Oven Roasted Turkey Breast with Garlic Herb Butter
Not every Thanksgiving needs a whole bird, and this oven roasted turkey breast is how you get all that holiday flavor for a smaller crowd. A bone-in turkey breast gets rubbed with garlic herb butter, both under the skin and on top, then roasts over onions and broth until the skin is golden and the meat is juicy. Plan on about 15 minutes of prep and 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours in the oven, plus a short rest, and a 5 to 7 pound breast feeds 6 to 8.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Oven Roasted Turkey Breast with Garlic Herb Butter
- Serves: 6 servings
- Main Ingredients: bone-in, skin-on turkey breast, unsalted butter, garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary, rubbed sage, salt, black pepper
- Why You'll Love It: This oven roasted turkey breast is rubbed with garlic herb butter under and over the skin, then roasted over onions and broth until golden and juicy. A 5 to 7 pound bone-in breast feeds 6 to 8 and leaves drippings for gravy.
It’s also an easy way to have roast turkey breast any time of year, since it fits in a regular roasting pan and doesn’t take over your whole oven. The broth and onions in the bottom of the pan keep things moist and leave you with drippings for old-fashioned turkey gravy.
Why This Roast Turkey Breast Works
Rubbing half the seasoned butter under the skin puts the garlic, thyme, rosemary and sage right against the meat, so the flavor goes all the way through instead of sitting on the surface. The rest of the butter and a drizzle of olive oil on the outside help the skin brown.
Roasting at 375°F is hot enough to crisp the skin, and the cup of broth in the pan keeps the drippings from scorching while the turkey cooks.
What You Need for Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Bone-in, skin-on turkey breast: A 5 to 7 pound breast, completely thawed. The bone helps it cook evenly, and the skin holds in the butter.
- Softened butter and garlic: The base for the herb butter.
- Dried thyme, rosemary and sage: The classic Thanksgiving herb trio, plus paprika for color.
- Salt and pepper: Use less salt if your turkey breast is pre-brined or injected.
- Onion and broth: One quartered onion and a cup of chicken or turkey broth go in the bottom of the pan.
Helpful Tips Before You Start
- Make sure the turkey breast is fully thawed before it goes in the oven.
- Pat it completely dry so the skin can brown.
- Use a meat thermometer. Cooking time depends on the size of your breast, and it’s done at 165°F in the thickest part, without touching the bone.
- If the skin browns too quickly, lay a loose sheet of foil over it and keep roasting.
- Let it rest 15 to 20 minutes before slicing so the juices stay in the meat.
How to Make Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
1Dry the turkey breast
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Pat the turkey breast dry all over with paper towels and set it skin-side up in a roasting pan.
2Make the herb butter
Stir the softened butter, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper and paprika together in a small bowl until it’s evenly mixed.
3Butter under and over the skin
Gently loosen the skin with your fingers without tearing it. Spread about half the herb butter under the skin, right on the meat, then rub the rest over the outside.
4Drizzle with olive oil
Drizzle the olive oil over the buttered skin. This helps it brown evenly in the oven.
5Add the onion and broth
Tuck the quartered onion around the turkey and pour the broth into the bottom of the pan, not over the skin.
6Roast to 165°F
Roast uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, until a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast reads 165°F without touching the bone. If the skin gets dark before it’s done, tent it loosely with a sheet of foil.
7Rest and slice
Move the turkey to a cutting board, cover it loosely with foil and let it rest 15 to 20 minutes. Slice across the grain and serve with the pan juices or gravy.
What to Serve with Roast Turkey Breast
Since this turkey breast leaves the oven free sooner than a whole bird, you’ve got room for the sides. Serve it with crockpot cornbread dressing and a pan of candied sweet potatoes, plus Southern-style fresh green beans for something green. Baked mac and cheese and Jiffy corn casserole always get eaten too, and a bowl of cranberry fluff salad goes right next to the turkey.
If you’re feeding a bigger crowd, roast this alongside a brown sugar glazed baked ham so everybody gets their favorite.
More Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
- Overnight turkey in an oven bag when you need the whole bird and want the oven free in the morning
- Crock pot turkey breast if the oven is already full
- Old-fashioned turkey gravy made with the drippings
- Turkey hash for the leftovers
- Easy Thanksgiving turkey recipes to compare every method
Oven Roasted Turkey Breast FAQs
How long do I cook a turkey breast at 375°F?
A 5 to 7 pound bone-in breast usually takes 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. Smaller breasts land at the shorter end. Go by the thermometer, and pull it when the thickest part reads 165°F.
Can I use a boneless turkey breast?
You can, but it cooks much faster and doesn’t have the skin to hold the butter, so start checking the temperature after about an hour. The bone-in breast in this recipe stays juicier.
Can I make it ahead?
Roast it a day early, let it cool, then slice and refrigerate it with some of the pan juices. Warm the slices covered in a 325°F oven with a splash of broth until heated through. Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
Oven Roasted Turkey Breast with Garlic Herb Butter
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in, skin-on turkey breast 5 to 7 pounds, fully thawed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion quartered
- 1 cup chicken or turkey broth
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels and place it skin-side up in a roasting pan.
- In a small bowl, mix the butter, garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper and paprika.
- Gently loosen the skin. Rub about half the herb butter under the skin directly on the meat and spread the rest over the outside.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the skin. Arrange the onion around the turkey and pour the broth into the bottom of the pan.
- Roast uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, not touching bone, reads 165°F. If the skin browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
- Remove from the oven, cover loosely with foil and rest 15 to 20 minutes.
- Slice and serve with the pan juices or gravy.