Description
This Oven Roasted Turkey Breast recipe delivers a juicy, tender, and flavorful turkey breast with a golden, crispy skin. Perfect for holiday meals or comforting family dinners, it uses simple pantry ingredients and straightforward steps to achieve consistent, delicious results. Fully customizable with herbs and spices to suit your taste, this recipe highlights the natural flavors of turkey with foolproof techniques to avoid dryness or undercooking.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 to 5 lb boneless skin-on turkey breast, thawed
- 2 tbsp olive oil or softened butter
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or 1 tsp lemon zest
- Optional spices: 1 tsp paprika or smoked paprika
Variations (Optional)
- Swap olive oil for herb butter (butter mixed with herbs)
- Add 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or chili flakes for heat
- Honey mustard glaze: 2 tbsp honey mixed with 1 tbsp mustard (to brush last 15 minutes)
- Use orange or lime zest instead of lemon for citrus twist
Instructions
- Prepare the Turkey Breast: Start with a thawed, boneless turkey breast and pat it dry thoroughly with paper towels to ensure a crisp skin when roasting.
- Season Generously: Rub olive oil or softened butter all over the turkey breast, covering skin and underside. Sprinkle salt, pepper, minced garlic, and fresh herbs evenly, pressing gently into the skin and meat for deep flavor infusion. Add lemon juice or zest and optional paprika if desired.
- Preheat and Prepare Oven: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place a roasting rack inside a roasting pan to allow air circulation and even cooking.
- Roast the Turkey Breast: Position the turkey breast skin-side up on the roasting rack. Roast uncovered for about 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on the size, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) measured at the thickest part.
- Rest Before Slicing: Remove the turkey breast from the oven and loosely tent with aluminum foil. Let rest for 15 to 20 minutes to allow juices to redistribute, ensuring moist and tender slices.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to confirm doneness and avoid overcooking.
- For extra flavor and crisp skin, dry brine by salting and refrigerating uncovered up to 24 hours before cooking.
- Let the turkey sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting to promote even cooking.
- Rotate the roasting pan halfway through cooking for consistent browning.
- Save pan drippings to make a flavorful gravy.
- Reheat leftovers wrapped in foil with a splash of broth at 300°F (150°C) to prevent drying out.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus optional 24 hours dry brine)
- Cook Time: 1 to 1.5 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 4 oz cooked turkey breast)
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 0.5g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: oven roasted turkey breast, juicy turkey recipe, holiday turkey breast, simple turkey breast, baked turkey breast, gluten free turkey