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Slices of turkey on a plate with mashed potatoes dried with gravy.

Oven Roasted Turkey Breast

This Oven Roasted Turkey Breast is a great alternative for small gatherings at Thanksgiving, Christmas or other times of year. This simple recipe made with rich butter and fresh herbs makes a flavorful, tender, juicy turkey breast with perfectly crispy skin.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword Oven Roasted Turkey, Thanksgiving Turkey, Turkey Breast
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Resting 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 5320 kcal
Susanne Susanne

Ingredients

  • 8 pound whole turkey breast or similar size
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley1 chopped
  • ½ tablespoon fresh thyme1 chopped
  • ½ tablespoon fresh rosemary1 chopped
  • ½ tablespoon fresh sage1 chopped
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread a 9x13 or larger baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Place the turkey breast, breast side up, into the baking dish. If it wants to fall over, ball up a piece of foil and stick it under the breast cavity to stabilize it.
  3. In a small bowl, mix together the butter, parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder until well combined.
  4. Take your hand and carefully separate the skin away from the meat. You need to place your hand by the neck opening and work it under the skin to do this. Be careful not to puncture the skin.
  5. Take the butter mixture and with your hands, place the butter under the skin, reserve about 1 tablespoon of the butter.
  6. Use your hands to smooth the butter around the breast meat, so it is well seasoned.
  7. Take the remaining butter and smear it all over the outside of the skin.
  8. Bake for about 20 minutes per pound (an 8-pound turkey took 2 and ½ hours) or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, not touching the bone, reaches 165°F.
  9. Let the turkey rest on the counter for at least 15 minutes before slicing to serve. Reserve any drippings to make gravy if desired.

Recipe Notes

1 You can use 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, rosemary, and sage in place of the fresh herbs.

2 Nutritional information is estimated. Amounts will vary based on ingredient choices and serving sizes.

Nutrition Facts
Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 5320 Calories from Fat 2457
% Daily Value*
Fat 273g420%
Saturated Fat 118g738%
Trans Fat 4g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 24g
Cholesterol 2180mg727%
Sodium 11227mg488%
Potassium 204mg6%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 0.4g0%
Protein 717g1434%
Vitamin A 4370IU87%
Vitamin C 11mg13%
Calcium 96mg10%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.