Keep the holidays simple with an Easy Maple-Glazed Roasted Turkey Breast! You get the best tender, juicy white meat and a flavorful crispy skin -- all with about 15 minutes of prep. It's the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
How to Make Oven Roasted Turkey Breast | 1-Minute Video
If you're like me and you want to keep Thanksgiving stress-free and delicious this year, then a Maple-Glazed Oven Roasted Turkey Breast is the way to go. I learned from my mom that the white turkey meat is always our favorite, so cooking a breast (and not messing around with the rest of the bird) is a quicker and easier option. And with just a few minutes of prep, you can pop a turkey in the oven that roasts for a couple of hours and comes out perfectly every time. The maple-butter basting sauce is absolute heaven!
This traditional turkey breast recipe gives you the crispy, golden skin that epitomizes a holiday meal, while keeping the meat inside tender and juicy. It's so simple and so good, that it has become one of our favorite Sunday suppers during the cool weather months -- no special holiday required! The leftovers work well in sandwiches all week or freeze nicely for casseroles or other recipes later on. It's a winner, winner Turkey Dinner that will make you feel like the ultimate hostess...in just 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- Whole bone-in turkey breast (about 7 lbs.)
- Half of an apple
- Half of a lemon
- Half of an onion
- Celery
- Fresh rosemary and fresh thyme
- Butter
- Maple syrup
- Water
- Salt
How to Roast a Turkey Breast
Just 15 minutes of prep yields a perfect, tender and juicy turkey breast every single time. Watch the video to see just how simple it really is!
- Stuff the cavity of the turkey breast with apple, lemon, celery, onion and herbs (this infuses the meat with so much flavor)! Set the turkey breast meat-side up in a roasting pan.
- Prepare the maple glaze by melting butter and maple syrup in a saucepan. I told you this was easy!
- Pour or brush the maple glaze over the turkey in the pan. Add water to the bottom of the pan and your job is done!
How Long to Roast a Turkey Breast
Roast a 7 lb. turkey breast in a 350-degree F oven for about 2 - 2 ½ hours. A good rule of thumb is to roast a bone-in turkey breast in a 350-degree F oven for 20 minutes per pound. For example, a 5 pound turkey breast will take just one hour and 40 minutes to cook.
What temp should turkey breast be cooked to?
You know that your turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. If the skin is getting too dark, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the turkey.
How to Keep a Turkey Breast Moist When Roasting
There are a few tips to keeping a roasted turkey breast nice and moist:
- Use a meat thermometer to know when the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. The cooking times can vary widely depending on the size of your turkey breast, the temperature of the turkey when it goes in the oven, and your individual oven. The thermometer is the best way to ensure that you don't overcook the turkey and dry it out.
- Roast the breast skin-side up so that the fats drip down into the meat and really keep it moist and flavorful.
- Baste with pan juices every 30 minutes. This adds flavor to the turkey and helps the meat stay moist.
- Give the turkey breast time to rest before slicing. The juices will evenly redistribute throughout the meat instead of running out onto your platter.
How Much Per Person?
For a bone-in turkey breast, plan on 1 ¼ pounds per person. For instance, a 7-lb. bone-in breast will feed approximately 5-6 people. This delicious turkey disappears quickly, and leftovers are delicious -- so we always prepare two at the same time!
What to Serve with Roasted Turkey Breast
This Thanksgiving turkey goes perfectly with all of your favorite holiday sides. Here are a few favorites:
- Easy Green Bean Casserole
- Apple and Butternut Squash Casserole
- Cornbread Stuffing
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Make-Ahead Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Cheesy Party Potatoes
- 2-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins or Pumpkin Bread
- Skillet Cornbread or Corn Muffins
- Cranberry Sauce
- Southern Baked Mac and Cheese, Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese or Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
- Jiffy Corn Casserole
- Ambrosia Salad
- Old-Fashioned Cranberry Muffins
Storage
Wrapped tightly, the leftover turkey breast will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To keep it longer, wrap the roasted turkey in a Ziploc freezer bag or other airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Tips for the Best Roast Turkey Breast Recipe
- If you're using a frozen turkey breast, make sure to give the meat plenty of time to thaw in the refrigerator. One (or even two) days will not be enough!
