Roasted Turkey Breast made with butter, herbs, salt, and pepper has tender juicy meat and CRISPY skin, and roasts in only 90 minutes!
It’s officially turkey season in our kitchen, and we’ve been cooking them up all week to prepare for Thanksgiving! Just in case you need some FAST last minute turkey ideas, check out Spatchcock Turkey, Easy Roasted Turkey Thighs, and Crispy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast.
ROASTED TURKEY BREAST
Roasted Turkey Breast is my go-to choice when I have to cook for the holidays, but don’t have much time to prep and roast a whole turkey. This is also a great last minute option if you didn’t buy a whole turkey in time to defrost it properly.
It’s Thanksgiving morning, are you in a panic? This turkey breast recipe is your saving grace! Plus if you serve it along side my Crispy Slow Cooker Turkey Thighs your family won’t even miss the whole bird!
The holidays can get a little crazy in this house, with family coming in and coordinating schedules, so I totally get it.
Turkey breast is just as good as a whole turkey, but it’s ready in only 90 minutes. It’s also a great option if you need a little bit more to feed a crowd but don’t want to cook an entire second turkey. All you have to do is season some butter with herbs, salt, and pepper, then rub it under the skin, and get it in the oven.
The seasoned butter is a chef-approved restaurant trick that makes the meat incredibly juicy and flavorful, your guests will think you had it catered. Plus you get mostly white meat, which is better for making turkey sandwiches the next day like my Moist Maker!
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO ROAST A TURKEY BREAST?
A turkey breast takes about an 1 to 1 1/2 hours to cook per 4 pounds of meat. So if you get an 8 pound turkey breast, your cooking time will be more like 3 hours. The most important thing is that you use a meat thermometer to check the innermost part of the turkey breast for food safety. It’s done when the temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
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HOW MUCH TURKEY BREAST DO I NEED PER PERSON?
You want to make sure you have about 1/2 to 3/4 pound of turkey breast per person, so a 4 pound breast will comfortably feed about 6-8 people. If you’re going to have a larger group, you’re looking at an 8 pound turkey breast, or just go for the whole turkey.
But most importantly, make sure you have enough for leftovers. Leftovers are basically mandatory on Thanksgiving, right?
THANKSGIVING MENU IDEAS TO SERVE WITH ROASTED TURKEY BREAST
- Easy Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Stuffing
- Candied Yams
- Roasted Green Beans
- Easy Mashed Potatoes
- Baked Mac and Cheese
TIPS FOR MAKING ROASTED TURKEY BREAST
- You can use other other flavors or herbs like sage and lemon to the butter to add extra flavor, or season the turkey breast with spices like my Cajun Roasted Turkey. It’s entirely a personal preference.
- Roast your turkey breast skin-side-up, to give it a chance to get really crispy when it’s roasting.
- You should have more than enough pan drippings for homemade gravy, too!
- ALWAYS check your turkey with a meat thermometer to make sure it gets to 165 degrees F for food safety. Another visual indicator is that the juices will start running clear when the turkey is done.
- You don’t have to cover the turkey breast with tinfoil because it’s only going to take 90 minutes to roast, so the skin will be extra crispy by the time it’s done!
Also, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! Oh and when you’re ready for leftovers, use this recipe: Leftover Turkey Casserole
Roasted Turkey Breast
Roasted Turkey Breast made with butter, herbs, salt, and pepper has tender juicy meat and CRISPY skin, and roasts in only 90 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 10 leaves fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 turkey breast 4-6 pound, patted dry
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Set up oven so there is only the bottom rack. Add the turkey breast to a large roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels inside and out.
- Mash the butter, herbs, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set 2-3 tablespoons aside for later.
- Use the back of a spoon to lift the skin from the turkey breast and spread butter inside. Smooth the skin back down to spread the butter all over the breast. Be careful not to tear the skin as the butter will drip out when cooking.
Roast for 90 minutes, or until the innermost part of the breast is cooked to 165 degrees (this is vital for food safety). Top with remaining butter and let rest for 20 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.
Hi Sabrina, This recipe sounds amazing, and I can’t wait to use it for my (first-time) Christmas Day turkey breast! I have two questions: first, do you feel I should brine the turkey breast overnight; and second, is it necessary to use the rack that came with my new roasting pan? I am wondering why so many people say you MUST brine (when it seems like a real chore, in my opinion); and also why most roasting pans come with racks but most recipes don’t mention using a rack. Thanks very much! This recipe really seems so EASY and delicious ?
I think brining is a personal choice. You don’t have to do it but it can deliver a juicier bird. And with using the rack, it allows for the bird to cook more evenly but since this is just a breast, you’re good either way. Hope this helps clear things up. Good luck!
Hi Sabrina!
Made this for the second Thanksgiving in a row..last year, my fiancee said it was the best turkey he ever had, this year my mother and brother said it was they best they ever had! Thank you! Wishing you a safe and healthy holiday season!
Thanks for coming back to let me know how much everyone enjoyed it, Marie.
If you don’t have fresh thyme, can you use dried?
Yes! I did this year when I made a turkey breast for our Thanksgiving dinner. Fresh was sold out. Happy Holidays!
I made this recipe for Thanksgiving as we didn’t need to cook a full turkey since were not having any extended family over due to the pandemic. It was a huge hit!
My husband who is a ham guy on Thanksgiving really enjoyed it, and both my 3 year old and 7 year old asked for seconds. They all asked me to make the turkey this way from now on (even if we end up going to Grandma’s)! Thank you for the delicious and simple to prepare recipe. It was truly wonderful watching them all enjoy it so much!
Thank you so much for the amazing review Katie! I am so glad the turkey was such a hit and you had such a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner! Happy Holidays!
Can you use dried herbs in place of the fresh?
Yes but use less since they are stronger.
10 lbs bone in breast. How long do I cook
You’ll want it to cook for 22 – 25 minutes per pound.
I made this today and it was a huge hit! I will always lift the skin of turkey now and insert herb butter before roasting. It was so moist and flavorful! Great recipe THANKS!
Susan, so glad you enjoyed it! thank you for coming back and leaving a review. Happy Thanksgiving!
My kitchen smells amazing! I followed the recipe as written, but I did chop the herbs instead of smashing them; I wanted them a bit smaller and more uniform in size before mixing them with the salt, pepper, and butter. I placed some celery, carrots, and onions on the bottom of my roasting pan and set my Turkey breast on top to add some more aromatics.
Wonderful! I hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving dinner!