Skip making an entire bird and make this simple oven roasted turkey breast recipe instead! Turkey breast marinated overnight and then oven roasted until golden, juicy and tender.
Don’t forget to pair your turkey breast with all the other classic Thanksgiving sides for the ultimate holiday dinner!
TURKEY BREAST RECIPE
If you want turkey, but don’t want to cook an entire bird, just make this oven roasted turkey breast recipe! This easy turkey breast recipe gives you tender, juicy and flavorful turkey meat. Whether you are having a smaller holiday gathering or just craving turkey make this recipe for a smaller portion of turkey. With a simple marinade, this turkey breast gives you moist, juicy and sliceable meat that is perfect for weeknight dinners, meal prep, and of course for a holiday dish!
WHAT YOU NEED-
- Turkey Breast– This recipe calls for a fresh or frozen bone-in turkey breast. Using bone-in gives you more flavors and gives you juicier meat, so I highly recommend it. If you are using frozen turkey breast, be sure that it is fully thawed before roasting.
- Oil– Many recipes use an herbed butter marinate, but I find that a little bit of oil does the trick just as good! You can use either olive oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, or even avocado oil.
- Seasoning Blend– The seasoning blend for this turkey breast recipe calls for salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning. You can find poultry seasonings at most grocery stores.
- Water– Adding water to the casserole dish or roasting pan when roasting the turkey breast is the key to juicy, tender turkey!
- Turkey Gravy– If you want to make some homemade turkey gravy to serve alongside this roasted turkey breast, you just need butter, flour, turkey drippings, water (or chicken and turkey broth) and ground black pepper.
HOW TO ROAST TURKEY BREAST
This recipe is so easy and gives you the most succulent, flavorful turkey breast!
- In a small bowl or ramekin, combine all the seasonings for the turkey.
- Remove the thawed turkey breast from the packaging and discard any extras. Rinse and pat dry the turkey.
- Add the turkey to a roasting pan or casserole dish.
- Coat the turkey in oil, then in seasonings. (Covering all the crevasses and under and skin.)
- Cover the dish with foil or with the lid and allow the turkey to marinate in the fridge for up to 2 days. (For the best results, you want to marinate for at least 12 hours, but you can cook right away if needed.)
- Preheat the oven and add water to the baking dish or pan. (Do not pour over the turkey or it will wash off the seasonings.)
- Roast the turkey, covered for about 1.5-2 hours. Remove the foil or lid and continue cooking until the skin is golden and crispy and the internal temperature of turkey reaches about 155-160F.
- Remove from the oven and carefully transfer the turkey breast to your serving platter. If you want to make turkey gravy, carefully strain the turkey drippings from the casserole dish or roasting pan into a bowl or measuring cup.
- Serve the turkey breast whole or slice into desired sized pieces. Pour some turkey drippings or turkey gravy over the turkey slices and enjoy.
TURKEY GRAVY
You can’t forget the homemade turkey gravy from the turkey drippings!
- Once you transfer the turkey breast to the serving platter, carefully pour the turkey drippings from the casserole dish or roasting pan through a strainer into a bowl or measuring cup.
- In a saucepan, melt butter on medium high heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour until well combined.
- Pour the strained turkey drippings to the saucepan and whisk until well combined, and there are no flour lumps left.
- Add the water (or broth) and black pepper to the pan and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer for about 1-2 minutes, until the gravy is thick. Remove from the heat and transfer to a gravy dish.
- Enjoy it immediately.
SERVING IDEAS-
There are so many ways that you can enjoy this juicy, flavorful turkey breast!
- Thanksgiving– What is Thanksgiving without turkey?! Pair this turkey with creamy mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and turkey gravy to the ultimate Thanksgiving dinner!
- KFC Bowls– Shred or cut up this turkey and use it in the famous KFC bowls instead of popcorn chicken, this is a great Thanksgiving leftover dinner idea!
- Sandwiches– Make your favorite turkey sandwich with this roasted turkey breast! The perfect lunch.
- Sliders– Swap the shredded chicken for shredded turkey and make Buffalo Sliders with this roasted turkey breast!
- Pot Pie Casserole– Make a turkey pot pie casserole with this turkey breast, just swap the shredded chicken for shredded turkey.
- Soup– Craving a warm bowl of soup? Make turkey noodle soup with this meat.
- Salad– Enjoy a hearty cobb salad or Greek salad with some turkey for a heartier salad.
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
When thawing turkey breast, it will thaw sooner than a whole turkey. For every pound, you want to give it for about 45-60 minutes. I typically thaw my turkey breast overnight or in the fridge.
Yes! You can use either bone-in turkey breast, boneless turkey breast or even a large turkey breast. Just be sure to adjust the roasting time, depending on the weight and size of the turkey breast.
Yes! Just double the oil and seasoning measurements and the cooking time will increase. You generally want to cook your turkey for 15 minutes per pound at 350°F, so if your turkey is 12 lbs., you want to roast it for about 3 hours. Keep it covered the first 2 hours.
To avoid dry turkey, you want to make sure you don’t over cook your turkey breast! Typically, you bake the turkey for 15 minutes per pound at 350°F. The internal temperature of cooked turkey is 165°F, so remove it at like 155-160°F and it will finish cooking as it sits.
No, you do not need to baste the turkey, since we have the water in the pan, it gives the turkey steam. You can baste it right before serving, for added juices and flavors.
Yes! You can swap the seasoning blend out for Cajun seasonings, blackening seasoning, or any other blend you like!
Store the cooled, sliced turkey breast in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat or enjoy the cold turkey leftovers cold.
Yes! Leftover turkey breast freezes great! Once cooled, transfer to a freezer safe container or bag and freeze for 3-4 months. Thaw overnight and reheat and enjoy!
OTHER CLASSIC THANKSGIVING DISHES-
Looking for some more classic Thanksgiving dishes to add to your menu?
Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 6.5 lbs thawed turkey breast weight will vary per turkey breast
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 cup water
Turkey Gravy-
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup turkey drippings strained
- 1 cup water or chicken or turkey broth
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, and poultry seasoning to create a seasoning blend.
- Remove the thawed turkey breast from the packaging and discard any extras.
- Rinse and pat dry the turkey breast and add it to a roasting pan or large casserole dish.
- With your hands, rub the turkey in the olive oil, covering the entire turkey in oil. Then coat the entire turkey in the seasoning blend. (Going in all the crevasses and under and skin.)
- Cover the casserole dish and marinate in the fridge for up to 2 days. (You do not have to marinate the turkey, but for the best results marinate at least overnight.)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Making sure the turkey beast is laying with the skin side up, pour water into the pan, around the turkey. (Not over the turkey or it will remove the seasonings.)
- Cover the pan with lid or with foil and bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes. (The cook time will vary depending on the weigh to of the turkey. Its typically about 15 minutes per pound.)
- Remove the foil and continue cooking for another 45-55 minutes, until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 155-160°F. (It will finish cooking and will reach 165°F, as it continues cooking even after it’s out of the oven.)
- Carefully transfer the turkey breast to your serving platter. (If you are making turkey gravy, pour the juices from the casserole dish through a strainer into a bowl or measuring cup.)
- Serve the turkey whole or slice the breast into thick slices.
Turkey Gravy-
- In a small saucepan, melt butter on medium high heat.
- Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour until incorporated.
- Pour in the turkey drippings and whisk until well combined and there are no lumps.
- Add the water and black pepper and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the gravy has thickened.
- Remove it from heat and transfer it to your gravy dish and enjoy.
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