- Line your roasting pan with aluminum foil for quick and easy cleanup. It's not fun to scrub caramelized maple glaze off of the bottom of a dish!
- If the skin is getting too dark while the turkey finishes cooking, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil.
- Give the meat time to "rest" after you pull it out of the oven (before slicing). This will keep the meat nice and juicy!
- Don't wait until the holidays to enjoy this recipe. An oven roasted turkey breast makes a great Sunday supper -- and you can enjoy the leftovers in sandwiches all week long!
Leftover Turkey Breast Recipes You'll Love
- Wild Rice and Leftover Turkey Soup
- Turkey Tetrazzini
- Aunt Bee's Leftover Turkey Casserole
- Quick and Easy Homemade Turkey Noodle Soup
- Turkey Triangles
Easy Maple-Glazed Roasted Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 1 (7 lb.) whole turkey breast, fresh or frozen and thawed
- ½ apple, chopped into two pieces
- ½ lemon
- ½ onion
- 1 stalk celery, halved
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- Salt, to taste
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Rinse the turkey breast with cold water. Pat dry.
- Stuff turkey cavity with apple, lemon, onion, celery, rosemary, and thyme. Sprinkle salt inside the cavity.
- Place the turkey in a large shallow roasting pan lined with aluminum foil. Don’t skip the aluminum foil (it makes clean up quick and easy)!
- TO PREPARE THE GLAZE: In a small saucepan, melt butter with maple syrup over low heat. Pour or brush the maple butter glaze over turkey to coat.
- Add 1 cup water to the bottom of the pan.
- Roast the turkey breast for 2 – 2 ½ hours, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F. Baste with pan juices every 30 minutes.
- If any part of the turkey browns too quickly while cooking, just tent lightly with aluminum foil.
- Remove the turkey from the oven and place on a large cutting board. Allow it to rest for about 15-20 minutes before carving.
Video
Notes
- If you're using a frozen turkey breast, make sure to give the meat plenty of time to thaw in the refrigerator. One (or even two) days will not be enough!
- Line your roasting pan with aluminum foil for quick and easy cleanup! It's not fun to scrub caramelized maple glaze off of the bottom of a dish...
- If the skin is getting too dark while the turkey finishes cooking, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil.
- Give the meat time to "rest" after you pull it out of the oven (before slicing). This will keep the meat nice and juicy!
- Don't wait until the holidays to enjoy this recipe. An oven roasted turkey breast makes a great Sunday supper -- and you can enjoy the leftovers in sandwiches all week long!
JenW
Thanks for this recipe - Wow! My family thought this was the best turkey glaze Ever! So Flavorful, especially the pan drippings which were the star of the show to put ontop of the turkey and potatoes during the meal. Thanks for the guidance, and the aluminum foil tip - much appreciated. Happy Thanksgiving!
NOTE: my 6lb bone-in turkey breast stuffed with the aromatics in the recipe took over 3hours to cook to 165-ish. Turned out Juicy and Perfect for our small holiday together. After defrost for 3 days in fridge, sat on counter for 1.5 hours right before cooking, was still cold (not frozen) when starting recipe.
Blair
Thanks, Jen! I'm glad that it was a hit. It's so weird how different ovens/turkeys/pans can yield such different cooking times. Thanks for the heads-up for other readers. The meat thermometer is your best friend when cooking a turkey! It's always good to allow plenty of extra cooking time just in case. Thanks again for your note, and happy holidays!
Melissa
This sounds absolutely delicious can you make it with a 22 lb turkey and if so what would be the amounts to use
Blair Lonergan
Hi, Melissa! Yes, you can definitely use the same glaze on a larger whole turkey. I would just double the glaze ingredients, so use 2 sticks of butter, 1 cup of maple syrup, etc. That should be plenty (and in fact might be more than you need). Happy Thanksgiving!