Juicy Roast Turkey Breast

This Juicy Roast Turkey Breast is so easy to make, and turns out perfect every time! Just follow a few tips and tricks that we have here to ensure that your turkey breast turns out moist and tender, without drying out.

And don’t forget to save the bones and any leftover turkey meat to make our Homemade Turkey Soup for another comfort food meal that is sure to become a favorite!

How To Cook And Carve A Turkey Breast is an easy guide for making juicy, tender turkey

Easy Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe

Turkey is one of those things that you have once or maybe twice a year. And every time we have it we wonder why we don’t make it more often! Turkey dinners are amazing, turkey leftovers are even better…

Why do we only seem to roast a turkey around the holidays? Shame on us, I say. Once you tackle how to make this Juicy Roast Turkey Breast, you’ll be making a heck of a lot more than once a year!

First, let’s jump on over to a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey. Obviously a turkey breast is just the breast – so it’s smaller and takes less time to cook. You can usually fit a turkey breast in a regular sized baking dish instead of dragging out a big roasting pan and rack.

So less cooking time, less oven space, all bonuses when you’re planning a holiday meal.

How To Make A Roasted Turkey Breast

Start by making the base for your turkey breast, using some carrots, onions and aromatics like fresh rosemary like we have here. Celery is also perfect for this vegetable base, if you have some go ahead and get it in there.

How To Cook And Carve A Turkey Breast vegetable rack

This vegetable base gets the turkey breast off the bottom of the baking dish, so it’s not sitting right on the bottom. The vegetables will also flavor turkey drippings too, for when you go to make your turkey gravy.

Rub the turkey breast with olive oil and softened butter to make the skin nice and crispy when it comes out of the oven. The butter or olive oil is also what gives the turkey skin that nice brown color.

How To Cook And Carve A Turkey Breast is an easy recipe for roasting a turkey breast

Season the turkey breast with lots of kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and herbs. I had fresh rosemary today so that’s what I used, but you can use fresh thyme or sage if you prefer, or a combination of all of them.

Fresh herbs and the right amount of seasoning are key when making a turkey breast, there’s a lot of meat to season so you need strong flavors here!

How Long Does A Turkey Breast Cook In The Oven?

A typical turkey breast from the store is about 5-7 pounds. The roasting time per pound is about 20 minutes, so a 5 pound turkey breast is going to roast for about an hour and a half.

Those handy pop-up timers on your bird are fine, but I cook my turkey a little shy of the recommended time of 20 minutes per pound. For instance, instead of 100 minutes for that 5 pound bird I give it 90, or an hour and a half.

Turkey breast meat, (the white meat) should register 165 degrees on a meat thermometer when it’s done, so start checking the temperature of your turkey about 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Another tip for not making a dry turkey is to take the turkey breast out of the oven around 155-160 degrees because as it’s resting it will rise 5 to 10 degrees in temperature.

How To Cook And Carve A Turkey Breast for the crispiest skin

How To Carve A Turkey Breast

Carving a turkey breast really couldn’t be easier to do, once you do it a few times you’ll be a pro. Use a sharp chef’s knife and cut each half of the breast out by running the knife down one side of the backbone like I’m showing you here.

How To Cook And Carve A Turkey Breast cutting into a turkey breast

Next run your knife from the top of the turkey breast down to the bottom so you can remove the whole breast. Repeat on the other side.

Now slice each part of the turkey breast into pieces and place them onto a platter so you can reserve any juices that comes out from the meat.

How To Cook And Carve A Turkey Breast is an easy recipe for cooking and slicing a turkey breast

If you prefer thin slices of turkey, you can do that as well. Just make thinner slices with your knife, or use an electric carving knife for very thin slices of turkey.

Use any drippings from the turkey to make a delicious, homemade turkey gravy for pouring over the top of your roasted turkey and serving with mashed potatoes!

How To Cook And Carve A Turkey Breast for the most juicy turkey breast

Like I mentioned before, don’t get rid of those turkey bones! You can get another few days of dinner out of this turkey breast by making turkey soup. My family actually looks forward to the turkey soup more than the turkey dinner itself.

You can freeze the bones and any leftover turkey too! Just pack it all in a freezer bag and pull it out when you want to make a batch of homemade turkey soup. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

How To Cook And Carve A Turkey Breast will show you the easiest way for juicy turkey that's done quickly

Even if you’re not cooking for Thanksgiving, making a turkey breast is a simple dinner to make for leftovers during the week. Slice the turkey thin for turkey sandwiches or to serve with mashed potatoes on the side!

What Sides Go Well With Turkey?

In comes the side dishes! On Thanksgiving of course, the side dishes are what dinner is all about. But even if you’re not making this juicy, oven roasted turkey breast for a holiday meal, the sides do make the meal complete!

PIN IT!

roasted turkey breast collage for pinterest

What Can I Make With Leftover Turkey?

Besides having a couple of nice dinners after you cook your turkey breast, let’s talk for a second about the leftover turkey recipes. Because leftover turkey is the possibly the best leftover ingredient in the world.

We’ve already discussed the soup, so here are a few more of our favorites!

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How To Cook And Carve A Turkey Breast for the most juicy turkey breast

Juicy Roast Turkey Breast

  • Author: Dan
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x

This Juicy Roast Turkey Breast recipe is so simple and so delicious! Moist and tender turkey breast meat with that coveted, crispy skin!

Scale

Ingredients

  • 77 1/2 pound turkey breast
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 4 carrots
  • 1 large onion sliced into thick rounds
  • Fresh rosemary, thyme or sage

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place the carrots and onions (and fresh herbs if using) in the bottom of a baking dish for the turkey breast to sit on.
  3. Rub the olive oil and butter all over the skin of the turkey breast, then season with the salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.
  4. Pour the wine and chicken broth into the bottom of the baking dish, then place the seasoned turkey breast on top of the vegetable rack.
  5. Roast the turkey in the oven for approximately 20 minutes per pound, depending on the size of your turkey breast. A 7 1/2 pound turkey breast will take between 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Check the temperature of the breast to make sure it’s at 165 degrees.
  6. Remove the turkey from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes, covered in foil.
  7. Carve both sides of the turkey breast of the bone, then slice into pieces and serve.

Recipe Notes

Store: Store leftover turkey in an air tight container or a resealable storage bag for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Freeze: Freeze cooked turkey meat for up to 3 months in a resealable freezer bag.

Nutritional information is for turkey meat with skin.

  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

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4 Responses
  1. Ann Furdock

    You write that you separate each side of the breast by cutting along the backbone…do you mean breastbone?

  2. Simone

    Love this recipe! I’ve used it the last 3 Thanksgivings. The seasoning is great and the drippings make delicious gravy. I made the mistake this year of lowering the oven rack and overcooked the breast. :( Still tastes great and the potatoes and gravy made it work, but I won’t make the same mistake twice. Even though it sits tall, leave the oven rack in the middle of the oven! Thanks for a great recipe and instructions!






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