breast in a cast iron braiser or dutch oven with the lid for 15 minutes per pound minus 10 minutes (at this point the meat thermometer should be at 150º F). Remove the lid and allow the skin to brown for about 10 minutes (at this point the meat thermometer should show about 155-160º F). Crispy skin is not the objective. This meat is too lean to try to cook it uncovered that long. Always put the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast.
Step 5: Remove the turkey breast from the pan, and allow it to rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes (at this point the meat should get up to 165º F.) Cut the turkey breast in thick slices to serve. Optionally tent a piece of aluminum foil over the turkey breast while it’s resting (this helps if you need to keep it warm while getting the rest of dinner on the table.)
Bone-In Turkey Breast vs. Boneless Turkey Breast
I have tested this recipe with both a boneless and a bone-in turkey breast.
While both result in delicious meat, the bone-in turkey breast has better flavor, produced more drippings to make gravy, and had a better presentation.
Boneless turkey breasts end up with not much skin left to protect the meat and add flavor. Smaller flaps of skin sometimes aren’t fully attached and leave large amounts of the lean meat exposed.
How to Serve this Turkey Breast Recipe
Maple Cranberry Sauce is a must!
This method does not yield enough pan drippings to make very much gravy. I save the drippings, and mix them with this Simply Organic Turkey Gravy Mix. Super simple!
Holiday Side Dishes
- Thick and Creamy Cauliflower Mash (with potatoes or potato free!
- Sauteed Delicata Squash with Crispy Fried Sage
- Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
- Gluten and Dairy-Free Green Bean Casserole
- Butternut Squash
Other Thanksgiving Main Dishes
I’d love to connect with you on social media! Find me on Facebook or Instagram where I post daily healthy eating and lifestyle inspiration!
Oven Baked Turkey Breast Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-5 pound turkey breast bone-in recommended, boneless also works
- 2 tablespoons Kosher salt
- black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup butter softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs sage, rosemary, thyme, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325º F. Generously coat turkey breast with Kosher salt and black pepper.
- In a small bowl, combine chopped herbs and softened butter. Mix into an herbed compound butter.
- Spread the compound butter over the entire turkey breast, including the bottom of the meat. Gently press some of the butter up under the skin wherever it is loosened from the meat.
- Bake turkey breast in a cast iron braiser or dutch oven with the lid for 15 minutes per pound minus 10 minutes (at this point the meat thermometer should be at 150º F). Remove the lid and allow the skin to brown for about 10 minutes (at this point the meat thermometer should show about 155-160º F).
- Remove the turkey breast from the pan, and allow it to rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes (at this point the meat should get up to 165º F.) Cut the turkey breast in thick slices to serve.
I LOVE this method – I will be baking a lot more turkey breasts in my future!