This Roasted Turkey Breast recipe is perfect for everyone that loves turkey but is entertaining a smaller group. I’ve adapted my hugely popular Thanksgiving Turkey recipe for a smaller party size, making this recipe simpler than ever!

Looking for more Thanksgiving recipes? Try Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potato Casserole, Turkey Gravy, or Thanksgiving Stuffing!

Two sliced Roasted Turkey breasts on a serving platter with a fork.

Why I love this recipe:

  • Smaller – This is perfect for entertaining a smaller group, or for family dinner during the fall and winter months.
  • Approachable – If you are intimidated by making a big Thanksgiving turkey, then this recipe is perfect for you! No basting or brining; you won’t believe how easy and quick it is!
  • Delicious – My Thanksgiving Turkey recipe is one of my highest reviewed recipes and for good reason! It is flavorful, moist, and just absolutely perfect! I have adapted that recipe for the best turkey breast recipe!

How to make Roasted Turkey Breast:

Make Herb Butter: Combine butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs in a bowl.

Two images showing a stick of butter with fresh herbs, and then the butter all mixed to make Herb Butter.

Prep Turkey: Let turkey thaw completely. Pat the turkey dry on all sides with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Loosen the skin of the turkey breast and smear a spoonful of herb butter under the skin, spreading it over both sides of the breast. Spread remaining herb butter all of the outside of the turkey breast. Place in a baking dish or sheet pan.

A Turkey with just breast meat in a baking dish covered with salt, pepper, and homemade herb butter.

Roast: Cook at 325°F for about 14-15 minutes per pound, or until internal temperature (inserted into the thickest part of the breast) reaches 165 degrees. (I usually take it out just shy of 165 degrees, as it will continue to cook as it rests). Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for at least 15 minutes.

A turkey with just breast meat covered in garlic herb butter, cooked golden brown.

Serve this oven roasted turkey breast with Mashed Potatoes, Homemade Rolls, Stuffing, and Sweet Potato Casserole. Use leftover turkey in a Turkey Club Wrap or Turkey Cranberry Almond Wrap!

A close up image of a golden herb Roasted Turkey breast, sliced and ready to serve.

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Recipe

Two oven Roasted Turkey Breasts on a white platter, sliced and ready to serve.
Prep 30 minutes
Cook 1 hour
Resting Time 15 minutes
Total 1 hour 45 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 Whole or Half Bone-in Turkey Breast* , or boneless

Herb Butter:

Instructions
 

  • Thaw turkey, if frozen. A general rule of thumb is 24 hours for every 5 pounds of Turkey. Remove the thawed turkey from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking.
  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Make herb butter by combining butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs in a bowl.
  • Prep Turkey: Remove turkey from packaging and use paper towels to pat the turkey dry on all sides. Season the outside with some salt and pepper. Loosen the skin of the turkey breast and smear a spoonful of herb butter under the skin, spreading it over both sides of the breast. Spread remaining herb butter all of the outside of the turkey breast. Place in a baking dish or sheet pan.
  • Roast: Position oven racks so the turkey will sit in the center of the oven. Cook at 325 degrees F for about 14-15 minutes per pound, or until internal temperature (inserted into the thickest part of the breast) reaches 165 degrees. (I usually take it out just shy of 165 degrees, as it will continue to cook as it rests).
  • Rest: Remove from oven and cover turkey with a piece of aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Notes

*Bone-in Turkey Breast is a turkey with both skin-on breast portions of the turkey connected by the backbone and ribs (The leg, thigh and large cavity portion of the whole turkey have been removed). A half turkey breast (single breast) will also work for this recipe, and cook time will be shorter.
Check out this post for photos and video of How to Carve a Turkey.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 295mgPotassium: 23mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.04gVitamin A: 747IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 0.2mg

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 3.1 lb. Turkey breast, bone-in took 90
    minutes. Timed all my sides based on the recipe and ended up eating them with left over chicken cutlets. So frustrating. The time on this recipe is completely off- doesn’t matter if your oven is slightly off temp. Guess we will be having it tm night for dinner.

  2. The estimate of 15-15 minutes/lb at 325 is woefully short! With a small (3.4lb half breast, bone in) I required nearly 90 minutes to get to 160 degrees and while the meat was not at room temp when I started it was certainly thawed.

  3. 4 stars
    I used 2.77 pound bone-in turkey breast for this recipe today. I baked it at 350 degrees rather than 325 degrees as called for. Despite the higher heat, it took almost two hours for the turkey to reach 165 degrees internally (this happened the first time I used this recipe too). The turkey turned out great, so I will make this recipe again in the future, but I will adjust the time/plan on it taking longer than called for.

  4. I’m so puzzled as to how this recipe worked for so many people. I had a 4.09lb skin-on/bone in turkey breast that was not frozen and that sat out at room temp for like an hour before cooking. It was cool to the touch, but not cold. If the turkey needs 15 min/lb it should have been done at about an hour. It was extremely not done. Even though it was pretty visibly raw at one hour, I put in the thermometer and it registered 120. I kept checking it at 10-15 min intervals for the next hour and a half. After 2.5 hours total cooking time, the thickest part of the breast registered 158 or so. That’s 150% more cook time and it still never got to 165. My oven thermometer reads 325, so it’s not a stove-temp issue. I have no idea how other people had success in with these instructions.

    1. I’m sorry to hear about the trouble with the turkey breast recipe. Cooking times can indeed vary due to factors like meat size, shape, and oven differences. It seems like your turkey might have needed more time due to its specific characteristics, despite following the instructions. Thanks for your feedback, and I hope your next attempt is spot on!

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