This roasted turkey breast recipe is perfect for a family dinner or your Thanksgiving table. The combination of herbs, butter and lemon results in a delicious and moist turkey breast.
Have you started putting together your Thanksgiving recipes? I hope it includes this delicious homemade stuffing, easy turkey gravy, and of course, the best ever garlic mashed potatoes! If you have a small family, this roasted turkey breast recipe may come in handy as well.
Why is this herb roasted turkey breast recipe the best?
To begin with, this turkey breast recipe has three simple steps: make the butter mixture, spread it under and on the skin, roast the turkey in the oven. That’s it: no fuss, no mess.
Second, because of the butter it’s going to have after it’s fully cooked, the turkey breast remains juicy and full of flavor.
And third, the combination of herbs and lemon is so perfect for turkey. It’s rustic, flavorful and smells fantastic!
If you’ve never made turkey for Thanksgiving, try this turkey breast recipe. You and everyone else at your table will be so happy!
What herbs to use to flavor roasted turkey breast
A combination of rosemary, sage, thyme and tarragon would flavor the turkey breast perfectly. I love using fresh herbs for this turkey breast recipe but dried herbs work great as well.
How to roast a turkey breast
Preheat the oven to 375F. Pat dry the turkey breast completely and set it aside. Start with making compound butter by mixing chopped rosemary, thyme, sage and tarragon with softened butter and lemon zest. Rub this compound butter under and on the skin of the turkey breast. Place the turkey breast on a roasting pan or a baking sheet and roast until the internal temperature registers at 165F.
For a roasted boneless turkey breast recipe, follow the instructions above and simply reduce the cooking time.
How long does it take to roast a bone in turkey breast?
It takes about 2 – 2 1/2 hours to roast a 6-7 pound bone in turkey breast. Start checking the internal temperature after one hour. When the temperature registers at 165F, the turkey breast is fully cooked.
How long does it take to roast a boneless turkey breast in the oven?
You need about 20-25 minutes per pound so a boneless turkey breast that weighs around 5-6 pounds would take about 1 1/2 – 2 hours to roast perfectly. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 165F.
How to keep the herb roasted turkey breast juicy
Here is the trick to have a juicy turkey breast: Once the cooking is completed, take the turkey breast out of the oven and cover with foil. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes before slicing. The resting time will help the roasted turkey breast to keep the juices in.
Can I make roasted turkey breast ahead of time?
I strongly suggest that you serve this roasted turkey breast once it’s cooked and fresh because of the crispy skin. However, if you don’t care about crispy skin, you can serve it later.
Can I freeze roasted turkey breast?
Yes, simply slice the turkey breast and place the slices in freezer bags and freeze for up to two months. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight and place on a baking sheet, cover with foil and reheat at 300F for about 30 minutes or until fully warm.
Looking for more delicious Thanksgiving recipes?
- Homemade cheesy sacalloped potatoes
- Apple sausage stuffing recipe
- Rosemary cheddar cornbread
- Persian spiced turkey
- Homemade apple cranberry sauce
Notes and tips for making this herb roasted turkey breast recipe:
- This turkey breast recipe is made with bone in skin on turkey breast. You can definitely get a boneless turkey breast that will require less cooking time; if you go boneless, start checking the turkey after one hour of cooking.
- The butter and lemon give that nice golden top to the turkey. Be generous with butter, and make sure you rub it everywhere under and on the skin.
- I strongly suggest using fresh herb but if for any reasons you cannot find fresh herbs, dried ones would work fine, too.
- If after 40 minutes of cooking the skin is perfectly brown, cover it loosely with an aluminum foil to avoid burning while the turkey cooks.
- Make sure you cover the turkey after you take it out of the oven and let it sit for 20 minutes. This will help the turkey breast to hold the juice in and will result in juicy and moist turkey breast.
- You can make these delicious cranberry, cheese & turkey filo rolls with the leftovers!
Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
This herb roasted turkey breast recipe is perfect for a family dinner or your Thanksgiving table. The combination of herbs, butter and lemon results in a delicious and moist turkey breast.
Ingredients
- 1 stick Butter Room temperature
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Fresh Rosemary Chopped
- 2 tbsp Fresh Thyme Chopped
- 1 tbsp Fresh Sage Chopped
- 1 tbsp Fresh Tarragon Chopped
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Lemon Zest
- 1 Turkey Breast 6-7 pounds
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375F. Prepare a roasting pan and its rack.
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In a bowl, mix butter, salt, rosemary, thyme, sage, tarragon, lemon juice and lemon zest together until it forms a paste.
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Using your hands, loosen the skin on the turkey breast. Make sure not to tear the skin.
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Grab some of the butter mixture and spread it under the skin. Repeat this step until all the breast is covered with the butter mixture under the skin.
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Spread the rest of the butter mixture on the skin.
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Place the turkey breast on the rack in the roasting pan.
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Bake at 375F for 40 minutes. Then lower the heat to 325F and cook for another 80-90 minutes until it's fully cooked and the thermometer inserted in the thickest part of breast registers 165F.
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Take the turkey breast out of the oven, cover tightly with aluminum foil and let it sit for 20 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Notes
- You can use the same recipe to make a whole turkey. Double the butter mixture for a whole turkey and increase the cooking time to 2-2 1/2 hours.
- After 20-30 minutes of cooking, check and see if the skin is brown enough. If it is, cover loosely with aluminum foil to avoid burning.
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