Roast Turkey Breast

This Roast Turkey Breast recipe is made with herbs and garlic and it makes the perfect holiday turkey dinner for a small gathering. Learn how to roast a boneless skinless turkey breast that’s ready in under 2 hours!

 

Estimated reading time: 50 minutes

Roasting a boneless skinless turkey breast can be an intimidating task – it’s easy to overcook it, and nobody likes dry turkey, especially during the holidays. This Roast Turkey Breast recipe is one of our favourite holiday mains to make, and it’s perfect for small holiday gatherings where you’re feeding 5 or 6 people!

There are so many benefits to roasting a boneless skinless turkey breast instead of a whole bird. Aside from the amount of time you’ll save yourself, you can also save space in your oven for all those other delicious holiday dishes you plan to make, like these Crispy Rosemary Garlic Roasted Potatoes or this Easy From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole. Trust us, if you’re looking for a holiday turkey recipe that’s a little on the easy side but still totally delicious, this is it!!

Here are just a few reasons we love this turkey breast recipe!

1. It’s A TIME-SAVER – This recipe saves time and cooks faster than a whole turkey, AND it saves more space in your oven for side dishes to cook at the same time.
2. It’s EASY to MAKE– This recipe only requires a roasting pan, a meat thermometer, and a carving knife -you don’t have to be an expert in the kitchen for it to turn out well!
3. It makes the BEST LEFTOVERS – The turkey beast makes the best leftovers – enjoy the meat on its own or add slices to a sandwiches for lunches.
4. It’s FESTIVE – The flavours are holiday-inspired, making it the perfect main dish for holiday gatherings.
5. It’s tender and JUICY – There’s nothing better than juicy turkey over the holidays and this Roast Turkey Breast is perfectly tender and juicy.

Try these tips for making the BEST Roast Turkey Breast recipe! Here are all our best no-fail tips for roasting a juicy holiday turkey breast:

Butter is the key ingredient to juicy turkey breasts and it also gives a lot of flavour, especially when you’re roasting without the skin and bones.

Using fresh or dried herbs is the best way to infuse a TON of flavour into your boneless skinless turkey breast. Always use fresh herbs if you have them available, but dried herbs work well in a pinch, too.

Roast your turkey breast for about 90 minutes (for a 2 pound breast), but be sure to test the doneness a little early to make sure you take the turkey breast out of the oven when it reaches the correct internal temperature (165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celsius) in the deepest part of the breast.

This is a MUST for any roasted turkey breast. Check the doneness easily by measuring the temperature of the meat in the thickest part of the breast to ensure the turkey stays nice and juicy and doesn’t dry out!

Once your turkey breast comes out of the oven, let it sit for about 10 or 15 minutes before slicing into it (cover with aluminum foil). This will ensure the juices stay in the meat, making your turkey ultra moist and juicy.

Making your own homemade gravy is SO easy with the pan drippings left over from your roast turkey breast. Follow my delicious homemade gravy recipe HERE and halve the recipe if you’re making it with the juices from one roast turkey breast.

Here are some common issues you might encounter when making this roast turkey breast recipe and how to fix and prevent them:

One of the most common turkey-roasting mistakes people making is roasting at too high a temperature. This dries out your turkey breast. Roast at 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) for best results. Be sure to roast at the correct temperature for the correct time.

Make sure to cook the turkey thoroughly at the right temperature. Check with a meat instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast to ensure it is cooked through before removing it from the oven.

It is important to rub the butter mixture all over the turkey. The turkey breast is skinless, so the rub helps to maintain the moisture in the meat and keep it from drying out during the cooking process.

If the oven temperature is too high, the outside of the turkey breast will burn and the inside of the turkey breast won’t be cooked through. Be sure to follow the recipe and use the correct oven temperature and cook time.

One of the most important kitchen tools for recipes like this is an Instant Read Thermometer. Testing the internal temperature of the turkey breast is the key to ensuring you don’t over-cook it and to make sure it stays nice and juicy. Here are three Instant Read Thermometers we recommend (paid links):

• Lavatools Javelin Instant-Read Thermometer
• ThermoPro Instant-Read Thermometer
• OXO Good Grips Precision Instant-Read Thermometer

In addition to an Instant Read Thermometer, you’ll need this basic kitchen equipment (paid links):

• large baking dish
• measuring cups and spoons
• mixing bowls
• large knife
• Aluminum Foil

To make this oven roasted turkey breast recipe, you’ll need these ingredients on hand (paid links):

• 2 pound boneless skinless turkey breast (approximately 1 kilogram)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• 2 cloves garlic pressed or finely minced
• 1 teaspoon rosemary chopped, dried or fresh
• 1 teaspoon thyme chopped, dried or fresh
• 2 teaspoons fresh parsley chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Want to try something different? Try one of these delicious variations on this basic roast turkey breast recipe!

1. Maple Dijon – Add maple syrup and Dijon mustard to the garlic and herbs. It gives the turkey a sweet and tangy flavour.
2. Lemon – Add lemon juice and zest to the herbs, it brightens the flavours of the rosemary and thyme.
3. Spicy – Mix cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper to the rub for a spicy flavour.
4. Mediterranean – Use spices like oregano and basil with the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for a Mediterranean-style turkey breast.
5. Stuffed – Use our Roasted Turkey Breast with Cranberry Bacon Stuffing recipe to fill the turkey breast with a delicious homemade stuffing!

We hope you enjoy this boneless skinless turkey breast recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite holiday side dish to serve with roast turkey? We’d love to know!

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