Garlic and Herb Roast Turkey Breast

This garlic and herb roast turkey breast is crispy on the outside and tender, juicy, and flavorful on the inside. The perfect, easy centerpiece for your Thanksgiving dinner!

If you’re looking for even more easy turkey recipes, be sure to check out our maple glazed roasted turkey breast, a flavorful smoked turkey breast, and this Crock Pot turkey tenderloin, too!

I used to be so intimidated by the thought of preparing a roast turkey breast for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s such an important staple of the holiday spread, and the pressure seemed really high!

If you can relate, and if taking charge of the Thanksgiving turkey makes you want to run for the hills and order carry-out pizza, then have no fear! This garlic and herb roast turkey breast is so easy that it’s virtually impossible to mess up!

Why You’ll Love this Roast Turkey Breast

• Quick and Easy. This turkey breast only requires about 15 minutes of prep! It also roasts faster than an entire turkey since it’s a smaller portion.
• White Meat. If you’re someone who enjoys the white meat best, this is the perfect solution. You don’t have to settle for the dark meat as well, or fight over who gets the “best” part of the turkey.
• Moist and Juicy. The bone and skin keep the meat flavorful and juicy while it roasts. Also, since you’re not trying to get an entire turkey to cook through, the white meat doesn’t dry out. You can pull it out of the oven as soon as it reaches the correct temperature!

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°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.

Internal Temperature

An instant-read thermometer is always the best way to know when your turkey breast is cooked perfectly. The thermometer should register an internal temperature of 160-165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the breast (not touching a bone). The temperature of the meat will continue to rise slightly as it rests.

How Much Turkey 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!

Serving Suggestions

If you’re looking for a classic Thanksgiving feast, pair the carved turkey with gravy and any of these delicious sides:

• Green Bean Casserole, Green Bean Casserole Bundles with Bacon, Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon, or Southern-Style Green Beans
• Apple and Butternut Squash Casserole
• Southern Cornbread Dressing or Sausage Stuffing
• Cranberry Sauce or Cranberry Salad
• Jiffy Corn Casserole
• Ambrosia Salad or Watergate Salad
• Cranberry Bread or One-Bowl Cranberry Orange Muffins
• Baked Potato Wedges, Sweet Potato Casserole, Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Make-Ahead Garlic Mashed Potatoes, or Twice Baked Potatoes
• Southern Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Sweet Cornbread, Cornbread with Cake Mix, Pumpkin Cornbread, Old-Fashioned Corn Sticks, or Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn
• Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Duke’s Homemade Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Shells and Cheese, or No-Boil Easy Mac and Cheese
• Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Easy Drop Biscuits
• Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
• 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
• Wedge Salad, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
• Broccoli Cauliflower Salad or Broccoli and Cheese
• Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
• Southern Succotash
• Southern Collard Greens or Sweet and Spicy Collard Greens with Bacon
• Charleston Red Rice
• Okra and Tomatoes
• Southern Squash Casserole
• Cheese Grits
• Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onion, Braised Red Cabbage, or Roasted Cabbage
• Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Tips for the Best Roast Turkey Breast Recipe

• If you’re using a frozen turkey breast, allow plenty of time for the meat to thaw in the refrigerator. One or two days will not be enough!
• Line your roasting pan with aluminum foil for quick and easy cleanup.
• If the skin is getting too dark while the turkey finishes cooking, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil.
• For a juicy turkey breast, give the meat time to “rest” at room temperature 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!
• Need help carving your turkey breast? This is a great tutorial!

Leftover Turkey Recipes to Try

Quick and Easy Homemade Turkey Noodle Soup

40 minutes mins

Leftover Turkey Rice Casserole

35 minutes mins

Leftover Turkey Soup with Wild Rice

1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Garlic and Herb Roast Turkey Breast

5 from 4 votes

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time 15 minutes minutes

Total: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 302 kcal

This garlic and herb roast turkey breast is tender, juicy and full of flavor. Perfect for Thanksgiving!

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 7-8 lb. whole turkey breast, fresh or frozen and thawed
• 2 lemons
• 1 whole head of garlic, cut in half crosswise (you don’t need to peel the garlic)
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• A few sage leaves
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup water
• 1 onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
• Rinse the turkey breast with cold water. Pat dry.
• Liberally salt and pepper the inside cavity of the turkey.
• Cut the lemons in quarters and place two quarters in the cavity, along with the garlic. Add rosemary, thyme and sage to the inside of the turkey.
• Brush the turkey with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.
• Place the turkey in a large shallow roasting pan lined with aluminum foil (for easy clean-up).
• Add 1 cup water to bottom of pan.
• Place the reserved lemons and the sliced onion in a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Pour the lemon and onion mixture around the turkey inside 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. Tent the turkey with foil and allow it to rest for about 20 minutes before carving. 

Notes

If you’re using a different size turkey breast, here is a good rule of thumb to follow for cooking time:

Roast bone-in turkey breast in a 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes per pound.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the recipe (skin on)Calories: 302kcalProtein: 48gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2.6gCholesterol: 90.7mgSodium: 1003mg

Keyword: roast turkey, Thanksgiving turkey recipe

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Author: Blair Lonergan

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