Easy Juicy Roasted Turkey Breast

Name: Easy Juicy Roasted Turkey Breast
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 (2-2.5 pounds) turkey breast, boneless and skin-on; 2 tablespoons butter, melted; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 sprig fresh thyme, stem removed; 1 medium onion, sliced; ¼ cup all-purpose flour, or more if needed (optional to make gravy)

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This easy Juicy Roasted Turkey Breast is the perfect main course for a small, intimate Thanksgiving dinner without the hassle of roasting a whole bird. The meat is juicy and tender with crispy skin loaded with flavor of fresh herbs — and it cooks way faster than a whole turkey. It's the perfect holiday meal!

If you grew up dreading eating bland, dry turkey for the holidays, you're in the right place. This delicious roast turkey breast will change your opinions and turn you into a bonafide turkey lover once and for all! Since you're working with a smaller cut of meat, it's much easier to control the moisture content, seasoning, and internal temperature. This means you end up with a lusciously juicy turkey breast infused with flavor and the opposite of dry and bland. It's what turkey is supposed to taste like. It just may be your favorite part of the whole holiday dinner!

Why You'll Love this Juicy Roasted Turkey Breast

Perfect for Thanksgiving. Don't get me wrong, turkey is not just for Thanksgiving. You can (and should) make this all year long. We are talking tender juicy meat with crispy skin, roasted on a layer of caramelized onions. But, I have to agree, roast turkey just hits the spot during the holidays. Especially when you serve it with a side of Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, and Cranberry Sauce. And don't get me started on all the vegetable sides that would be perfect with this.
The best texture. The key to getting that perfectly juicy turkey with crispy skin is to cook the turkey at a high temperature for a shorter period of time. Basically, the same method that I use when roasting the whole turkey (see our Whole Roast Turkey recipe.
All white meat. If you're always picking the turkey breast and shying away from the dark meat, this is seriously the perfect method for you. It's 100% white meat, so you won't waste a single scrap. Plus, it's never dry and cooks so much faster. Win-win!

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious and easy Roasted Turkey Breast, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

turkey breast
butter
salt and pepper
thyme - or substitute with another fresh herb such as rosemary or sage, or a combination of the three.
onion
all-purpose flour - you only need flour if you are making the gravy to go along with it.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a roasting pan, and aluminum foil. I also recommend using a meat thermometer so you know exactly when the bird is done.

How to Make the Best Roasted Turkey Breast

Prepare turkey. Wash and pat dry turkey with paper towels. Brush both sides of turkey breast with melted butter. Rub on salt, pepper, and thyme.
Assemble. On a roasting pan, add sliced onions and olive oil. Toss to coat. Layer roasting rack on top and place turkey breast with the skin up on a roasting tray.
Roast. Roast in a 450F preheated oven for 25 minutes, until the skin is golden brown, then lower the oven temperature to 350 F and loosely cover the turkey with aluminum foil. Continue to roast until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 F as read on a meat thermometer, approximately 30-40 minutes, depending on thickness.

Broil (optional): For extra crispy skin, turn the broiler on high and broil for 2-3 minutes until crispy. Keep a close eye on the broiler as things can burn quickly.
Rest. Remove from oven and allow turkey to sit for 15 minutes before carving.
Garnish. Garnish with fresh thyme on top and serve with caramelized onions, a side of mashed potatoes, and a drizzle of gravy (or pan juices).

How to Make an Easy Turkey Gravy

For an easy gravy, pour 2 cups of turkey drippings through a fine mesh sieve and into a cooking pot. Add flour and whisk to combine. Make sure the flour is fully dissolved. Transfer the pot to the stove and heat over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, continuously stirring until gravy is thickened. If the gravy gets too thick, add one tablespoon of water at a time to thin it out. If it is too thin, whisk constantly and bring it to a boil to thicken, or whisk in ½ tablespoon of flour at a time.

Recipe Variations

Dry brine it. Brining is an easy way to add extra flavor deep inside the breast meat. Instead of trying to soak the turkey in a liquid brine, dry brining involves seasoning the meat and letting it rest in the fridge for a day or two before roasting. It's a great option if you have a little extra time!
Play with seasonings. I like to season turkey breast with melted butter, fresh herbs, and simple seasonings, but you can really go wild here. Have a favorite seasoning salt? Go for it. Want lots of citrus? Dose it in orange and lemon zest. Just be sure not to skimp on salt, as that really brings out the flavor.
Try chicken breasts. If you generally host smaller gatherings or don't like the taste of turkey, you can use the same exact spices and seasonings with chicken breast as well. Season like normal, then

How to Serve

This juicy Roasted Turkey Breast is delicious served with some of my favorite fall sides including:

For more recipes, see our 50 Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Let it rest. The resting process allows all those juices to reintegrate throughout the breast, locking in flavor and moisture. Let the turkey breast rest for at least minutes before you slice into it.
Keep the skin on. Turkey skin crisps up and becomes salty and crunchy. It also helps hold the seasonings in place, locking in flavor and moisture. I highly recommend using boneless, skin-on turkey breast for the best flavor.
Use a good knife. Many of us only carve a turkey (or a turkey breast) 1-2 times per year. You need a sharp, serrated knife or a Granton edge blade to trim neatly through the roasted meat. It really makes a difference, and you won't destroy all your hard work.

FAQ

How do you roast bone-in turkey breast?

If you have a bone-in turkey breast, you can follow the same instructions, except you'll need to extend the cooking time quite a bit (generally about 20 minutes per pound). Use an instant-read meat thermometer to probe the thickest part of the breast. If it reaches 165 F, it's ready to remove from the oven and rest.

How do you cook turkey breast so it doesn't dry out?

Dry turkey is the last thing on anyone's holiday wishlist. Fortunately, roasting just a turkey breast makes it much easier to control the moisture content for the juiciest turkey breast ever! My method starts by coating the turkey breast with melted butter, fresh onions, and herbs, then roasting at a high temperature to crisp up the skin and lock in moisture. Then, I drop the temperature to let it cook gradually without drying out the edges. Let the turkey rest for at least 15 minutes before carving to let the juices redistribute throughout the meat. It's simple but highly effective.

How long does it take to roast turkey breast in the oven?

Roasting turkey breast is much faster than roasting a whole turkey, but it still takes some time. This recipe calls for roasting at 450 F for 25 minutes, then dropping down to 350 F for about 30-40 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer shows 165 F.

More Turkey Recipes

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